Is there anything like Enterprise Allowance any more?

Prophet~of~Profit

nexuss wrote: »

If you have been getting Jobseeker's Allowance for at least six months and you set up as self-employed working at least 16 hours a week,you may be able to get a self-employment credit worth £50 a week.You can only get it if you stop claiming Jobseeker's Allowance and expect your work to last at least 5 weeks.

nexuss thats cool:beer: but when you say "set up as", how? whats its exact name? what do i say? can i download the form anywhere? prove im not just making it up. see the problem with Kilburn JCP is that they are incredibly indolent. Ive been asking for years for something like this and all i ever get as a reply is "We dont do self-employment here you have to find a job". Can you post link to the webpage?

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Does it not occur to you that possibly one of those "retards " has taken the time to answer your question? These boards would be far less useful to people in your situation if JCP staff didn't answer questions on here in their own time!

You presume much 'notwiser', i dont believe my question was answered by anyone. You definitely didnt. i just wished JCP staff would answer questions during work time then i wouldnt have to be here seeking answers myself.

Tryingtosurvive_2

I am also interested in this self-employment credit and wonder if anyone here can answer some questions. I searched the directgov website then gave up and googled it which got me to the only page it appears on where there is a pargraph to say it exists. No information on how to apply, links, downloadable forms or anything like that.
Sorry I wasn't allowed to post the weblinks or I would provide them.


So I was wondering if anyone could help me out with the following Questions:
Is this instead of or in addition to JSA?
What Happens at the end of 16 weeks if your idea doesn't pan out?
What happens if you take a job during that 16 weeks?
What monitoring do they do? (Do we report to BCC for instance?)

Any help is appreciated. Andover Jobcentre did not know any more than the directgov website promises

JonDanzig

The government has just announced that it is relaunching the Enterprise Allowance Scheme.

In the early 1990s I produced a series of video films explaining and promoting the original Enterprise Allowance Scheme. Regional versions of the films featured the stories of many successful businesses started by people who had previously been unemployed. My videos were shown at Job Centres throughout the country. I believe the scheme was a great way to encourage and assist self-employment as a viable alternative to unemployment.


To view the videos, just to go JonDanzig dot com

skintbint_2

manulike wrote: »

As of April there is a new £50 pw credit given for the first 16 weeks of employemt for any newly self emplyed that have been unemployed for 6 months.

There is a full explanation on the "jobcentreplus" website

Government have reduced this to 13weeks, unemployed working 16 hours per week and expected to last 5 weeks or more. it was 6 months when it was introduced. it is not counted for tax credits, housing benefit etc. you may also be entitled to 4 weeks housing benefit and council tax run on if you have been signing for 26 weeks without a break, this also goes for the jobgrant £100 for single or £250 for people with children. so should help you get up and running

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Jobseekers/LookingForWork/DG_173931

Gemstar30

Gosh this thread takes me back to the early/mid 80's. Enterprise Allowance. £40 (or was it £50) pw for 12 months as long as you could show that you had £1000 available (normally an overdraft).
One of the biggest scams I ever came across. There were that many 'new businesses' opening up that it caused joy in the old DTI.

However it was a con. The £1000 was spent (generally on a new TV or car) and the weekly amount was more than enough to live off. All you had to do was attend a couple of meetings. Even better, most were in the black economy and saw it as a 'legal' way of getting benefit without repercussions.
To say the least a lot of businesses folded after 12 months backed up by new Supplementary Benefit & Dole claims.

No wonder they closed it down.

kerry_b_2

Hi just a friendly warning to those who on JSA and new deal intend to start self employment whereby you get £50 a week for 16 wks, please check before you sign off, my partner was on JSA for 18 months and three weeks ago signed off to start self employment, he was told he would get £50 a week for 16 wks, however when nothing was paid, he enquired where his money is and apparently he is on stage 4 of new deal, and they only pay on stage 3 of new deal, there was no notification that he was not eligible or what stage of new deal he was on and what this self employment deal applied to which stage of new deal you are on, apparently he has been unemployed too long to be encouraged to go into self employment, so as a result, his new business finished before it started with no support behind him and he signs back on JSA next week - well done government, you just stopped someone starting their own business by paying them £50 a week and have forced them onto the dole again at £63 a week, I may be a blonde but this smacks of total nonsense - all the cutting of government funding and assistance has now prevented our business from being up and running and saving childrens lives, instead they have two more on the dole - well done government!!

mikethecow

Hi Kerry

I too found this out the hard way - apparently the resources are aimed at the short term unemployed! By the time you are 'long term' Stage 4 scum you are beyond help.

There is a new Enterprise Allowance Scheme starting this year though.
Can't find a great deal about it but have a look at:

dwp.gov.uk/adviser/updates/new-enterprise-allowance/

guardian.co.uk/money/2011/jan/05/new-enterprise-allowance-expanded

guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/06/new-enterprise-allowance-david-cameron

Sorry bout the links - i've just joined so not allowed to post links yet.

HTH

zoerob

This scheme is utterly useless for anybody that has already taken the initiative to start a small business and needs support to get it off the ground. You will only be eligible for funding if you have been signed on Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) for at least six months.

I am a recent graduate, under the age of 25 and am trying to fund my small business from personal savings, which are rapidly diminishing. I am not eligible for start up funding because I have not been on JSA for the last 6 months since graduating in July - I started my business instead. I am not eligible to sign up for JSA now to apply for the Enterprise Allowance because I am registered as self employed and running my business. Catch 22.

The only way someone such as myself will be eligible for the funding is to give up my self employed status, sign on, wait 6 months and start all over again. Anyone else see the flaws?

Where is the government support for young entrepreneurs?