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BTWEA

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  • 05-03-2018 10:36pm
    #1
    laurey
    Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭


    I am interested in setting up my own food stall along the canal.What is the process like to get the back to work enterprise allowance? what do I need to show to apply for this, is a business plan enough? Thank you


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    #2
    stephen89
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭stephen89


    Hi Laurey,

    To apply for the BTWEA you would need to be unemployed for at least a year. You can then make an appointment with your local Social Welfare office and they should then set you up with an appointment with your local enterprise service which is a separate entity to the people at the social welfare office. These people will give you advice on creating a business plan and should be honest about your chances of getting on BTWEA.

    The initial process includes creating a business plan and getting five references from local businesses, which are basically character references from people you are not related to and have existing businesses.

    If accepted onto BTWEA, you will then register a business name, register for tax, and then set up a business account with a bank.


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    #3
    whydoibother
    Registered Users Posts: 318 ✭✭whydoibother


    stephen89 wrote: »
    Hi Laurey,

    To apply for the BTWEA you would need to be unemployed for at least a year. You can then make an appointment with your local Social Welfare office and they should then set you up with an appointment with your local enterprise service which is a separate entity to the people at the social welfare office. These people will give you advice on creating a business plan and should be honest about your chances of getting on BTWEA.

    The initial process includes creating a business plan and getting five references from local businesses, which are basically character references from people you are not related to and have existing businesses.

    If accepted onto BTWEA, you will then register a business name, register for tax, and then set up a business account with a bank.

    A friend of mine was working part-time for 3 years, last year she was harassed by Turas Nua to start her own business. Just because she was working 3 days and getting welfare benefits for the remainder (90 euro), she would eligible to the BTWEA, even though she had actually been employed for 3 years. In the end, her employer gave her the job full time so she did not have to start her own business and, I guess, be in competition with them. Unfortunately, due to health issues, she had to quit her job and now she thought she would still be able to avail of the BTWEA, but NO, now she has to wait at least 9 months to be again eligible for the BTWEA. And to make things worse, she's on 150 euro per week (welfare) because she was only working part-time in 2016.
    The BTWEA should be available for everyone who wants to start a business or go on self-employment - is there any solution for her? Her health improved but she does not want to go back to being an employee, she wants to be self-employed - is there any other support for her?


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    #4
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    whydoibother wrote: »
    A friend of mine was working part-time for 3 years, last year she was harassed by Turas Nua to start her own business. Just because she was working 3 days and getting welfare benefits for the remainder (90 euro), she would eligible to the BTWEA, even though she had actually been employed for 3 years. In the end, her employer gave her the job full time so she did not have to start her own business and, I guess, be in competition with them. Unfortunately, due to health issues, she had to quit her job and now she thought she would still be able to avail of the BTWEA, but NO, now she has to wait at least 9 months to be again eligible for the BTWEA. And to make things worse, she's on 150 euro per week (welfare) because she was only working part-time in 2016.
    The BTWEA should be available for everyone who wants to start a business or go on self-employment - is there any solution for her? Her health improved but she does not want to go back to being an employee, she wants to be self-employed - is there any other support for her?

    She should apply for JSA instead of Benefit. As long as she has no other income or savings above 20000 and she’s over 26 then she’ll get €198.
    9 months isn’t long to wait.


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    #5
    whydoibother
    Registered Users Posts: 318 ✭✭whydoibother


    splinter65 wrote: »
    She should apply for JSA instead of Benefit. As long as she has no other income or savings above 20000 and she’s over 26 then she’ll get €198.
    9 months isn’t long to wait.

    Thanks. I am guessing, she will get JSA once her benefits run out. I don't think she can go straight from benefit to allowance, I think she needs to be on benefit until she is no longer entitled? Or am I wrong?


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    #6
    BlondeBomb
    Registered Users Posts: 412 ✭✭BlondeBomb


    whydoibother wrote: »
    Thanks. I am guessing, she will get JSA once her benefits run out. I don't think she can go straight from benefit to allowance, I think she needs to be on benefit until she is no longer entitled? Or am I wrong?

    If she’s better of on JSA she can opt for JSA over JSB. It is means tested though.


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    #7
    whydoibother
    Registered Users Posts: 318 ✭✭whydoibother


    BlondeBomb wrote: »
    If she’s better of on JSA she can opt for JSA over JSB. It is means tested though.

