You are entitled to a social security pension only if you pay your social security contributions.
the payment of social security contributions does not entitle you to a Social Security Pension
To be entitled to a social security pension you must pay a minimum number of annual social security contributions. This is called as the ‘qualifying period’.
The qualifying period at at 2018 :
Table: Qualifying Period to be Entitled to the Social Security Pension
| Minimum period needed for a person to qualify for Pension must be in a gainful occupation as employed, self-occupied or self-employed person | Not less than ten (10) years |
Meeting the qualifying period does not mean that you will receive a full pension. The meeting of the qualifying period means that you will be entitled to a pro-rata of the social security pension you would have been entitled to had you worked the full contributory period to qualify for the full pension.
Example
You are born in 1962. In 1980 you entered the labour market to work as a receptionist with a hotel. In 1992 you left you married and resigned from your employment. You never returned back into active employment.
This means that in all you paid the social security contributions for 13 years. This means that you qualify for a social security pension in your own right.
This example assumes that your salary was €14,000. This example also assumes that you are entitled for no credits. If you paid the full contributory history of 40 years your social security pension income will be estimated as follows:
