What is Jobseeker’s Allowance while you prepare?

Job search

On Jobseeker’s Allowance you must be available for full-time work and genuinely seeking work, and give examples of the steps you take at your Intreo meetings.

Your business work can count. Official guidance counts researching self-employment, preparing a business plan and a Start Your Own Business course as genuinely seeking work. Log them.

What you must do to keep getting it

• Do NOT start trading before written approval for the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance. A business that already operated is not eligible.
• Don’t register a business as self-employed on Jobseeker’s first: you would have to give it up, and your BTWEA business can’t be the same or similar.
• BTWEA needs 9 months (234 paid days) in a row on Jobseeker’s Allowance; 12 months for casual claimants, with no more than 30 days’ work.
• Declare every day of casual work on MyWelfare (or form UP80).

If you earn money

Declare every day you work. From casual or part-time earnings, €20 a day is ignored for up to 3 days a week, then 60% of the rest counts as means and reduces your payment. If you’re self-employed on Jobseeker’s Allowance, your expected profit over the next 12 months is assessed.

If you take or turn down a job: Refusing an offer of suitable work can mean up to 9 weeks’ disqualification, and you may be found not genuinely seeking work.