Back to Work Family Dividend

Back to Work Family Dividend is a weekly payment to help people with children move from social welfare into work.

It gives financial support to people with qualified children who are in or take up employment or self-employment and stop claiming Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit, Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed, One-Parent Family Payment or Jobseeker's Transitional Payment.

A qualified child is a child up to age 18, who is normally resident in the State and who is living with you.

A child aged between 18 and 22, who is normally resident in the State, continues to be a qualified child if they are in full-time education by day at a recognised school or college.

You may be eligible for the scheme if you are in receipt of a Child Support Payment for at least one qualified child and are getting one of these payments:

• Jobseeker's Allowance, Jobseeker's Benefit or Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employedfor at least 12 months (312 days of unemployment) of which at least 6 months (156 days of unemployment) must have been in the last year
• One-Parent Family Payment
• Jobseeker's Transitional Payment (paid to people who are not cohabiting and have children over 7 and under 14 years old)

To qualify for Back to Work Family Dividend:

• you must stop getting these payments
• you must start work within four weeks of stopping your original payment or scheme
• your work must also be in the State

If you get One-Parent Family Payment and you are employed or self-employed, you may be able to get Back to Work Family Dividend when your One-Parent Family Payment stops and you do not qualify for another social welfare payment.

If you get Working Family Payment, you may also be able to get Back to Work Family Dividend. The scheme will not affect your Working Family Payment.

If you are aged 66, you will have the choice to claim your State Pension (Contributory) on any date between the age of 66 and 70.

If you decide not to draw down your State Pension (Contributory) at age 66 and meet the conditions of Back to Work Family Dividend, you may receive or apply for Back to Work Family Dividend up until the age of 70.

You must satisfy the qualification condition of coming from a relevant payment along with all other qualifying conditions.

After the age of 66, you must apply for Back to Work Family Dividend using a paper application form which can be obtained from your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

Back to Work Family Dividend is paid every week for up to two years.

To apply, fill in the form below and return it with the relevant supporting documents to your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office.

You can appeal a decision if you are unhappy with it. You should appeal within 21 days of the decision and you can ask for an oral hearing.

The easiest and quickest way to make your appeal is online on www.MyWelfare.ie. All you need is a verified MyGovID account. You can get a verified MyGovID account if you have a Public Services Card, a verified mobile phone number and an email address.

An appeals officer, whose decision is final, will then decide your case. Some cases can be decided without an oral hearing.

If new information comes to light or your circumstances change, you can apply for Back to Work Family Dividend again.

How to appeal a decision about your social welfare claim.

Operational guidelines describe the processes and procedures that staff in the department follow when carrying out their work.

Operational Guidelines: Back to Work Family Dividend.