Scheme for ESA recipients moving into *Self-Employment*

TE

I'm looking for information regarding a DWP scheme that enables me to continue to receive ESA whilst operating a modest business from home- self-employment.

 I need to work for myself part time and from home to meet my physical and mental health needs.

I understand there is a scheme whereby I can continue to claim ESA for around 6 months, get support from a DWP appointed business advisor and earn up to around 600 pounds per month.

Does anyone have any further information on this scheme and its name? I only have these vague details. Would be grateful for specific details. 

Spoonie_Turtle

You might be thinking of Permitted Work.  I don't fully understand how it works with self-employment but the wage threshold is £167/week and the hours threshold - although again I don't know how that interacts with self-employment - is "up to" an average of 16hrs/week (so in reality, 15hrs 59mins).

You also have to fill in a form. 

PW itself isn't any support or anything, it just allows you to do some work under the thresholds without losing your benefit.  And I do mean under; if you go over for a week and it's not part of a regular fluctuating cycle to bring the average back down, your ESA will stop.

Normally I'd add links, but now you know what it's called you know what to look for, and you're better placed to work out what results are useful and not than I am.

Edit: also there's no time limit on how long you can continue claiming ESA just because of work; the time limit is only if you're in the WRAG rather than Support Group.  In the WRAG it's a year claiming, Support Group is indefinite (until/unless you're moved out of it from a reassessment).

TE

Hi Thanks for your comments. The scheme I'm looking for is is specifically for people who move into self-employment. They are appointed an advisor for business oversight and guidance. My understanding is it's limited to around six months. It's quite a different scheme to those who not self-employed. I just can't find much about it on the internet.

tomtom256

I think you mean the New Enterprise Allowance scheme, however it no longer exists and hasn't done for a while.

TE

Having done more research........it appears the scheme I'm after no longer exists as a separate scheme specifically for people moving into self-employment. 

It appears it has been subsumed under Permitted Work generally. I've been assured by a disabled charity that it is accepted by DWP to continue a claim for ESA while moving into self employed work. This is under their general Permitted Work scheme/programme.