Back to Work Enterprise Allowance

Rules

You can qualify for a Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) if you are:

1. Setting up as self-employed in a business that has been approved in advance in writing by a Jobs Facilitator or Partnership Company (see 'How to apply' below)

   and

2. Getting one of the qualifying payments listed below for at least 12 months

• Jobseeker's Allowance
• Jobseeker's Benefit (with an underlying entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance)*
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Blind Pension
• Disability Allowance
• Carer's Allowance (having stopped caring duties)
• Farm Assist
• Invalidity Pension
• Incapacity Supplement
• Pre-Retirement Allowance
• Widow's/Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension
• Deserted Wife's Benefit or Allowance
• Prisoner's Wife's Allowance

  or

• Illness Benefit for 3 or more years

*If you have been getting Jobseeker's Benefit you must have been unemployed for 2 years to qualify. However, if you have an underlying entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance (this means that you would pass the means test and other criteria) and have been getting Jobseeker's Benefit for 12 months you can qualify for the allowance. Signing on for unemployment credits following your Jobseeker's Benefit does not count towards the qualifying period.

You may also be considered for the BTWEA if you are:

• A dependent adult of a person who is eligible to claim the BTWEA. This involves the person who is eligible for the BTWEA transferring his or her entitlements to their spouse, civil partner or cohabitant. (In other words, the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant becomes self-employed and the original claimant becomes the qualified adult on the BTWEA). If the original claimant is entitled to credits, he or she can continue to claim them. However BTWEA cannot be paid at the same time as another social welfare payment so if the original claimant (now a qualified adult) decides to claim another payment you must stop claiming BTWEA.
• A person released from prison who satisfies the eligibility criteria for the scheme

Qualifying periods

Periods of time spent in FÁS and Failte Ireland training courses, Community Employment, Tús, Social Economy Programme, Job Initiative, Rural Social Scheme, VTOS, Teagasc, FIT and Back to Education Schemes are accepted as qualifying periods provided you were entitled to a qualifying payment before starting on the study or training. The Department of Social Protection also counts time spent on the Community Services Programme provided you were getting a qualifying social welfare payment for at least half of the qualifying period.

Time spent on Supplementary Welfare Allowance or in direct provision can count towards the qualifying period for BTWEA as long as you establish an entitlement to a relevant payment before starting the BTWEA.

If you have previously participated in the BTWEA scheme and exhausted your entitlement, you can participate a second time after at least 5 years.

Find out more about the qualifying periods for Back to Work Enterprise Allowance.

Help starting a business

The Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) fund is designed to help people getting the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance with certain costs involved starting a business. You do not have an automatic entitlement to TAT. Assistance from this fund must be approved by the Jobs Facilitator in your Social Welfare Local Office. Payments from the fund must be made directly to the provider of the service.

More information is available about becoming self-employed.

Employment grants

Employment grants from a County Enterprise Board (CEB) or Integrated Local Development Companies do not affect your entitlement to the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance.