🇮🇪 Ireland start-up support for jobseekers in figures, 2026
Starting a business from a jobseeker payment in Ireland: the official figures, 2026
8 official figures for starting a business from a jobseeker payment in Ireland, each quoted word for word from the page that states it, read on 26 September 2026.
| Source | Figure | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Back to Work Enterprise Allowance | 100% of your payment in year 1, 75% in year 2 | |
| Short-Term Enterprise Allowance | Up to 9 months | |
| Enterprise Support Grant | Up to €2,500 over a BTWEA claim | |
| Enterprise Support Grant on STEA | €1,000 on a 9-month STEA, €625 on a 6-month STEA | |
| Microfinance Ireland Start-Up Loan | €5,000 to €50,000 at 6.5% (5.5% via a LEO) | |
| Local Enterprise Office supports | 31 Local Enterprise Offices | |
| Back to Work Family Dividend | €58 a week per child under 12, €78 for 12 and over (year 1) | |
| Jobseeker’s Allowance while you prepare | Aged 18 to 65 |
The sentences as published
- Back to Work Enterprise Allowance:
100% for the first year 75% for the second year
(26 September 2026, sha 03cbdbf72e2e09ab) - Short-Term Enterprise Allowance:
The Short-Term Enterprise Allowance is paid instead of your Jobseeker’s Benefit/Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit / Jobseekers Benefit Self-Employed for a maximum of 9 months.
(26 September 2026, sha fca62b56d31ed5ed) - Enterprise Support Grant:
Rates of payment The maximum amount payable is €2,500 for the 24 month period of the BTWEA claim.
(26 September 2026, sha 9369a4fc2599c2d0) - Enterprise Support Grant on STEA:
A maximum of €1,000 can be paid to people on a 9-month STEA and a maximum of €625 to people on a 6-month STEA.
(26 September 2026, sha 9369a4fc2599c2d0) - Microfinance Ireland Start-Up Loan:
Loans from €5,000 – €50,000 6.5% interest rate – lower rate of 5.5% if you apply via Local Enterprise Office
(26 September 2026, sha ab39dfc6c63be65b) - Local Enterprise Office supports:
There are 31 Local Enterprise offices located in Ireland.
(26 September 2026, sha b9d37fa745497991) - Back to Work Family Dividend:
Year 1 €58.00 a week for each child to a maximum of €232.00 (four children) €78.00 a week for each child to a maximum of €312.00 (four children)
(26 September 2026, sha 78c0ca3d9bed8f5c) - Jobseeker’s Allowance while you prepare:
Rules for getting a jobseeker's payment To qualify for Jobseeker’s Allowance, you must be 18 years or over and under 66 years of age.
(26 September 2026, sha 4cfe8deff8f6c4b5)
Methodology
Every row is a sentence quoted verbatim from the named official page, read on the date shown and pinned to a hash of the page text we read. 8 of the 8 sources that could be read state the figure; 0 do not and are listed as not published, never filled in. Each row is one figure from one scheme, taken only from that scheme’s own official page. Where a page does not state the figure we plan with, the row is listed as not published and the figure is not filled in from anywhere else.
Cite this data
Cite as: "Ireland start-up support for jobseekers in figures, 2026", Pontia, https://pontia.xyz/ie/datasets/ie-startup-support/ (Read 26 September 2026)
Embed
<figure style="margin:0;padding:16px;border:1px solid #d0d4da;border-radius:12px;background:#ffffff;color:#0b0c0e;font:14px/1.5 system-ui,sans-serif"><p style="margin:0 0 6px;font-weight:600;background:#ffffff">Ireland start-up support for jobseekers in figures, 2026</p><p style="margin:0;background:#ffffff">8 official figures for starting a business from a jobseeker payment in Ireland, each quoted word for word from the page that states it, read on 26 September 2026.</p><figcaption style="margin-top:8px;font-size:12px;background:#ffffff">Source: <a href="https://pontia.xyz/ie/datasets/ie-startup-support/" style="color:#0b0c0e">Pontia</a></figcaption></figure>Cite this page
"Ireland start-up support for jobseekers in figures, 2026", Pontia, https://pontia.xyz/ie/datasets/ie-startup-support/ (updated 25 September 2026)
Related guides and tools
- Start your business and keep your payment
- Genuinely seeking work, made simple
- Back to Work Enterprise Allowance calculator
- Your idea. Your call. Real backing to start it.
- Jobseeker’s Allowance while you prepare vs Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
- Jobseeker’s Allowance while you prepare vs Short-Term Enterprise Allowance
- Jobseeker’s Allowance while you prepare
- Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
- Short-Term Enterprise Allowance