Adoptive Benefit: 24 paid weeks from the day your child comes home

It works like Maternity Benefit for adoptive parents. Start your leave on the day of placement: start later and you lose weeks.

The rules

"To get the full 24 weeks of Adoptive Benefit, your adoptive leave must begin on the date of adoption." "If a couple are adopting a child, only one parent can apply for Adoptive Benefit." Only that parent's PRSI counts.

The usual PRSI test for employees is "39 weeks PRSI paid in the 12-month period before the adoption date of your child". Self-employed people need 52 Class S contributions in the relevant year.

The other parent

"The parent not getting Adoptive Benefit can apply for paternity leave and Paternity Benefit ." Both parents can also take up to 9 weeks of Parent's Benefit in the first 2 years.

Getting more than €299

If you have a partner or children, your rate is compared with the Illness Benefit you would get, including increases for them, and you get whichever is higher. It is worked out for you: you don't apply separately.

How to apply

Fill in form AB1; your employer completes part 4. Give your employer the Certificate of Placement, or the Declaration of Suitability for an intercountry adoption. "You must do this within 4 weeks of the date that the child comes into your care."

"You will not be paid Adoptive Benefit until the DSP gets either a Certificate of Placement or Declaration of Suitability."

Common questions

Keep going