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Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed
From Department of Social Protection
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Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed (JBSE) is a payment for people between 18 and 66 who become fully or partly unemployed and have paid enough PRSI (Pay-Related Social Insurance) contributions.
Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed) is paid for 6 or 9 months depending on the number of social insurance contributions you have.
- If you are 65 Years Old and have ceased self-employment you may be entitled to Benefit Payment for 65 Year Olds.
From January 30 2023 we have returned to the requirement that all people applying for a Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed payment have authenticated their identity to SAFE Level 2 before their claim can be paid.
This means that we must have established and verified your identity to a satisfactory level.
This applies to both online and paper Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed applications.
If you are already verified at SAFE Level 2, you will be able to access online services through your verified MyGovID account.
To get to SAFE Level 2, you must attend your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office to complete your registration. Once you have completed the SAFE Level 2 registration process, you may get your account verified. This will give you access to all online services through your MyGovID account which includes applying for a jobseeker’s payment.
To qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed, you must:
- be under the pension age, which is currently 66 years of age
- satisfy the PRSI contribution conditions
- not be engaged in self-employment
- be capable of working and available for full-time work
- be genuinely seeking work
- prove unemployment in the prescribed manner
You can work as an employee, in insurable employment, for up to 3 days a week and still get Jobseeker’s Benefit for the Self-Employed for the other days if you are available for full-time work.
To qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed, you must satisfy two PRSI contribution conditions.
You must have 156 Class “S” contributions paid or 104 Class “A” or "H" contributions paid, since entering insurable employment.
You must have 52 Class “S” contributions paid in the governing contribution year.
The governing contribution year is the second last complete tax year before the year in which the claim is made. For example, for claims made in 2022, the governing contribution year is 2020.
New flexible pension arrangements will be introduced in January 2024. Flexible pension arrangements are for people who turn 66 on or after 1 January 2024.
If you are aged 66 in 2024 or later, you will have the choice to claim your State Pension (Contributory) on any date between the age of 66 and 70.
Your start date will be the date that you want to start receiving State Pension (Contributory).
If you choose a claim start date between ages 67 and 70, you may be entitled to a higher rate of State Pension (Contributory). This is called an actuarially increased rate of payment.
If you decide not to draw down your State Pension (Contributory) at age 66 and meet the conditions of Jobseeker’s Benefit for the Self-Employed , you may receive/apply for Jobseeker’s Benefit for the Self-Employed up until the age of 70. You will not receive credited contributions while on Jobseeker’s Benefit for the Self-Employed after the age of 66. This may have an impact on your State Pension (Contributory) entitlements. After the age of 66, you must apply for Jobseeker’s Benefit for the Self-Employed using a paper application (UP1) which can be obtained from your local Intreo Office or Social Welfare Branch Office.
If you are already in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit for the Self-Employed, born after 1 January 1958 and are approaching the age of 66, you will receive a letter from the Department of Social Protection advising you of your options.
A new statutory rental disregard of up to €269.23 per week (€14,000 per year) has been introduced and came into effect from the 12 July 2022. It applies where an increase for a qualified adult is paid, in respect of rental income from renting out a room(s) in your home to someone who is not an employee or an immediate family member. See Increase for a Qualified Adult Operational Guidelines for more details.
Your rate of payment will depend on your average weekly income in the governing contribution year. Reduced or graduated rates apply where your average weekly income is below €300 (gross) in the governing contribution year.
The current rates are as follows.
| Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed) Rates | Rate |
| Full weekly payment | €220.00 |
| Extra payment for qualified adult | €146.00 |
| Extra payment for qualified child under 12 | €42.00 (full-rate), €21.00 (half-rate) |
| Extra payment for qualified child 12 and over | €50.00 (full rate), €25.00 (half rate) |
Please see the tables below for details on the reduced rates of payment.
| Average weekly earnings | Personal rate of payment |
| Less than €150 | €98.70 |
| €150 or above but less than €220 | €141.90 |
| €220 or above but less than €300 | €172.30 |
| €300 or more | €220.00 |
If your spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is dependent on you or is on a low income, you may be able to claim an increase in your payment for them. This increase is called an Increase for a Qualified Adult (IQA). If they are earning €100 or less you will get the maximum IQA. If they are earning between €100 and €310 you will get a reduced rate of IQA. If they are earning more than €310, you will not get an IQA.
