Back to work allowance question..

IrishTeddi

Hey,

I'm leaving my current job at the end of this week to pursue freelancing in my chosen field (design). I was wondering if this allowance is available to me? I was on the dole about 2.5 years ago and had no issue getting it, however I'd like to remain self employed which this specific allowance caters for.

Must I have been on the dole for 12 months prior to being allowed the back to work allowance? I've been hearing conflicting information about this and I'm not sure which is correct.

Thank you.

mp22

To qualify for the Back to Work Allowance, you must:

• Be age 23 or over
• Have been unemployed for 2 years

And

• Have an entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance.

You may also qualify, no matter what age you are, if you are getting one of the following payments for 15 months (or 12 months if you are aged 50 or over):

• You have been getting Farm Assist, Pre-Retirement Allowance, One-Parent Family Payment, Blind Pension, Disability Allowance, Carer's Allowance (if you are no longer a carer), Invalidity Pension, Deserted Wife's Benefit or Allowance, Prisoner's Wife's Allowance, Incapacity Supplement, Widow's, Widower's or Surviving Civil Partner's (Non-Contributory) Pension or Prisoner's Wife's Allowance. You don't have to be any specific age to qualify in these cases.

Or

• You have been getting Illness Benefit for at least 3 years.

Time spent on FÁS, Failte Ireland, Teagasc, FIT, Community Employment, Job Initiative, 'second chance education courses' (i.e., Back to Education Schemes) and/or time spent in prison are accepted as periods of unemployment.



From here http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_and_work/back_to_work_allow.html

StillWaters

The short term enterprise allowance does not have a qualifying time period. You are interviewed by a jobs facilitator.

I think you will find it difficult to get them to approve you if you have voluntarily left your job.