State Pension (Non-Contributory)

The State Pension (Non-Contributory) is a payment for people aged 66 and over who do not qualify for a State Pension (Contributory) (SPC).

If you get a reduced rate of SPC, you should check if you would be better off getting a State Pension (Non-Contributory).

The State Pension (Non-Contributory) is taxable, but if it is your only income you are unlikely to pay tax on it.

To get a State Pension (Non-Contributory), you must:

• Be aged 66 or over
• Have a PPS number
• Pass a means test, in which the Department of Social Protection looks at any income you have (see ‘Means test’ below)
• Live in Ireland and meet the habitual residence condition (HRC)

The State Pension (Non-Contributory) is a means-tested payment.

In a means test, the Department of Social Protection (DSP) looks at all your sources of income. They also look at your spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant’s income.

To get a State Pension (Non-Contributory), your combined weekly income must be below a certain amount.

The main items included in the means test are cash income and capital.

Cash income

The DSP looks at any cash income that you and your spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant may have. For example, pensions from another country or income from employment.

You can earn up to €200 per week from employment, and it won’t affect your pension. However, this does not include self-employment or farming. Your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant can also earn up to €200 per week. If either of you have income from employment above this amount, it is assessed in the means test.

Read about other cash income not included in the means test.

Farming or leasing your land

If you are farming or leasing your land, your net income is assessed in the means test.

Your net income is worked out by taking your gross income (your income before tax), and deducting your expenses.

If you own land that is not productively used or leased, the DSP assesses it on its capital value instead (see ‘Capital’ below).

See more information about how income from farming is assessed on Gov.ie.

Maintenance payments

The DSP looks at maintenance paid to you (for example, spousal maintenance).

From 7 June 2024, child maintenance payments are not assessed in the means test for State Pension (Non-Contributory).

If you show proof of rent or mortgage costs, the DSP will disregard (not take into account) up to €95.23 per week of your maintenance payments.

Only half of your remaining assessable maintenance is taken into account.

Read more about how maintenance is assessed as means.

Capital

Capital includes your savings, investments, shares, and any property you have (but not your own home).

How capital is assessed for State Pension (Non-Contributory)

If your property is assessed on its capital value, then income from that property (such as rent) is not assessed in the means test.

If you or your spouse, civil partner, or cohabitant saves a portion of your State Pension (Non-Contributory) each week, these savings will be assessed as capital.

Income from your home (such as rent)

The value of the house you live in is not taken into account in the means test.

However, if you get income from your home (for example, from renting a room), this may be taken into account. There are some exceptions:

• Your income from rent is not taken into account if you would otherwise be living alone
• You can get up to €269.23 a week (€14,000 per year) from renting a room in your home without it affecting your State (Non-Contributory) Pension. The person renting a room in your home must use the room for at least 28 consecutive days, and they cannot be your employee or an immediate family member.

You should check if renting a room in your home will affect your Fuel Allowance.

The Accommodation Recognition Payment for hosting refugees from Ukraine is not assessed in the means test for the State (Non-Contributory) Pension.

Selling your home

If you sell your home, the proceeds of the sale are normally taken into account in the means test.

However, if you live in accommodation which no longer suits you, or which you are no longer able to maintain, you may choose to sell your home and move to more suitable accommodation. In this case, up to €190,500 of the sale proceeds is exempt from the means test.

You must be selling your house to:

• Buy or rent more suitable alternative accommodation
• Move into a registered nursing home or sheltered housing
• Move in with a person who is getting a carer’s payment for you

If you use the proceeds of the sale to buy more suitable accommodation, the balance of the proceeds after buying the new accommodation is exempt up to a limit of €190,500.

Read our information about:

• How investing the proceeds from the sale of your house is assessable as means
• Leaving your home but not selling it

Your total means

The DSP adds your cash income and capital together to get your ‘total means’. This determines what rate of pension you will get, if any.

If you’re in a couple

If you are one half of a couple (married, civil partners or cohabiting), then your means are taken to be half of the total combined means of yourself and your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant.

Read more about how a couple’s means are assessed for social assistance payments.

Getting a social welfare payment before State Pension (Non-Contributory)

If you were getting one of the following payments immediately before the State Pension Non-Contributory, and your rate of payment was higher than the rate of State Pension Non-Contributory you would get, then you will continue getting the higher rate:

• Disability Allowance
• Blind Pension
• One Parent Family Payment
• Farm Assist
• Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's Non-Contributory Pension
• Deserted Wife's Allowance

Your first €30 per week of means does not affect your rate of State Pension (Non-Contributory). But after €30, your pension is reduced by €2.50 for every €2.50 of means.

You can check your rate of State Pension (Non-Contributory) based on your means using the SW19 (Rates of Payment) booklet.

Increase for an adult dependant

If you get an increase in your State Pension (Non-Contributory) for an adult dependent, this increase will be paid directly to your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant. This only applies if you claimed for an adult dependant after 27 September 2007.

When your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant reaches 66, you’ll no longer get an increase in your payment for them. However, they can apply for a State Pension (Non-Contributory) in their own right.

When will I get my payment?

The State Pension (Non-Contributory) is paid every Friday.

You can choose to either:

• Be paid directly into your bank account
• Collect it from your local post office using your Public Services Card

You should apply for the State Pension (Non-Contributory) 3 months before your 66th birthday.

Application form

You can download and print the State Pension (Non-Contributory) application form (SPNC1) (pdf).

Or, you can get the form from:

• Your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office
• Your local post office
• Your local Citizens Information Centre (CIC). You can also ask your local CIC for help filling in the form.

Send your completed application form to the address at the bottom of this page.

Appeal a decision

If you are not happy with the decision on your application for a State Pension (Non-Contributory), you can appeal it to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.

If your circumstances change

You must tell the Department of Social Protection if there are any changes to your circumstances.

If you get a State Pension (Non-Contributory), you may also be entitled to:

• Supplementary Welfare Allowance Schemes
• Rent Supplement to help with the cost of your rent
• Living Alone Increase if you live alone
• Household Benefits Package to help with the cost of electricity or gas, and a free TV licence
• Free Travel Pass to use public transport for free
• Fuel Allowance to help with the cost of heating your home during winter
• Island Increase if you live on specified islands off the coast of Ireland
• Centenarian's Payment when you reach 100 years of age
• Carer's Support Grant, which is an annual payment for carers who provide full-time care for at least 6 months a year.

If someone getting a State Pension (Non-Contributory) dies, you should:

• Tell the State Pension (Non-Contributory) section of the Department of Social Protection as soon as possible (see contact details at the end of this page)
• Return the person’s Public Services Card (the card they use to collect their payment at the Post Office). You should note their PPS number and card number for your reference

In many cases, the spouse, civil partner, cohabitant or carer will get a payment for 6 weeks following the person’s death.

If your adult dependant or child dependant dies

If your State Pension (Non-Contributory) includes an increase for your adult dependant or child dependant, and your dependant dies, you must tell the State Pension (Non-Contributory) section of the Department of Social Protection as soon as possible (see contact details below).

You will continue getting an increase in your payment for 6 weeks after their death.

You can read about the State Pension (Non-Contributory) on Gov.ie.

The Department of Social Protection has also published detailed information about the non-contributory pension.

Send your completed State Pension (Non-Contributory) application form (SPNC1) (pdf) to: