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Farmers and other self-employed taxpayers will receive new unemployment benefits if they lose their business from November, Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty announced this Monday.
The new scheme, called Jobseekers Benefit (Self-Employed), was funded in the last budget and will applly to those paying Class S PRSI, such as farmers.
The weekly payment rate will range between €91.10 and €203, depending on the applicant's income before becoming unemployed. The welfare office will pay an extra €87.20 to €134.70 for a dependent adult and €34 for a child.
Six- to nine-month benefit
Those who have paid PRSI for at least five years will receive weekly dole payments for nine months after losing their business. Farmers with shorter contributions will receive the jobseekers benefit for six months.
The Department of Social Protection is making arrangements for the scheme and will need to have legislation passed by the Oireachtas before November to put it in place.
Safety net
“We have already extended Treatment Benefits and Invalidity Pension to the self-employed in recent years to ensure that they reach some parity with employees in the benefits they can access from the social insurance system," said Minister Doherty. "The introduction of a new Jobseeker’s Benefit scheme for the self-employed represents the next step in the Government’s work to extend PRSI benefits, and will provide an income safety net to thousands of small and medium businesses throughout the country.”
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