help with start up whilst on benefits

[brucelee]

thanks mate ive sent them a email two days ago they have not replied yet, also been jobcentre getting info out of them is near impossible. they say i can work upto 24 hrs and still get help with rent,but as long as i am not making a income or as soon as i take any money out then the benefits will begin to stop ive asked them about test trading like you have mentioned but they there is none but when you look on jobcentre plus website it tells you on there you can its on the inbiz page you mentioned and on hmrc website so i dont think they have a clue ive asked them if i am self employed sole trader or ltd company and i am taking no wage or earning no income from the business will we still be entitled to help with rent and stuff as if i set up ltd or self employed its already cost loads plus will cost a fair bit more as well then at first theres no guarantee of work or earning enough to provide a wage and with the start up costs the business will already be in debt to me and will take months to re-coup i have been round in circles seems like cause i am a carer for my partner and they say i dont have to look for work theyre not interested so ive sent them another email saying if i give up my carers allowance will i then be eligible for help setting up the only reason i have chose this route is to work from home so i will still be here some of the time for my partner our daughter will then take up caring for my partner when i am working they just dont seem interested in helping so dont know what to do now thanks for your help and info will just keep trying to get help and advice or just take the risk and go for it been looking for jobs also but none round my area or for maintenance but i want work doing rewires and similar thaks for info see whats next eh mate

 

[markhtly]

thanks mate ive sent them a email two days ago they have not replied yet, also been jobcentre getting info out of them is near impossible. they say i can work upto 24 hrs and still get help with rent,but as long as i am not making a income or as soon as i take any money out then the benefits will begin to stop ive asked them about test trading like you have mentioned but they there is none but when you look on jobcentre plus website it tells you on there you can its on the inbiz page you mentioned and on hmrc website so i dont think they have a clue ive asked them if i am self employed sole trader or ltd company and i am taking no wage or earning no income from the business will we still be entitled to help with rent and stuff as if i set up ltd or self employed its already cost loads plus will cost a fair bit more as well then at first theres no guarantee of work or earning enough to provide a wage and with the start up costs the business will already be in debt to me and will take months to re-coup i have been round in circles seems like cause i am a carer for my partner and they say i dont have to look for work theyre not interested so ive sent them another email saying if i give up my carers allowance will i then be eligible for help setting up the only reason i have chose this route is to work from home so i will still be here some of the time for my partner our daughter will then take up caring for my partner when i am working they just dont seem interested in helping so dont know what to do now thanks for your help and info will just keep trying to get help and advice or just take the risk and go for it been looking for jobs also but none round my area or for maintenance but i want work doing rewires and similar thaks for info see whats next eh mate

I think every persons situation is different BUT with the test trading (if you can get on it with Inbiz) you do not have to register as self employed.You carry on picking up your benefits but you can not take any money out of the business for personal use,so basically you are still living on your benfits during the test trade period,which is upto six months.

When the test trade period is finished,you'll have proven if the business is viable or not,or have an idea at least.You then register self employed or don't.The money you have made during this period that you have not taken out of the business is now yours to put back in or whatever you need to do with it.

There are some grants and help available for start up businesses BUT it is different for each area and your circumstances (it's aa bit of a postcode lottery).If i were you I would contact Business Link in your area AND also seek out your local enterprise agency.

Step 1: Your support needs | Business Link

That link will give you some idea of grants and funding available.

Hope this helps and good luck.

DO NOT give up although at times it will seem like you're banging your head against a brick wall or maybe a studded one on a good day.

I forgot to add also,E-mails can easily be ignored.Always phone if you can and be persistent.

 

[brucelee]

cheers markhtly
i will contact business link again and will see if they can put me in touch with inbiz ive contacted jobcentre again see if giving up my carers allowance to get on new deal see if that will open any doors all im asking is to get a little help through start up period and test trading sounds like a good option if i can get on it yes mate its deffo like banging youre head against a wall a joke trying to seek advice of them thanks for replies and links i keep trying everybody youre right i will phone inbiz they dont seem to understand my partner is disabled and so i an the only one who can work but they just seem to be reluctant to help as im her carer and so are trying to just write us off as i am not signing on and as far as they are concerned i dont have to work ok if you dont want to get anywhere in life and get a pittance to survive on thanks mate i will have to keep trying to get someone to listen i will contact blue orchid see if they can get me on this test trading with inbiz cheers mate for help

 

[Mac]

cheers markhtly
i will contact business link again and will see if they can put me in touch with inbiz ive contacted jobcentre again see if giving up my carers allowance to get on new deal see if that will open any doors all im asking is to get a little help through start up period and test trading sounds like a good option if i can get on it yes mate its deffo like banging youre head against a wall a joke trying to seek advice of them thanks for replies and links i keep trying everybody youre right i will phone inbiz they dont seem to understand my partner is disabled and so i an the only one who can work but they just seem to be reluctant to help as im her carer and so are trying to just write us off as i am not signing on and as far as they are concerned i dont have to work ok if you dont want to get anywhere in life and get a pittance to survive on thanks mate i will have to keep trying to get someone to listen i will contact blue orchid see if they can get me on this test trading with inbiz cheers mate for help

