What is the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance?
The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme encourages people getting certain social welfare payments to become self-employed. If you take part in the BTWEA scheme you can keep a percentage of your social welfare payment for up to 2 years. BTWEA is a payment made by the Department of Social Protection (DSP) to people aged under 66.
You can qualify for a Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) if you are:
- Setting up as self-employed in a new business that has been approved in advance in writing by a DSP Case Officer and a Local Development Company and
- Getting Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB)* or Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) continuously for at least 9 months (234 days). If you have been getting either of these payments continuously for 12 months (312 days) immediately before BTWEA, you can have a maximum of 30 days off the Live Register during this time(*with an underlying entitlement to Jobseeker’s Allowance – see ‘Jobseeker’s Benefit and underlying entitlement to JA’ below) or getting one of the qualifying payments below continuously for at least 9 months
You also must meet one of the following requirements:
- You have been receiving one of the qualifying payments listed below for at least nine months
- You have been receiving Illness Benefit for at least three of the last five years
- You have been receiving a combination of One-Parent Family Payment/Jobseeker’s Transitional Payment/Jobseeker’s Allowance continuously for nine months
- You may also be considered if you have been recently released from prison and meet the criteria for the scheme. Time spent in prison can count towards the qualifying period for the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance if you establish an entitlement to a relevant social welfare payment before becoming self-employed
