The Minister stated that the Enterprise Support Grant will be made available to assist self-employed recipients who are exiting the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) scheme. This will provide owners with a once-off grant of up to €1,000 to re-start their business. A fund of €12m has been allocated for the extension of this grant.

The grant will be payable to self-employed micro enterprises which employ fewer than 10 people, have an annual turnover of less than €1 million and are not eligible for support from the COVID 19 Business Restart Grant or other similar business reopening grants.

The extension of the grant to eligible recipients of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment will provide businesses with a once-off payment of up to €1,000. The Grant will be awarded to tax and PRSI compliant self-employed individuals who:

  • Have been in receipt of the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and have closed their claim;
  • Have reopened their business;
  • Employ fewer than 10 people;
  • Have an annual turnover of less than €1 million;
  • Are not eligible for other similar Covid business re-start grants from other Government Departments;
  • Are not liable for commercial rates;
  • Produce VAT receipts/invoices in respect of business re-start costs and expenses claimed.
  • It is envisaged that those who close their PUP claim will have a period of 4 weeks, from date of claim closure, within which to submit a claim. This is to allow time for claimants to incur the necessary expenditure, gather receipts and submit a claim.

Now that a decision has been taken to extend the scheme in this manner, the Department is developing the systems to put it into effect and will communicate how to access the grant in the coming weeks.