Back To Work Supports - Back To Work Family Dividend

What is the Back To Work Family Dividend?

The Back to Work Family Dividend (BTWFD) helps families to move from social welfare into employment. It gives financial support to people with children who stop claiming a jobseeker's payment or a One-Parent Family Payment because they are in work or start work.

What Are The Main Points?

• You and all members of your family must be ceasing all primary social welfare payments

• You will continue to receive Increase for a Qualified Child allowance for two years (€42 for each child under 12years and €50 for each child over 12years, to a maximum 4 children per week (€200 where each child is over 12years))

• Payment in the 1st year is 100%

• Payment in the 2nd year is 50%

• You may claim BTWFD and WFP at the same time

• BTWFD stops if employment stops before the two years but may restart if further employment found

• The 2 years of BTWFD must be used within a 3 year period

• JA/JB clients must have been unemployed for 156 days in the 12months prior to claiming BTWFD

• OPFP recipients who are in receipt of WFP and leave their payment because of child's age will have access to BTWFD

What Are The Eligibility Rules?

• Long term unemployed JA/JB (more than 312 days)

• One Parent Family Payment

• Jobseekers Allowance Transition

• Time spent on education/training/employment programmes may qualify (Not necessary to re-establish original payment)

• Must have been in receipt of an IQC immediately before taking up work