ESA to self-employment

eskimo26

Its time for me to make the transition into work, as i have a fine art degree from central st martins i'm looking to set up as a self employed illustrator.

I am looking to start at 16 hours a day and build up my hours, i do feel self employment at this stage is my only option as it would fit around my symptoms of CFS. Also all my friends from the same course are self-employed, one as a photographer, one as an illustrator and the other in video and music editting, its simply one of those subjects that lends itself to self employment.

I would like to know how i go about this, i literally need walking through as i have a lot of work to do though i know the basics with regards to self employment and artists as i have seen my friends go into it I do not know the administrative details.

My first step would be to begin building a website, will this have to be done outside my working hours?

Also at what point will i need to become profitable, i know they have maybe changed the rules on this recently.

I'm very excited about this i just hope i can keep to the rules of self employment and keep up with all the paper work involved.

I am very determined and hard working when i need to be, i completed my degree under a cloud of CFS symptoms and i'm ready to do the same here if needs be.

bobajob_1966

Contact the JCP and ask for an appt/ to speak with a Disability Employment Advisor, they will be able to refer you to a small business advisor.

Caroline_a

Self-employment hours are as long as you want them to be... but the successful ones tend to work as long hours as they can just to get everything done! It isn't like being employed, you don't have 'set' hours, you just have to do as much as you can in the time you have. Selling your product is the most important thing when you get started - fancy stuff like letterheads, etc are irrelevant.

Lots of advice/support here http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/home

saintjammyswine

Waterstones the bookshop recently ran a competition for unpublished artists to illustrate books. Not sure if it has closed but could be potentially good publicity. Also look to have work displayed at local authority venues. You could also contact the art dept of your local college, school etc for advice on potential earnings & routes into doing it for a living.

eskimo26

I'm overwhelmed with the response in such a short time! :j

bobajob_1966 wrote: »

Contact the JCP and ask for an appt/ to speak with a Disability Employment Advisor, they will be able to refer you to a small business advisor.

They've referred me to the work programme i read on another thread they have nothing to do with you once they pass you on, i also saw the disability adviser a few years ago and she was extremely bigotted and rude with regards to my condition. But for the sake of success i am willing to see one at a different job centre.

Self-employment hours are as long as you want them to be... but the successful ones tend to work as long hours as they can just to get everything done! It isn't like being employed, you don't have 'set' hours, you just have to do as much as you can in the time you have. Selling your product is the most important thing when you get started - fancy stuff like letterheads, etc are irrelevant.

Lots of advice/support here http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/home

This is pefect thankyou.

Waterstones the bookshop recently ran a competition for unpublished artists to illustrate books.

I'll look into it, its the kind of thing all my friends were doing too when they started, their are places listing all the current competitions for artists but i'm out of the loop so i'll have to tap my friends knowledge on that. Also would working to enter a competition be classed as work? I would still attempt to sell it afterwards if unsuccessful. My priority will be to build up a portfolio because that is essential to any self employed artist but working to competition briefs will make it more professional.

saintjammyswine

At this stage I am not sure if this type of activity would be called work, you could argue you are available to work and that you are fulfilling min requirements around job searching. It could be classed as a hobby which someone who is employed could do but not sure.

eskimo26

saintjammyswine wrote: »

At this stage I am not sure if this type of activity would be called work, you could argue you are available to work and that you are fulfilling min requirements around job searching. It could be classed as a hobby which someone who is employed could do but not sure.

I'm not sure on the specifics i have to look into it but from a lay mans view most media based companies will have someone working on a website as part of their work with the company, i suspect when my friends were completing a website it wasn't done outside of working hours.

With regards to the work i am offering it all for sale so i am engaging in work with the view to selling a product i just don't expect to be profitable till i have enough work to constitute a portfolio and a client base. That's just how it works in this line of work, I have to be realistic.

I've been looking at some internet resources and found this.

What does self employment actually mean?

Self employment means that you are your own boss! In normal employment, you work for one organisation, are paid net of tax and have set hours of work.
If you are self employed you will be able to choose the work you do, choose the hours you work and take holidays when you like.
Most artists will have a mix of income from sales of their work, commissions, residencies, workshops, teaching, arts administration etc.
This is why self employment is a good thing for an artist, it frees them to work for many different people and perform more than one type of work. This is why the self employed are called ‘freelancers’.

Surely any portfolio building i do is work since i'm offering it for sale?
Again thanks for help.