It is my intention that the new scheme of jobseeker's benefit for the self-employed, which I announced as part of the Budget 2019, will be introduced from November this year. This scheme will provide a social insurance contribution-based benefit to the self-employed who lose their self-employment and consequently are not engaged in self-employment.
The Social Welfare Bill 2019 introducing the new scheme on a statutory basis was published on the 28 June. It has completed all stages in the Seanad and will be introduced to the Dáil this week.
As with any new demand led scheme it is difficult to forecast the numbers that will apply and qualify for this benefit. Labour market conditions and the prevailing economic conditions will affect the take up of this scheme and as a consequence the costs. My Department has provided €0.7 million for 2019 in the estimates and €15.8m for 2020 which will be the first full year of the scheme. The expected number of claimants for the jobseeker’s benefit (self-employed) scheme is 650 for 2019 and 2,600 in 2020.
This measure is part of the Government's stated aim of creating a supportive environment for entrepreneurship, including providing an income safety net to both employees and self-employed people. The addition of this new scheme builds on other significant improvements for self-employed people in recent years such as access to invalidity pension and treatment benefits in 2017. All these improvements to entitlements are a real advance in the level of cover available to the self-employed.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
