New Enterprise Allowance scheme - My story

BigAl127

It took a week for my claim form to arrive, I completed and returned it the same day, and my first WTC payment was in my bank 12 days later, and that included the Easter holidays.

WantToBeSE

That's reassuring, BigAl, fingers crossed mine gets processed that quickly. It's renewal time though, so i am guessing it may take slightly longer than usual at the moment?

I need to phone HMRC to register as SE-Does anyone know what happens after this phone call? Do i have paperwork that i'll need to fill in for them?

Also, i need to work out what happens in regards to housing benefit? I know that there is a HB officer that posts on these boards, so i may see if i can find the answer on another thread.

bellkat

I received my first WTC payments last Monday with backdated payments from date of my claim. It only took about 2 weeks after sending my claim form in.
I also got 4 weeks Housing Benefit run on, which ends next week.

I've made a new claim for housing benefit, which I should be entitled to according to the benefit calculator. Their forms are a nightmare!!
After filling in the original form, they then sent me 2 more forms which asked for some of the same information as I sent on the first one!!!!

The WTC claim was easy in comparison.

I registered with HMRC on line. They sent a letter with my Unique Tax Reference number, which my NEA provider asked for.

WantToBeSE

Bellkat-Did you have to apply for the 4 week Housing Benefit Run on, or did you get it automatically?

s450

Hello everybody.
I am still a bit confused with how it works with NEA and so on.
Last week I asked my adviser to refer me to a business mentor.
Some of you here said that it could have been a problem to claim for NEA after such a short time - if you consider that I have been on JSA only for 2 months.
But fortunatelly my adviser accepted it and said that next week is going to refer me to the NEA and explain to me in details how it works.
I really hope my business will work well so that I won't need any benefits at all. But of course at the beginning it will be a bit hard.
So what happenes next?
I assume, I will have to show a good business-plan in order my claim to be accepted.
But what happens with the housing benefit? Will I still get HB?
How does it exactly work with HB when you are on NEA?
And what happens if (hopefully not!) your business doesn't work well and you do not earn enough money to live but the period of NEA has expired? Won't you be eligible at least for HB?
Sorry for so many questions but I just want to be well informed. This is important for us, isn't it?
By the way, is one eligible for the jobcenter plus oystercard discount when he/she is on NEW?
Thanks in advance for your support.
Bye.

WantToBeSE

s450 wrote: »

Hello everybody.
I am still a bit confused with how it works with NEA and so on.
Last week I asked my adviser to refer me to a business mentor.
Some of you here said that it could have been a problem to claim for NEA after such a short time - if you consider that I have been on JSA only for 2 months.
But fortunatelly my adviser accepted it and said that next week is going to refer me to the NEA and explain to me in details how it works.
I really hope my business will work well so that I won't need any benefits at all. But of course at the beginning it will be a bit hard.
So what happenes next?
I assume, I will have to show a good business-plan in order my claim to be accepted.
But what happens with the housing benefit? Will I still get HB?
How does it exactly work with HB when you are on NEA?
And what happens if (hopefully not!) your business doesn't work well and you do not earn enough money to live but the period of NEA has expired? Won't you be eligible at least for HB?
Sorry for so many questions but I just want to be well informed. This is important for us, isn't it?
By the way, is one eligible for the jobcenter plus oystercard discount when he/she is on NEW?
Thanks in advance for your support.
Bye.

Hi I will try and answer your questions, although i dont know the answers to some of them.

What happens next? Well, you will be assigned a business mentor, who (HOPEFULLY) see you weekly over a period of a max of 6-8 weeks. During this time, you will work on your business plan with them.
When/If they deem your business idea viable, they will inform the jobcentre, who will ask you to come in for an appointment to get your claim for JSA stopped, and then arrange your NEA payments. From the day that your claim for JSA stops, you are able to start trading as a business.

In regards to HB..i dont think anyone is quite sure. I would just get a HB form and fill it in. In regards to your earnings, make sure you keep all invoices/receipts and they are proof of earnings for HB and HMRC.

If after the NEA money has ended and you dont have enough to support yourself, then you will have to go back onto JSA (unless you find a job), and you go back to when you started. For example, if i was still doing the NEA, i would go straight onto the work programme if my business didnt work out, as i have been unemployed for 12 months before starting NEA.

NOt sure about the oyster card i dont live in London.

s450

Many thanks!
I hope somebody else will also add his/her experienced opinion and provide me with some more details concerning my questions.
Many thanks again.

WantToBeSE

You're welcome, although i do have to add that it doesn't always go smoothly! I waited for 13 weeks before they realised they hadn't referred me to the business mentor properly!
15 weeks on, and i have decided to do it by myself via an agency

bellkat

WantToBeSE wrote: »

Bellkat-Did you have to apply for the 4 week Housing Benefit Run on, or did you get it automatically?

I had to apply for it, my JSA advisor told me to ring Housing Benefits when I signed off.
The actual form for the run on was just a short one page form to sign, and to confirm I had been claiming the relevant benefits for the relevant number of weeks before signing off.
I though it would have just happened automatically if you're entitled to it as well!!

BigAl127

I got my 4 weeks HB run-on automatically. As for claiming HB as self employed, the receptionist at the council gave me a new set of forms to fill in and take back.

On taking them back, the HB officer said I didn't need the forms as they just treat it as a change of circumstances. So he wrote out a statement from the info I gave him, which we both signed. He put down that I would be earning £0.01 per week for the foreseeable future, as i'd be ploughing any money back into my business.

I then had to take my accounts/receipts in after 3 months to have my claim re-assessed. He again put my income from the business as £0.01 per week for the foreseeable future, and said unless I start to take over £100 in drawings per week from my business, I don't need to notify them till then, and my claim will then be re-assessed.

The HB officer I see at the council, is a specialist in dealing with the self employed, and says, it's quite common for a new business to be showing a loss at the end of year 1 and the owner not having taken a wage/drawings, or only a small amount so as not to affect HB.