Business Supports
- In addition to income support (your weekly payment), you can also get financial support with the costs of setting up your business. These supports are provided under a scheme called the Enterprise Support Grant (ESG). You can only get the ESG if you have been approved for the BTWEA. The business plan you submit as part of your application for the scheme must set out the rationale and requirement for financial support. The ESG can pay a total of €2,500 in any 24-month period.
- The Local Enterprise Office is the First Stop Shop for anyone seeking information and support on starting or growing a business in Ireland. The Local Enterprise Office provides advice, information, training and support to you in starting up or growing your business.
- If you live in an area that has a Development Company, then there may be an Enterprise Officer who can give advice and support on starting a new business.
- Revenue provide information on what you need to do to ensure your business is tax compliant.
- The Company Registrations Office provide information on how to register your business name.
- Citizen’s Information highlight some important information in the link below that you need to know about being self-employed with links to relevant topics.
Short Term Enterprise Allowance
The Short Term Enterprise Allowance is available to people who are receiving Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB)or Jobseeker’s Benefit Self-Employed (JBSE)and wish to start their own business. You do not have to be receiving Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Benefit Self-Employed for a specified period of time to qualify.
You cannot avail of the STEA scheme if you are receiving any other type of social welfare payment, however, if you are getting the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP), you can apply to transfer to JB or JBSE to access the Short Term Enterprise Allowance.
Short-Term Enterprise Allowance is paid instead of your Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Benefit Self-Employed for a maximum of 9 months. It ends when your entitlement to JB or JBSE ends.
The STEA will be paid at the same rate as your JB or JBSE, including any increases for child dependents. You will need to prepare a business plan, and have it approved in advance. The Short Term Enterprise Allowance is not subject to PRSI or Universal Social Charge but it is taxable.
How to apply
- To apply for the Short Term Enterprise Allowance, complete application form STEA1.
- You should return form STEA1 to the Case Officer in your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.
- The Case Officer will look at your business proposal and may discuss certain aspects of it with you. You may then be referred to your Local Development Company. You must not take up self-employment until you have received written approval from the DSP.
- If you are accepted on to the Short Term Enterprise Allowance, you must register as self-employed with the Revenue Commissioners.
Further Information
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) is a scheme available to people who want to become self-employed and have been receiving certain social welfare payments for at least twelve months. You must be setting up as self-employed in a business that has been approved in advance in writing by a DSP case officer or Local Development Company.
Time spent on One-Parent Family Payment, Jobseeker’s Allowance, Jobseeker’s Transition, Jobseeker’s Benefit, Disability Allowance, Carer’s Allowance, Widow’s Pension, Invalidity Pension and Blind Pension can count towards this twelve-month period.
Time spent on other payments or schemes can also count towards the qualifying period for BTWEA.
The Government announced under the July Jobs Stimulus that access to the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance will be extended to people getting the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
If you qualify for the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance you can keep a portion of your social welfare payment, including increases for qualified children, for a maximum of 2 years.
You can retain 100% of your payment for the 1st year and 75% for the 2nd year.
You can keep any secondary benefits, such as Fuel Allowance, Medical Card and the Back to School Clothing & Footwear Allowance, while you are receiving BTWEA but any income from your business will affect your Rent Supplement or Housing Assistance Payment, if you are living in private rented accommodation and getting either of these payments. If you are in council housing, the BTWEA will not impact on the amount of rent you pay.
You do not have to pay tax, PRSI or Universal Social Charge on the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance but you may have to pay tax, PRSI and Universal Social Charge on any income you get from self-employment.
How to apply
- To apply for the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, complete application form BTW 2.
- You should return form BTW 2 to the Case Officer in your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.
- The Case Officer will look at your business proposal and may discuss certain aspects of it with you. You may then be referred to your Local Development Company. You must not take up self-employment until you have received written approval from the DSP.
- If you are accepted on to the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, you must register as self-employed with the Revenue Commissioners.
Further Information
Supports to start your own business
If you are getting certain social welfare payments and you want to become self-employed, you may be eligible for the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, or the Short-Term Enterprise Allowance. It is important to note that if you are self-employed and in receipt of Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment (JST) then the weekly income disregard of €165 will not apply to you and your earnings from self-employment will be assessed in full. The earnings disregard for JST only applies to income from employment, not self-employment.
If you have an idea for a business or you have a skill or competency that could lead to being self-employed then there are some social welfare supports that provide an initial income whilst developing your business. There are also other supports available to help self-employed people.
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
Short Term Enterprise Allowance
Business Supports
In-work Supports
If you want to get back to work, or you are already working, there are a number of financial supports available, depending on various factors like how many hours you work, the age of your children or your level of income. You will find lots of useful information in our Money section including information on Working Family Payment and additional tax credits.
- You may be eligible for the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). The NCS provides financial support to help parents to meet the costs of childcare. You will find more information in our Childcare section.
- If you have been unemployed for 12 months or more and you return to work then you can retain your medical card for three years, regardless of how much you earn from work. If you are not eligible for a medical card, you may be eligible for a GP visit card, whereby a cardholder is entitled to free visits to a participating General Practitioner (GP). The GP visit card covers the cost of visits to a GP and visits to GP out-of-hours services.
- The Department of Social Protection provide a Benefit of Work Estimator to help you figure out how starting work or increasing your hours could affect any payments you receive.
- You may be eligible for help with your rent or other housing supports, even if you are working full time. You will find more information in our Housing section.
- The Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) scheme aims to help families to move from social welfare into employment. It gives financial support, for up to two years, to people with qualified children who are in or take up employment or self-employment and as a result stop claiming a Jobseeker’s Payment or a One-Parent Family Payment.
- If you have returned to work, you may be able to claim the basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance for up to 30 days while you are waiting for your wages. You should apply for Supplementary Welfare Allowance to the Department of Social Protection’s Community Welfare Service at your local office as soon as you start work. Your eligibility will depend on any other payments you may be receiving.
- For information on your rights as an employee including leave entitlements, hours of work, pay and your legal employment rights and protections click here.
Employment Schemes
There are a number of employment schemes to help unemployed people return to work. They are aimed at people who have been on certain social welfare payments for a certain period of time.
Each scheme has different eligibility criteria, so make sure you check the full details of any scheme you are interested in.
If you take up a place on a Department of Social Protection employment programme you may be eligible for the National Childcare Scheme (NCS). The NCS provides financial support to help parents to meet the costs of childcare.
Work Placement Experience Programme
Community Employment
Tús
Part-time Job Incentive
Employment
One Family understand the experience of parenting alone and sharing parenting, and how it can often be challenging finding employment and returning to work while balancing your parenting responsibilities. This can be a daunting experience, but it can also be a very positive one. Finding out what supports are available to you is a great starting point. There are many options available for those considering a return to work such as employment schemes, in-work supports and allowances for those who wish to be self-employed. You will find information on the supports available below.
