Bíodh Eolas agat ar do Chearta A: Féinfhostaíocht agus an Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist
Eanáir 2013
Ceist
Táim féinfhostaithe agus nílim ach ag stróiceadh liom. Ba mhaith liom mo ghnólacht a choimeád ar bun ach is fíorbheag airgead a bhíonn fágtha agam faoi dheireadh na míosa. D’inis cara liom dom gur féidir liom iarratas a dhéanamh ar Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist agus gur féidir liom leanúint ag oibriú ag an ngnólacht. An fhíor sin?
Freagra
Má tá tú féinfhostaithe, d’fhéadfá bheith i dteideal Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist (LCP) a fháil má tá d’ioncam ón ngnólacht faoi bhun leibhéal áirithe. Ní gá duit do ghnólacht a dhúnadh nó stopadh ag oibriú ar bhonn féinfhostaithe d’fhonn an Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist a fháil.
Féadfaidh tú iarratas a dhéanamh ar Liúntas Cuardaitheora Poist ag d’oifig áitiúil leasa shóisialaigh. Déanfar measúnú ar d’ioncam go léir, lena n-áirítear na tuillimh ó do ghnólacht, sa tástáil mhaoine le haghaidh an LCP. Ní mór go léireoidh an measúnú an t-ioncam a d’fhéadfá a fháil go réasúnta ó do ghnólacht sna 12 mhí amach romhat. Glacfar ioncam do na 12 mhí dheireanacha mar threoir ach beidh ceadú aon tosca ar a bhfuil tú feasach athraitheach. Ba cheart duit bheith ullamh chun na tosca seo a phlé nuair a dhéantar measúnú ort don LCP.
Déantar measúnú ar thuillimh amhail ollioncam ón ngnólacht, lúide costais obairbhainteacha le 12 mhí anuas. Níl aon liosta uileghabhálacha de chostais uile mar gheall go n-athraíonn costais de réir nádúr agus réim na féinfhostaíochta. Roinntear do thuillimh ionchasacha bhliantúla ó fhéinfhostaíocht faoi 52 chun do mhaoin sheachtainiúil ó fhéinfhostaíocht a ríomh.
D’fhonn an leibhéal ioncaim ó do ghnólacht a chruthú, ní mór duit d’fháltais agus do thaifid íocaíochta nó do chuntais iniúchta a thabhairt don duine a dhéileálann le d’iarratas san oifig leasa shóisialaigh.
Má d’éiligh tú íocaíocht cuardaitheora poist ach murar íocadh í agus mura bhfuil aon ioncam eile agat, féadfaidh tú cáiliú don Liúntas Leasa Fhorlíontaigh fad atá tú ag feitheamh ar an íocaíocht. Ina theannta sin, d’fhéadfá bheith i dteideal sochair eile a fháil, ar nós cárta leighis nó Cárta Cuairte Dochtúra Ghinearálta, agus seans d’fhéadfá cáiliú le haghaidh Forlíonadh Cíosa.
Tá tuilleadh eolais le fáil ón Ionad Faisnéise do Shaoránaigh thíos.
Chuir Ionad Faisnéise do Shaoránaigh An Clochain Liath ‘Bíodh Eolas agat ar do Chearta’ le chéile. Cuireann an tIonad seo seirbhís shaor in aisce agus faoi rún ar fáil don phobal. Teil: 0761075430 Seoladh: Ionad Seirbhisi Pobal, An Clochain Liath
Tá faisnéis le fáil freisin ar líne ag citizensinformation.ie agus ón tSeirbhís Teileafóin um Fhaisnéis do Shaoránaigh, 0761 07 4000.
Know Your Rights A: Self-employment and Jobseeker’s Allowance
January 2013
Question
I’m self-employed and only just getting by. I want to keep my business going but there is very little money left to live on at the end of the month. My friend told me I can apply for Jobseeker’s Allowance and still keep working at the business. Is that right?
Answer
If you are self-employed, you may be entitled to Jobseeker's Allowance (JA) if your income from the business is below a certain level. You do not need to close your business or stop working as self-employed in order to get Jobseeker’s Allowance.
You can apply for Jobseeker’s Allowance at your local social welfare office. All your income, including the earnings from your business, will be assessed in the means test for JA. The assessment must reflect the income you may reasonably be expected to get from your business over the next 12 months. Income for the last 12 months will be taken as a guide but allowing for any factors that you know will vary. You should be prepared to discuss these factors when you are assessed for JA.
Earnings are assessed as gross income from the business, less work-related expenses over 12 months. There is no exhaustive list of all expenses allowed, as expenses vary with the nature and extent of the self-employment. Your expected annual earnings from self-employment are divided by 52 to find your weekly means from self-employment.
To prove the level of income from your business you must give your receipts and payment records or audited accounts to the person dealing with your application in the social welfare office.
If you have claimed a jobseeker’s payment but it has not yet been paid and you have no other income, you may qualify for Supplementary Welfare Allowance while you are waiting for payment. You may also be eligible for other benefits such as a medical card or GP Visit Card, and possibly for Rent Supplement.
Further information is available from the Citizens Information Centre below.
Know Your Rights has been compiled by Dungloe Citizens Information Service, which provides a free and confidential service to the public. Tel:0761075430 Address: Dungloe Public Services Centre
Information is also available online at citizensinformation.ie and from the Citizens Information Phone Service, 0761 07 4000.