Publication
Operational Guidelines: Homemaker's Scheme
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
The Homemaker’s Scheme was introduced to make it easier for those who provide full-time care for children or for an incapacitated person to qualify for a State Pension (Contributory). The scheme came into effect on 6 April 1994 and applies to both men and women.
One of the qualifying conditions for State Pension (Contributory) is that the person has a minimum yearly average number of contributions since entering social insurance to reaching pension age. The Homemaker’s Scheme provides that years spent working in the home while caring on a full-time basis for a child up to 12 years of age or an incapacitated person age 12 or over will be disregarded in calculating a person's yearly average number of contributions.
Homemaking Years disregard
A year is disregarded as a homemaking year, if a person is out of the workforce for the complete contribution year.
A maximum of 20 homemaking years may be disregarded for State Pension (Contributory) Purposes.
Credited contributions
Credited contributions reckonable for State Pension (Contributory) may be awarded for part of a year at the start of the homemaking period, from the date in which the insured person became a homemaker up to the end of the tax year. Likewise, credited contributions may also be awarded for part of a year when the homemaking period ends, from the start of the tax year up to the date the homemaking ceased.
Example: Person leaves work to care for newborn child
Child Details: Date of Birth 10 November 1997; 12th birthday 10 November 2009
Homemaking Period: 10 November 1997 - 10 November 2009
| From | To | Insurance Record |
| 10/11/97 | 5/4/98 | Credits awarded to end of tax year |
| 6/4/98 | 31/12/2008 | Counted as full homemaking years |
| 1/1/2009 | 10/11/2009 | Credits awarded to child's 12th birthday |
The period of Homemaking will be disregarded when the yearly average number of contributions for State Pension (Contributory) is being calculated. It may help the person to qualify for a pension or entitle them to a higher rate of pension.
The main provisions governing the Homemaker’s Scheme are:
The scheme is administered by:
To qualify under the scheme the homemaker must:
*Exception may be made where provisions under EU or posted worker regulations apply.
Before 26 October 2000, the homemaker must have lived with the person being cared for. From 26 October 2000, if not living with the person being cared for, a direct system of communication must exist between the homemaker's residence and that of the care recipient. This may be a telephone or alarm type system.
The care recipient must not already be receiving full-time care and attention within his or her own residence from another person.
A homemaker may continue to be regarded as providing full-time care and attention to a relevant child or adult while either they or the relevant child or adult is undergoing medical or other treatment, in a hospital or other institution for a period not longer than 13 weeks.
A homemaker may also continue to be regarded as providing full-time care and attention where the person being cared for is attending a non-residential course of rehabilitation training, or a non-residential day care centre approved by the Minister for Health.
A general rule for those in employment, is that they are not entitled to homemaker disregard years in their own right, unless they are prepared to give up their employment and furnish the necessary documents to the department stating that this is the case.
The homemaker may not work outside the home. However they may engage in limited self employment (yearly reckonable income of less than €5,000) or employment (less than €38 per week) provided the full time care and attention requirement is satisfied.
For the purposes of this scheme, the legislation defines institution as meaning "a hospital, convalescent home or home for persons suffering from physical or mental disability or accommodation ancillary thereto, and any other similar establishment providing residence, maintenance or care for persons therein".
Claimants for the Homemaker's Scheme who are in receipt of an illness-related payment at the time of making the claim may be asked to submit medical evidence confirming that they are capable of providing full-time care and attention.
The person being cared for must be so invalided or disabled as to need full-time care and attention (except where child is under 12).
A person is regarded as needing full-time care and attention when:
a. They are so disabled or invalided that they require from another person
and
b. They are so disabled or invalided as to be likely to require full-time care and attention.
The degree of medical incapacity and the expected duration of the incapacity must be certified by a medical doctor.
A homemaker caring for an individual in receipt of Disability Allowance who attends a special school or workshop and returns home at night may qualify.
The child(ren) must be under age 12. The age limit does not apply however if the child(ren) is so incapacitated as to require full-time care and attention.
Adopted children - the child does not have to be the natural child of the person.
A homemaker may take holidays of 2/3 weeks abroad.
Persons in receipt of Carer’s Allowance (who are not entitled to credits under that scheme) may be entitled to have homemaking years taken into account for State Pension (Contributory) purposes.
Persons in receipt of Carer’s Support Grant may be entitled to have homemaking years taken into account for State Pension (Contributory) purposes.
Persons in receipt of Child Benefit may also benefit if they are out of the workforce and are not in receipt of credited contributions from the department.
A person should apply directly for the scheme if:
or
In the aforementioned circumstances, the Pension Caring Support application should be completed in full and returned.
A claim may be backdated where the person can prove to the satisfaction of the Deciding Officer or Appeals Officer that they satisfied the qualifying conditions during that period and that there was good cause for delay in making the claim.
Normally a person must apply to become a homemaker up to the end of the contribution year following the year in which homemaking commenced.
The homemaker is responsible for the production of certificates, documents and evidence required, including Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificate (if applicable), earnings details and any other relevant information.
Homemaker’s in receipt of Invalidity Pension or Illness Benefit must also provide medical certification that they are able to provide the required care.
Where it is evident from the details supplied by the claimant that all the qualifying conditions are fulfilled, or that one or more are clearly not fulfilled, the file will be referred immediately to a Deciding Officer for decision.
Where there is doubt about the fulfilment of a condition (for example, whether the homemaker is in a position to provide full time care to the caree) further enquiries will be made, by correspondence with the claimant or by referring the file to a Social Welfare Inspector for investigation.
Claims are decided by Deciding Officers who are appointed by the Minister. A notification of the decision is issued to the claimant, and when claims are disallowed the claimant is given the reason for the disallowance.
A person may submit any further documentary evidence that they consider relevant to their case to the Pension Caring Supports Section within 21 days, and request a review of the decision made on their claim by the Deciding Officer.
An appeal should be made in writing to:
A form for that purpose is available at that office or www.gov.ie.
Notice of appeal should be submitted within 21 days of the review by the Deciding Officer.
There are no direct payments for periods spent homemaking.
A homemaker claim ceases when:
Note: If a homemaker does not return to the workforce they may choose to become a voluntary contributor. See guide to voluntary contributions here.
Stop dates are inserted in the department's records system as appropriate, for example, to stop the claim at pension age, or when the child reaches 12 and so on.
The onus is on the homemaker to notify the department of any changes in the caree or homemaker’s circumstances.
On the PCS1 the homemaker agrees to inform the department if there is any change in the details given in the form. When they are registered as a homemaker they are similarly asked to inform the department of any change in their circumstances.
A review is initiated when the homemaker notifies the department of any changes in their or the caree’s circumstances.
Periodic reviews are also carried out to confirm that the qualifying conditions continue to be fulfilled. Where doubt arises as to whether all the conditions are fulfilled, and initial enquiries fail to establish entitlement, the award of a homemaking period may be suspended.