Service
Back to Work Family Dividend
From Department of Social Protection
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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.
From January 2022 :
The Increase for a Qualified Child under 12 will increase to €40 and over 12 to €48 per week.
Back to Work Family Dividend will continue to be paid up to a maximum of 4 qualified children.
You may be eligible for the scheme if you have 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-Employed for 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.
Back to Work Family Dividend is paid every week for up to two years.
| Under 12 | Over 12 | |
| Year 1 | €38.00 a week for each child to a maximum of €152.00 (four children) | €45.00 a week for each child to a maximum of €180.00 (four children) |
| Year 2 | €19.00 a week for each child to a maximum of €76.00 (four children) | €22.50 a week for each child to a maximum of €90.00 (four children) |
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.
Application Form: Back to Work Family Dividend Scheme (BTWFD1)
The Back to Work Family Dividend scheme helps families move from social welfare into work.
DownloadOperational guidelines describe the processes and procedures that staff in the department follow when carrying out their work.
