Social welfare Ireland: Two new groups now eligible for enhanced €312 payment
The Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) helps families to move from social welfare into employmentTwo groups have recently become eligible for an increased social welfare payment worth €312.The Back to Work Family Dividend is designed to help families move from social welfare into employment.It provides financial support to people with children who stop claiming a jobseeker's payment or a One-Parent Family Payment because they have found work or started a job.In Budget 2026, it was announced that the weekly full rate of the Back to Work Family Dividend will see an increase from January.For children under 12 years of age, the rate will be boosted by €8 - rising from €50 to €58, reports RSVP Live.The Back to Work Family Dividend helps families to move from social welfare into employment.Meanwhile, for children aged 12 years and over, the payment will see an increase of €16 - jumping from €62 to €78.It was also confirmed that individuals receiving Disability Allowance or Blind Pension will be eligible for the Back to Work Family Dividend when they commence employment.How to qualify for the Back to Work Family Dividend?You can receive the Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) if you have at least one qualified child and you are receiving one of the following payments:.Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit for a minimum of 12 months (312 days of unemployment), of which at least 6 months (156 days of unemployment) must have been in the last year. Only time spent on your current jobseeker's claim can be used to makeup the days.One-Parent Family Payment (OFP).Jobseeker's Transitional payment (paid to individuals who are not cohabiting with children aged between 7 and 13 years).You must stop claiming your qualifying payment to receive BTWFD.If you're not already in insurable employment or self-employment, you must secure employment within 4 weeks of leaving your original payment or scheme. The job must be within the State.You can combine time on a jobseeker's payment with time spent on a qualifying scheme to meet the eligibility criteria. If you transitioned from a qualifying payment to a qualifying scheme and then secured work, you can directly move onto the BTWFD scheme without having to revert back to your original payment.Qualifying schemes include:TúsCommunity EmploymentRural Social SchemeBack to Education AllowanceJob Initiative SchemeIf you were employed or self-employed and were receiving a One-Parent Family Payment (OFP) and your OFP has ceased because your youngest child has reached the age limit, you may be eligible for BTWFD – if you do not switch to another primary social welfare payment.The Back to Work Family Dividend can be paid alongside Working Family Payment (WFP) and is not considered in the means test for WFP.The Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) can also be paid with Maternity Benefit and Paternity Benefit.Other payments and BTWFDYou are not eligible for BTWFD if you or your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is receiving a primary social welfare payment or is on an employment or training scheme. You cannot claim BTWFD for a child on whose behalf a CSP or IQA is being paid or who is receiving a payment in their own right.BTWFD is not paid with the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance.BTWFD can be claimed alongside the following payments (to you or your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant):Back to School Clothing and Footwear AllowanceChild BenefitDisablement Benefit and Death Benefit (under the OIB scheme)Domiciliary Care AllowanceWorking Family PaymentAdditional Needs PaymentGuardian's Payment (Non-Contributory)Illness Benefit and Injury Benefit (under the OIB scheme) for 36 daysMortgage Interest SupplementRent SupplementWidowed or Surviving Civil Partner GrantBTWFD is not assessed as means for Rent SupplementYou can claim BTWFD and Illness Benefit or Injury Benefit (under the OIB scheme) for 36 days (6 weeks). Your BTWFD will be suspended after the 36th day of your Illness or Injury Benefit claim.State Pension (Contributory) and BTWFDFrom January 2024, you can choose to claim your State Pension (Contributory) any time between age 66 and 70.If you choose to claim your pension after the age of 66, and you're eligible for BTWFD, you might be able to apply for or continue receiving BTWFD until you reach 70. You must meet all the standard qualifying conditions, including coming from a relevant payment.For those aged 66 or over, you must apply for BTWFD using a paper application, which can be obtained from your local Intreo Office or Social Welfare Branch Office.How much is the Back to Work Family Dividend worth?The Back to Work Family Dividend is calculated based on the rate of Child Support Payment (formerly known as Increase for a Qualified Child) you were receiving with your social welfare payment. It's paid per child, up to a maximum of four children.If you were receiving a reduced Child Support Payment with your payment, you will receive the same reduced amount of BTWFD in your first year, and then half of that amount in the second year.Since January 2025, the full BTWFD is €50 for a child aged under 12 and €62 for a child aged 12 and over. In the second year, it is reduced to €25 for a child aged under 12 and €31 for a child aged 12 and over.BTWFD will last for up to 2 years, if you remain in work.You can find out more about this scheme here.How to apply for the Back to Work Family DividendTo apply, fill in the Back to Work Family Dividend application form (BTWFD1) and return it, with the relevant supporting documentation, to your local Intreo Centre or local Social Welfare Branch Office.You can contact your local office to get more information on the scheme. They will explain how the application process works and give you the application form. You can also get the form online (pdf).You are generally paid BTWFD from the date of your claim. Deciding officers can backdate BTWFD for up to 6 months from your claim if there was good cause for the delay.Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
