New Deal Back to Work Grant?

milliebear00001

Hi there

Posting for my brother. He has been claiming Income Based JSA for some time and is currently part of the New Deal arrangements. He has been told he might be able to get financial assistance to meet any extra costs associated with going back to work. Basically a friend of his on New Deal was awarded £300 (which he thinks is the maximum allowable) to buy a laptop to get back to work. My brother is doing a photography course and wants to set up on his own, but needs help with the costs of buying the equipment. I can find no trace of this £300 grant on the New Deal site, only the £100 back to work grant that he would seem ineligible for as he is still claiming JSA and wants to go self-employed.

Can anybody shed any light please?

ukdickie31

You are referring to the Adviser Discretion Fund (ADF).

This is not an entitlement but a way that the ADVISER may choose to overcome a barrier in the Jobseeker returning to the labour market.

It is normally used to overcome the final hurdle back to work, for example a bus pass for the first 4 weeks when there is a job start, or safety boots, uniform, overalls etc.

Unfortunately, if the adviser says no, there is no right of appeal as this is not an entitlement.

Awards are normally more successful if the person has a job to start and the ADF can be used to support the job start.

milliebear00001

That is definitely the one! Thanks so much. We will put together an application and see what happens.

Thanks again for your swift response.

TriffidQueen

Try the Princes Trust, they usaully help out with people setting up small business.