    She's still on Illness Benefit, not job seekers. It's a bit of a mess because she does have a lot of health issues but they're all invisible, such as depression, tinnitus, panic attacks, fibromyalgia. They're not medical conditions that can be proved, except for the meds she takes for depression. She wants to work, but she can only do parttime, she tried full time and it was too much for her. The problem is that if she works part-time and draws JSA at the same time, Turas Nua will again harass her and that will only aggravate her mental issues.


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    #8
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    whydoibother wrote: »
    Thanks. I am guessing, she will get JSA once her benefits run out. I don't think she can go straight from benefit to allowance, I think she needs to be on benefit until she is no longer entitled? Or am I wrong?

    Yes she can go straight to Allowance if she’s be entitled to more that way.


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    #9
    Mr.H
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,861 ✭✭✭Mr.H


    whydoibother wrote:
    She's still on Illness Benefit, not job seekers. It's a bit of a mess because she does have a lot of health issues but they're all invisible, such as depression, tinnitus, panic attacks, fibromyalgia. They're not medical conditions that can be proved, except for the meds she takes for depression. She wants to work, but she can only do parttime, she tried full time and it was too much for her. The problem is that if she works part-time and draws JSA at the same time, Turas Nua will again harass her and that will only aggravate her mental issues.


    Job seekers is for people seeking full time work. Not part time.


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    #10
    segosego89
    Registered Users Posts: 219 ✭✭segosego89


    stephen89 wrote: »
    Hi Laurey,

    To apply for the BTWEA you would need to be unemployed for at least a year. You can then make an appointment with your local Social Welfare office and they should then set you up with an appointment with your local enterprise service which is a separate entity to the people at the social welfare office. These people will give you advice on creating a business plan and should be honest about your chances of getting on BTWEA.

    The initial process includes creating a business plan and getting five references from local businesses, which are basically character references from people you are not related to and have existing businesses.

    If accepted onto BTWEA, you will then register a business name, register for tax, and then set up a business account with a bank.
    Hi there, can I ask why 5 references are needed for the BTWEA application? What is the purpose of the character references? Would that criteria exist in other parts of the country outside of Dublin? Seems a bit excessive...


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    #11
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    segosego89 wrote: »
    Hi there, can I ask why 5 references are needed for the BTWEA application? What is the purpose of the character references? Would that criteria exist in other parts of the country outside of Dublin? Seems a bit excessive...

    Because there are a few government grants available and they only want genuine people to get the money, the application process is the same for everyone in the country.


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    #12
    segosego89
    Registered Users Posts: 219 ✭✭segosego89


    splinter65 wrote: »
    Because there are a few government grants available and they only want genuine people to get the money, the application process is the same for everyone in the country.
    Hi,

    Thanks for the reply.

    I can't find anything online regarding having to acquire 5 different character references in order to apply successfully for BTWEA.
    Can I ask where you found out about the character reference thing? Did a case officer tell you? The BTWEA form doesn't mention anything regarding character references. There would be few people in the small town I live in the south east that would be able to get 5 character references from local businesses....


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    #13
    splinter65
    Registered Users Posts: 9,420 ✭✭✭splinter65


    segosego89 wrote: »
    Hi,

    Thanks for the reply.

    I can't find anything online regarding having to acquire 5 different character references in order to apply successfully for BTWEA.
    Can I ask where you found out about the character reference thing? Did a case officer tell you? The BTWEA form doesn't mention anything regarding character references. There would be few people in the small town I live in the south east that would be able to get 5 character references from local businesses....

    The five character references is not linked to BTWEA directly but to the conditions the local enterprise board impose on qualifying for grants etc.
    in order to qualify for the BTWEA you have to go through your local enterprise board which is attached to your local authority.
    Once you have satisfied their criteria then you will be referred back to SW.
    One of the criteria would be drawing up a business plan which the enterprise board will assist you with. There are start up grants etc.
    Another criteria might be having 5 character references.
    Maybe the enterprise board at your LA won’t look for 5 maybe they will do with 2 or 3.
    All I know is that if you want to get BTWEA you will have to engage with them and if you are having problems with the terms and conditions then it will get sorted out.
    So don’t get bogged down in negativity at this early stage.
    Trying to get a new venture off the ground is difficult enough and feedback so far is that these enterprise boards are helpful.
    So jump in there and get started and see how you get on.


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