New Enterprise Allowance scheme - My story

Andy2013

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s450 , your welcome good luck with your startup.

Trueblue1965 , don't believe everything you read I support all of the comments for NEA OUT, my experience is the same and like him/her I have just focused on myself and my business and the success I am having is down to me working hard and keeping the business diverse and fresh.

I fear if you go into this expecting all the brochure says you may struggle on your own.

Remember business link offer the same advice and help as NEA which anyone can get and there are a ton of schemes offering finance,grants and loans so this scheme is by no means unique.

pinkypoopydoo

When my mentor accepted that I had a valid business idea, she emailed my JSA and told them that my job seekers agreement was to be amended to show that the ONLY step I was required to complete for 6-8 weeks, was to be actively working on my business plan, and to be in active communication with my mentor.

My agreement was amended, and I was given a maximum of eight weeks to present my business plan and have it accepted.

Andy2013

exclamation mark, I don't think its illegal but the same happened to me and this is what I was told by NEA when I kicked up a fuss.

At the point we start to prepare our business plan you no longer have to do job search and you can focus on your idea going forward.

This came from my local scheme in writing and the JC now acknowledge it.

TrueBlue1965

Thanks for your reply NEA OUT. Sounds like you got let down big time by that NEA mentor/scheme. What you describe is not what NEA is all about. The cowboys running the scheme and that mentor in your area need closing down or maybe someone needs locking up. They are setting people up to fail who are already at a low point in there lives. At least you had enough about yourself and your business idea to move forward and make it happen. It does sound like you and Andy have had very similar experiences. Could well be the same bad scheme or mentor. Well-done and good luck to both of you in the future.

Had an appointment with my Next Step adviser after posting on here yesterday. Asked her again what i should expect in the way of support from NEA and the mentor. Told her that im getting quite a bit of feedback about NEA that is not complementory to say the least. She is still saying that the scheme is as i have already described and is very good. She is being very positive about the scheme. Saying that she has put quite a few people foward since the scheme started and she has not had any compaints about the providers or any of the mentoring. She went as fare as to say that she would not put her clients on to a scheme that was just a waist of time. So, either im being told a load of bull or im in a good area where they know what they are doing and following things though in the right way. Fingers crossed.

No job search for me anymore as im about to go on NEA and my job seekers agreement will be amended to say im working towards starting my own business and im being supported by NEA.

In all fairness to the JCP staff. I,ve been stating that i,ve been working towards starting my own business for the last 6 months while on the worthless Work Programme. Anything connected with starting my business has been classed as part of my 20 steps per week towards finding work. Not that starting a business is on my JSA.

Thursday is going to be a very interesting day for me, im thinking.

Andy2013

Remember that every JC advisor has a quota they need to achieve of getting jobless of there books and into "employment" of some nature and the "scheme" is not chosen by them ,it is based on your area so whether they have good opinions of the scheme or not ,that is the one you will go onto and getting us on NEA means 1 less of there target.

Good luck with your next step

Just for the record my self and NEA OUT have spoken and are in different areas in the UK , although we have had very similar bad experiences , quite interesting to note.

WantToBeSE

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Hmm, so as soon as i decide to get off the NEA and find a part time job, i get an email from an agency who have exactly the same USP as me, asking if i would consider joining them to cover staff sickness! She also said that regular hours would have regular work for me depending on my rates! :j
So i emailed her my rates and available times, and made sure that i enforced the fact that i am flexible on both.

Seriously, you couldn't make this up could you!

Financially, as long as i am working 16+ hours (as a single parent) and earning at least NMW then i will be OK.
Obviously, this is NOT my long term aim, i aim to be working a 30+ hour week, and be thinking of world domination

Have heard from the agency again today, who want me to come in for a 'trial' in the 1st week of August. If they like how I work, they are going use me, and I will have about 14 hours a week :j

The rest of the time, I will be able to concentrate on getting my own private customers! So, that's me, HOPEFULLYDONE with the useless NEA (fingers crossed, hopefully they'll like the way I work on the trial).

Andy2013

That's superb news it takes the pressure of now and you can take your time building up.

WantToBeSE

Thanks Andy.
I heard from them again today and i am going in for a paid trial morning this Friday and then all going well i'll start with them the week after next.

Can I ask someone about how to invoice the agency please?

As in, how do I actually do it? Can I email it instead of posting or handing it over? And what do I need to include..days and hours worked? How often is best-weekly or monthly?

pinkypoopydoo

I email invoices - it means they get paid quicker as they are received instantly! I would recommend invoicing weekly, and giving them 7 days to pay (they should pay quicker, but if you state on it that they have 7 days, then they shouldn;t mess around)

I would also recommend you make them sign a letter of engagement, that shows your terms - how and when you expect to be paid, how often you are going to invoice them, by what terms you expect to be paid (ie, by an hourly/daily/weekly rate)

I can email you a template for a basic letter, than you can jiggle with, if you want?

Do you have a company name/logo yet? Excel have some decent, free, invoice templates that you can play with initially. I used one of them, personalised it with my logo and company name, and it looks pretty good. I just need a few more customers, so that they can appreciate it's beauty!

Libbie2013

I did the Enterprise Allowance Scheme and I'm now down to the £33 a week.

My business isn't taking off as well as I would have liked (basically it's not bringing in enough to support myself).

Does anyone know what happens next?
Do I sign on again?
Can I get an extension on the EAS so I have more time to make this a success? (my preferred option)
Am I classed as a new 'sign on' or is it seen as a continuation (I had previously been signing on for 12 months before the EAS).

Does anyone know the process as I can't find any info?