The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme offers support for people who are long-term unemployed and who are interested in self-employment as a route to entering the labour market. The scheme plays a vital role in supporting the development of new enterprises for the long term unemployed and is payable for a 24-month period from the commencement of their new business.
The Short Term Enterprise Allowance scheme (STEA) is designed to provide support for someone who loses their job and qualifies for Jobseeker’s Benefit and wants to start up a new business. The STEA is payable for the duration of the participants Jobseekers Benefit claim, which can be paid for up to 9 months.
The difference in the information provided in reply to Parliamentary Question Nos. 934, 938, 939, 965, 969, 1007, 1011 and 1012 of 19 January 2022 and the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 970 of 19 January 2022 arose from the inclusion of the STEA recipient numbers in the answer to the latter question.
The following table sets out the number of persons in receipt of both BTWEA and the STEA in County Clare as of 31 December in each of the years 2016 to 2021 inclusive.
|
Year
|
BTWEA
|
STEA
|
Total number of participants participating in County Clare as of 31 December in each year
|
|
2016
|
424
|
8
|
432
|
|
2017
|
339
|
9
|
348
|
|
2018
|
207
|
6
|
213
|
|
2019
|
135
|
11
|
146
|
|
2020
|
88
|
3
|
91
|
|
2021
|
81
|
14
|
95
|
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
