On Jobseekers allowance can i start a business

dave1982

So after nearly 2 years of job searching.I have had no success in finding work,So i am thinking of trying to start my own business.If i go about starting one will the social welfare cut off my allowance.

I'm afraid to approach them to ask as i fear they would cut me off for even thinking about starting in case they think i'm already working off the book's.
Paronoid i know:D

Also is there grants available to get people started etc as i have zero money in my bank.

Also i would inform them before i go about registering a company because i think it safer for me to tell them,besides explaining why didn't you tell us

Also if i did start one and it fails can i go back on welfare ?

I'm just looking for advice

daenerysstormborn3

Yes you can start a business while receiving social welfare benefits (including BTEA) and you may qualify for a grant. Go to your social welfare office and they will set up a meeting for you with your local social welfare officer and they will give you a business plan to fill out which is very detailed, the more details you can provide the better. I'm sure it differs from county to county though as some counties/cities/towns may have more need for certain businesses than others.

You won't get cut off or anything just for making an enquiry (trust me, I know how you feel being paranoid about that!) they will more than likely look upon it favourably.

Irish Fire

dave1982 wrote: »

So after nearly 2 years of job searching.I have had no success in finding work,So i am thinking of trying to start my own business.If i go about starting one will the social welfare cut off my allowance.

I'm afraid to approach them to ask as i fear they would cut me off for even thinking about starting in case they think i'm already working off the book's.
Paronoid i know:D

Also is there grants available to get people started etc as i have zero money in my bank.

Also i would inform them before i go about registering a company because i think it safer for me to tell them,besides explaining why didn't you tell us

Also if i did start one and it fails can i go back on welfare ?

I'm just looking for advice

Be very bloody careful, get EVERYTHING in writing from the S.W. I got bloody shafted last year.... Told me I'd get up to €15,000, told me to get registered with Revenue and ended up getting €750!! yes €750!! because there are cut backs and that's all we can give you, ended up I couldn't go back to J.A. because I was now self employed!!!!!

dave1982

Thank's pixie i'll head to welfare office in the morning,to see whats what.

Yeah irish fire thats what i'm afraid of if the business flops where do i stand.
Bad country where people are afraid to come off dole to start a business in case its fails and welfare tell you tough you're self employed:mad:

WHU

Just bumping this really,

Am I reading that right, if you set up as self employed and it fails you will get no dole (for want of a better word). That hardly encourages people to give something a go for themselves.

daenerysstormborn3

I don't know if it's the general rule but it certainly seems to be the case for a lot of people. I have also heard of spouses not being entitled to social welfare when they become unemployed because their husband/wife is/was self-employed.

creaghadoos

would do no harm to speak to an accountant before SW.

an accountant once told me that the way round this is to set up a limited company with you as sole director. you are then employed by your own company, but for your own long term safety you are paying prsi.
i could be corrected on this as it was a while ago

WHU

With no help to fall back on, why would someone take the chance with becoming self employed. They should be offering a lot more help and encouragement in these times.

daenerysstormborn3

In fairness my boyfriend and his friend are in the process of starting up their own business, it's only in the early stages, they've all their plans made and they have their start-up money but just getting started on figuring out insurance and that sort of thing. My boyfriend is on BTEA and his friend has been unemployed and getting the dole for nearly 2 years. His friend mentioned their intention to start a business in the social welfare office just before Christmas purely as evidence that he is trying to get off the dole and they couldn't do enough for him. Organised meetings with some social welfare enterprise rep person who is helping them with all the getting started stuff including business plans etc and they have organised a meeting with the county enterprise board.

This is a lot more help than they expected.

MOB1

Hi there I'm thinking of start a business but I'm unsure if my partners welfare will get stopped. Does anyone know where I stand will her payments get stopped?

Sheenor

I'm looking to start my own business too. I actually spoke to the dole office today about it . You can go ahead and start your own business. However, your potential income is then means tested and if you're earning above a certain amount, the Jobseekers Allowance can be withdrawn. This is very unlikely to happen at the beginning though with start-up costs and expenses.
You can apply for the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance - you won't have to sign on every month, and you'll get assistance and mentoring etc.
You can apply to your local Enterprise boards to supply a grant.
I think you are entitled to up to €500 worth of training on a VETEC approved course - may be useful depending on the type of business you want to set up. Your local community resource centre can help you with this.
There's also the The Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) fund - it's a grant to help you with start-up business expenses - (stationary, computers etc)
Citizensinformation.ie says that if your business goes belly-up, they means test you again and you would be entitled to go straight back onto the Jobseekers Allowance if you are below their threshold.
Here's the link:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/unemployed_people/self_employed_and_unemployment.html

This is just what I've gathered from my enquiries. I may be wrong - as I tend to get told different things by different people in each of these places.
You definitely should talk to your dole office about it. I'm sure that beyond their shatter-proof screens and suspicious eyes, they will be happy to assist you

Gee_G

Bumping that thread as I'm also considering setting up my own business. I am claiming social welfare for a year now. Just wondering did any of the people previously asking questions about this go ahead and set up? And how were they sorted out with grants?
I too would be starting from scratch and would need a grant. I would have no problem getting out a business loan when I started making money!

petersburg2002

Most you would get in a grant in 1000 to 1500 for insurance, equipment etc. Check out the BTWEA threads for more info .