The PM’s announced the New Enterprise Allowance.
It’s not clear to me how this is different from the scheme announced in October by Iain Duncan Smith. This is also touted on the DWP website.
But it appears (to me) to be about reducing the benefits bill rather than genuinely encouraging business start-ups. If you’ve reskilled yourself, and are ready to start up your business, then you’ve actually got to sign-on to Jobseekers for 6 months to be eligible for this allowance. Then you’ve got to jump though lots of hoops to claim it.
So, of course, this is no use for people who are starting up their own business in their own time while holding down a job (part-time or full-time), who just need a bit of help as they switch to running their business full-time.
Or those who are made redundant, and look to “hit the ground running”.
Or those who aren’t able to claim Jobseekers, because they’re getting retrained (as I am – on my own initiative, and at my own cost). Not that I’m bitter … (OK, maybe a bit)
It only delivers £1,000 – and £1,000 of debt. Half of that seems to go on a “business mentor”. The DWP site says that this is “worth £2000 to businesses”, but that seems to be using a Civil Servant’s definition of “worth” rather than an accountant’s …
… And you’ve apparently got to live in Liverpool. No stereotyping there, then …
So … how do I get myself on the list of “business mentors” – ‘cos they seems to be the one’s who’ll do best out of this.
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