If you have dependent children, you may also be able to claim an increase in your payment for them. This increase is called an Increase for a Qualified Child (IQC).
Your employer needs to complete the UP80 form below. This form can be downloaded and filled in. When your employer completes the form you need to return it to your your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office
Employer Declaration: Casual/Part-time/Short-time Employment (UP80)
Updated: August 2021
- Please note that while in receipt of JBSE, the part-time/casual/short-time work options are for insurable employment only.
- You can now declare the days you are working and not working online through www.MyWelfare.ie This means that you will not have to submit paper dockets each week to your local Intreo Centre/Social Welfare Branch Office.
Please see our guide to part-time/casual/short-time work online certification for further information.
It should be noted that if you start part-time self-employment, you are no longer considered to have stopped self-employment and no longer satisfy the conditions for the scheme.
If you are over the age of 62 and receiving Jobseeker’s Benefit (Self-Employed), you do not have to:
- meet with a case officer in your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office
- sign on monthly
If you are 65, or turn 65 while receiving Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed), and have at least 156 social insurance (PRSI) contribution weeks paid and have 52 PRSI Class “S” contributions paid in the governing contribution year you can continue to receive your payment up to your 66th birthday.
This applies even if your claim is due to end before that date.
The maximum rate of payment of Jobseeker’s Benefit for the Self-Employed is payable to all customers aged 65 years. Graduated rates do not apply. Similarly, if you are entitled to an increase for a qualified adult, the maximum Increase for a Qualified Adult is payable. Tapered IQA rates continue to apply where the qualified adult has income from employment, self-employment, capital, investments, and so on.
However, if you take up some part-time insurable employment only at age 65, you are paid for the days of unemployment using the maximum rate of Jobseeker’s Benefit for the Self-Employed.
It should be noted that if you start part-time self-employment, you are no longer considered to have stopped self-employment and no longer satisfy the conditions for the scheme.
You will not qualify for Jobseeker’s Benefit for the Self-employed if you are absent from the state, unless one of the following exceptions applies to you:
If you are in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit for the Self-employed and are aged under 65 years, you may be absent from the state for up to two weeks in a calendar year.
From 30 September 2022, if you are aged 65 years and in receipt of Jobseeker’s Benefit for the Self-employed, you may be temporarily absent from the State for longer than 2 weeks in a calendar year.
However, the absence must be temporary, and you must not engage in gainful employment or self-employment while absent from the State.
If you are aged 65 years, you can be absent from the State on a temporary basis for any duration during the lifetime of your claim. This includes your qualified adult. You are required to inform the Department of your intention to leave the State and you must give an approximate return date. The UP30b Absent from the State form, must be completed but payment may continue to issue to you for the duration of your absence.
If you are in receipt of Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed you must contact your local Intreo Centre or Branch Office to check your entitlements before planning or going on holidays. You will find full details on holiday entitlements here.
To apply, please fill in the application form (available below) and bring it to your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office when you attend to make your claim.
You should apply as soon as you are no longer self-employed otherwise you could lose some payment.
To apply, you will need the following documents, in addition to the application form:
- identification: your Public Services Card (PSC), passport or driving licence
- proof of your address: a recent utility bill or letter from a government department
You can apply even if you do not have all of the documents, but you cannot get a decision on your application until you have provided all of the documents.
Application Form: Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed) (UP1 JBSE)
Edition: January 2023
If you are making a repeat claim (less than 6 months since your last claim), you complete a repeat claim form known as a UP6.
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.
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 Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed) again.
Operational guidelines describe the processes and procedures that staff in the department follow when carrying out their work.