Advice please :D

carkeyz

Hi all
My partner has left his full time job to run his own business.
He is spending about 10 hours a week on this and isn't making very much at all, he is just trying to bring in the contracts and contacts at the moment so not very productive.
We have a one year old daughter and live in a housing association home.
I have gone through the benefits checker but am confused, as he is self employed and looking for work - se work though not employment, would he still be allowed to claim JSA?
Thanks
Carla

kingfisherblue

I doubt if he could get JSA - that is for people looking for employment, not for those who are SE and looking for contracts/work.

Also, your husband left employment voluntarily, so it is likely he would be sanctioned anyway.

Why is he only spending ten hours a week on SE? Surely he could have spent this amount of time setting up SE and establishing himself whilst still working in paid employment?

fav77

Thats what I thought too. If he was spending 16 hours or more on this then surely working tax credits would increase? You can also claim housing/council tax benefits while establishing the business as long as he can provide receipts/invoices etc.

Good luck, its a brave (or stupid lol) decision to give up a full time job in this climate to strike out alone part time!

karenx

No he wouldnt get JSA as he isnt activly seeking full time employment. Plus he would recieve a sanction anyway for quitting his work

UnderPressure

Why is he only spending 10 hours a week on his own business? Surely there is more a LOT more he could be doing to try and kick start it? What are of work is this business in? THe long term answer is to get it working as quickly as possible so it is earning him a full time wage at least or give up and go and get a job!

Crikey, does your first post sound right to you or am I missing something? I have been self employed on and off for may years and let me tell you I can work close on 18 hours a day 7 days a week when times are tough, like now for example, we too are in a right pickle financially, you carry on work harder try and open more doors, certainly not limit yourself to 10 hours a week!

If he knows you can claim this that and the other if he works 16 hours a week why is he not? Book keeping, research, time spent on the phone trying to get new business this is all classed as working, not just out there doing a job, I think you both need some professional advice on this matter and you need to evaluate if being self employed at the moment is actually a wise thing to do, I can only suggest getting in touch with a decent accountant and seeing what they say about your situation...........

Most self employed people at some stage struggle, this is the time when you massively increase your efforts and time spent working not reduce it! If he is only actually working 10 hours a week what is he doing with the rest of his time?