Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 May 2021
540. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Social Protection the social welfare supports available for self-employed persons when they come off the pandemic unemployment payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24164/21]
View answerSelf-employed individuals have a range of income support options available to them depending on their circumstances.
Those in self-employment can earn up to €960 over a rolling eight week period and retain their Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP). Where a self-employed person exceeds this threshold they may apply for the Part Time Job Incentive for the self-employed scheme. This enables a self-employed person, who has been in receipt of the PUP, to engage in self-employment for up to 24 hours per week and receive a personal weekly rate of payment of €128.60. There is no income threshold applied under this support. Alternatively, a self-employed person may be eligible for support under the means tested Jobseeker's Allowance scheme if they are working on a part-time basis.
The Covid-Enterprise Support Grant is available to eligible self-employed recipients who close their PUP and re-open their business. A once-off grant of up to €1,000, to assist with the costs associated with reopening, is available under this measure. This grant is payable to self-employed individuals who employ fewer than 10 people, have an annual turnover of less than €1 million and who are not eligible for support from similar business reopening grants from other Departments. In excess of 9,000 applications have been approved since the introduction of this grant, with funding of approximately €8.4m paid to small businesses.
The Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment has primary responsibility for supports for businesses impacted by Covid-19.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
