The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) is designed to provide a monetary incentive for people who are on social welfare payments to develop a business while allowing them to retain a reducing proportion of their qualifying social welfare payment over two years: 100% in year 1 and 75% in year 2.
In 2016 a review of the BTWEA scheme was conducted. Overall, the review found that the scheme offers effective 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 useful role in supporting the development of new enterprises.
Budget 2017 introduced a change to the eligibility conditions for the BTWEA. From January 2017, jobseekers taking up self-employment are able to access the BTWEA after 9 months, down from 12 months previously. This change has enabled those wishing to commence self-employment at an earlier stage of their unemployment to access the supports of the BTWEA.
To qualify for BTWEA a client is required to have 9 months' continuous entitlement to a primary eligible payment. As the person concerned has not been on an eligible payment for 9 months, she does not qualify for BTWEA at this time.
There are no plans to reduce the qualifying waiting criteria for BTWEA from nine to six months.
Question No. 586 withdrawn.