State Pension (Contributory) · Total Contributions Approach
See where your pension sits on the horizon.
Enter your PRSI record and we'll estimate your weekly State Pension under Ireland's Total Contributions Approach — the method that fully replaces the old Yearly Average by 2034. Plain English, no guesswork.
An estimate to help you plan — not an official Department of Social Protection decision.
The Estimator
Build your contribution picture
Work through the four steps. Your estimate updates live on the right as you go — including the higher of the Total Contributions and transitional-blend results, exactly as the Department is legally required to award.
Your profile & pension date
We use your date of birth to find the year you reach State Pension age (66) — the "drawdown year" that decides how the transitional rules apply to you.
Your PRSI contribution history
Enter whole weeks. You'll find these on your PRSI contribution record from MyWelfare.ie. Rough figures are fine for an estimate.
weeks
wks
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weeks
Family & supplementary allowances
These are added on top of your personal rate if they apply to you.
€/wk
Full rate up to €100/week income, tapering to nothing above €310/week.
Your breakdown & what it means
Here's how your estimate was reached. The figure on the right is the higher of the two legally-required methods for your drawdown year.
Enter your details to see which method gives you the higher rate.
How the estimate is built
Two methods run. The higher one wins.
Irish law requires the Department to work out your pension two ways and pay you the better result. Our estimator does the same in the background.
Total Contributions Approach
Your paid weeks, plus credited and HomeCaring weeks, divided by 2,080 (40 years). Credits cap at 520, caring at 1,040, and the two together cannot exceed 1,040.
2,080 weeks = full €299.30
Transitional blend
Until 2034, the old Yearly Average is mixed with the TCA on a sliding scale set by the year you turn 66 — softening the change for people mid-career.
Yearly Average, phasing out
You get the higher
Both results are compared automatically and the larger one becomes your personal rate. Living Alone, Over-80 and Qualified Adult amounts are then added on top.
Best of both, by law
The 10-year phase-out
The Yearly Average method is being retired one-tenth at a time. The mix below is set by the year you reach 66 — your row is highlighted once you enter your date of birth.
The Guide
Understanding the State Pension
A plain-English walkthrough of how Ireland's State Pension (Contributory) works — who qualifies, what it pays in 2026, and how to claim it. When you're ready, the estimator above turns these rules into your own weekly figure.
What is the State Pension (Contributory)?
The State Pension (Contributory) is a weekly payment you can start receiving from age 66, earned through the PRSI (social insurance) you build up over a working life. You'll sometimes hear it called the old-age pension.
The important thing to know: it isn't means-tested. Your savings, a workplace pension, or any other income won't reduce it — you've paid for it through your contributions. If you've ever worked and paid PRSI in Ireland, it's worth applying, because the rules often reward records people assume won't count. And if you're retiring early, keep your PRSI going through paid or credited contributions so your entitlement doesn't slip before 66.
How much does it pay?
For 2026 the full personal rate is €299.30 a week — around €15,564 a year — rising to €309.30 from age 80. Those are the maximums; if your PRSI record doesn't reach the full 40 years you receive a proportion, which the estimator above works out for you. Extras like the Living Alone Allowance can be added on top.
Three things need to line up: you must be 66 or older, have started paying PRSI before age 56, and hold at least 520 full-rate paid contributions — ten years' worth. If you were a public servant on modified contributions (Class B, C or D), a mixed record can still qualify on a pro-rata basis — a case the estimator is built to handle.
The earliest you can start is your 66th birthday. Since the 2024 reforms you can also defer: choose any start date between 66 and 70, and the later you begin, the higher your weekly rate for life. There are also options to bridge the gap if you stop working before 66.
Your rate is worked out under the Total Contributions Approach: your whole PRSI record is added up, and 40 years' worth (2,080 contributions) earns the full pension. Paid contributions, credits and HomeCaring periods all count towards the total — which is why time spent caring or on certain payments needn't cost you your pension.
You apply to the Department of Social Protection — no earlier than six months before you want payments to start, and don't leave it late, because a late claim can only be backdated six months. You can apply online through MyWelfare or by post, and you choose your start date on the form.
Stopped paying PRSI — through early retirement, a career break, or working outside the EU? Voluntary contributions let you pay PRSI directly to the Department yourself, filling gaps in your record and protecting your future pension. To qualify you generally need 520 paid contributions and must apply within 5 years of your last contribution; the rate you pay depends on your last PRSI class.
Is it taxable? Can you claim it while working, or from abroad? What happens to it when you die? We've answered the questions people ask most — including tax, working past 66, public-service pensions, and how many PRSI contributions you actually need.
This guide is general information, not financial advice. Your entitlement is decided by the Department of Social Protection based on your full record — always confirm at gov.ie.
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