Going self empolyed from Job seekers assistance..

CurtisPadd

I'm on jobseekers assistance and want to go self employed..I have spoken to a few different companies that want someone with my skills ( land surveying, 3D drawing etc) but none of them want me full time.
I am going to go self employed. My understanding of it so far is the following:
I can regiester for VAT and start working
I can recieve a Back to Work Allowance,(medical card and rent allowance?)
I must do it throught the dole office/enterprise board(a business plan is required)
I must work for more than 1 employer
What else should I be aware of?
PC

CurtisPadd

If my self employed idea doesnt work out can i return to job seekers assistance?

The Scientician

You don't have to work for more than one company to be self-employed.

eastbono

CurtisPadd wrote: »

I'm on jobseekers assistance and want to go self employed..I have spoken to a few different companies that want someone with my skills ( land surveying, 3D drawing etc) but none of them want me full time.
I am going to go self employed. My understanding of it so far is the following:
I can regiester for VAT and start working
I can recieve a Back to Work Allowance,(medical card and rent allowance?)
I must do it throught the dole office/enterprise board(a business plan is required)
I must work for more than 1 employer
What else should I be aware of?
PC

Apply for btw allowance http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Publications/SW92/Pages/1WhatistheBacktoWorkEnterpriseAllowance.aspx

You cannot start self employment until this is approved and if it does not work out you can revert to JSA

Btw you do not have to work for more than one employer... you will be self employed. When drawing up your business plan be sure and include all the documentation from the companies that you have been in contact with.

notsobusy

I am also thinking of doing the same thing! Thank you for the advice.

celticcrash

I could be wrong, getting money off the goverment while self employed
never heard of it. Also if these companys only use you for a short period and you find the work drying up. the dole is not a safty net. If the self employed thing does provide you with enough income, the goverment wont back you up like a person who gets family income assentance while working a low pay job.
I wound up a business and the social put me through the ringer, tax certs,
account books, deregister the business, wife and my own bank statements for the last year. Wife did not like this,as she thought it was non of their bussiness, but it had to be done. After I done all what I was asked of me by the social office, they refused me jsa. I had to appeal it
twice with the help if a minister to get my jsa.
I know a load of people who can get a few weeks work or even a couple
of months work but they wont take it because of the hassle of trying to
sign back on.The system is build to not support this type of work.
I talked to a few TDs about this, and they say the same, the system will go against you if you do any legal short term work.
The social looks at it, that if you were self employed, than you must have money some where to support your self.
So you would want to be very sure about your long term prospects.

notsobusy

I've been looking at the Back to Work scheme and think it's a wonderful idea, although I haven't applied yet so I might not be eligible....I might be singing a different song in a few months.

From my understanding the back to work scheme doesn't apply to people already self employed, it clearly states that you are NOT to be self employed before you apply for it.

It is to encourage people who have been on JB, JA for over a year to go self employed ie start a business and encourage them to find work in other ways. I am going down this route because I seem to get a lot of hassle from the social and I want to work but not getting any.....so I am creating another way of getting legal work for myself!!!