Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 68D

Conditions for receipt

Section 68D sets out the PRSI contribution and income conditions that self-employed individuals must satisfy to qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit (Self-Employed).

• Claimants need either 104 weeks of employment or optional contributions or 156 weeks of self-employment contributions since first entering insurance, plus 52 weeks of self-employment contributions in the second-last complete tax year before claiming.
• There is an income threshold requiring reckonable weekly income above €300 in the governing contribution year, or income falling within specified lower bands.
• Volunteer development workers returning from developing countries are exempt from the income requirement for up to three benefit years.
• Weekly income is calculated by dividing total reckonable income by the number of qualifying contributions in the governing contribution year.