Write to your local MP and tell him your situation.My local MP helped me in the past and they do have some push,with getting things rolling.At the end of the day they want your vote.Good luck mate

 

[brucelee]

cheers mac i am willing to try anything including writing to a mp as u suggest ive been trying lots of different places like jobcentre,business link,inbiz,basically anyone i think may be able to help give me any help and advice thanks for the post mac

 

[sivoodoo]

1. Sign off the benefit system.
2. register as self employed,
3. apply for working tax credits ( u have to be working more than 30 hrs a week, but if you set up self employed then you are at your computer working more than this because you are setting up, writing letters, doing research etc etc.
Working tax credits is about £51 per week, you will need to tell them you are not making any proffit yet as you have just set up on your own, when you get the tax credits paid weekly, you will be entitled to full housing benefit as long as you dont make a proffit over a certain amount. Do it, its worth it and will really help you out. Just call the tax credit people, they are very helpful.
good luck.

 

[dragon-av]

Also worth speaking to the princes trust as they often help people in this situation, I have a mate who is a full time carer but runs a website from home as long as he doesnt make too much he is fine, also worth remebering its "profit" that gets taxed and you ahve already spent ££££ so you are on a balance of -£3000 so you can earn £3k + Personal allowance, before you owe any tax you will need to pay Class1 NI though about £30 a quarter so not much.

Goodluck

 

[brucelee]

cheers for replies,
since august ive been contacting everyone i can at moment business link are tryig to get joke jobcentre to refer me to inbiz as its them who can help you set up on benefits under flexible new deal but each time ive contacted jobcentre they make out they nothing about it yey everyone else ive spoken to say jobcentre are signed up to it and they should refer me or give me alternatinve i dont know if its because i am a carer but getting any info or help of them is like getting blood from a stone going seeing someone about acourse on business side of things i spent all this money and time and will have to renew part p again in another 4.5 yrs at this rate it will be 18th edition so if it comes to it then i will just have to do what SIVOODOO says and just go for it i told dole i would give up my carers allowance if its this stopping me from getting any help of them going to phone business link again in the morn see if they had any luck with jobcentre for me and get in touch with inbiz costing a fortune to phone them all for no help even wrote to mp all i get out jobcentre is that as i am a carer i dont have to work great if you want to be a dole dosser but no good if you ever want any money or get anywhere in life thanks for replies mush appreciated

 

[dragon-av]

even wrote to mp all i get out jobcentre is that as i am a carer i dont have to work great if you want to be a dole dosser but no good if you ever want any money or get anywhere in life thanks for replies mush appreciated

Try Writing to the local paper with the story?

 

[brucelee]

thanks for the posts business link finally got a answer out of the jobcentre which wasnt good news as far as being referred to inbiz through flexible new deal i am not eligible as i am a carer they say i would have to be signing on for 6 months before they would refer me to t.n.g and inbiz its took 4 months to get that answer out of them the useless w?????? if they had told me that when i finished course then by february i would have been eligible now it would take until june a total of ten months being messed about from one place to another ten months of part p qualification wasted as i will have to take again in less than 5 yrs at moment doing a short business course my brother is going to help me out as he buys a few houses and rents and sells them he wants me to wire them and do them up and when he eventually sells them i will get half of profit other than that i am just going to go for it in the new year before anymore time wasted any advice on what things i will need to do i have tools,megger,relevent books need a van, pli insurance anybody know how much what else do i need cheers for any help and advice

 

[mattyb129]

hi everyone,
i would just like to ask if anybody knows if its possible to set up self employed or ltd company whilst on benefits,the reason im asking is ive tried all the usual places like the jobcentre i am 39 i have been involved in electrical installation work since leaving school as a apprentice which i never finished in 2005 my partner became disabled so i was unable to continue working so i had to become her carer recently i have always wanted to return back to working in electrical installation work so i paid private for a course doing 17th edition 2382,part p level a,pat testing 2377 and building regs 2393 for the last ten weeks since finishing the course i have been trying to find out if its possible to get help with ie rent whilst i start up until the work starts to come in as its already cost me loads for the course and will cost a lot more to start up ie van,insurance for van pli and everything else does anybody know if there is any help or anywhere i can go for advice i want to do the c&g 2391 but am wary of paying more money out to still get knowhere ive looked at the 2330 but as i have a family and disabled partner this is not a viable option at moment any advice or help would be much appreciated

the local tax office should be able to give you a utr number which you can work for any agency or firm and they stop ya tax 20% or summin robbing so n sos but at least you will be self employed

 

[brucelee]

cheers mate,
whats a utr no as i said in previous posts i am a carer for my partner who is disabled and was trying to get help to set up i have been trying to get the jobcentre to refer me to inbiz its a start up self employment option as at minute we are on benefits so get the rent paid what i was trying to find out was if at first i wasnt taking a wage would i still be eligible for housing benefit SIVOODOO has given me a option to try so i will contact working tax credit to see if they have any answers cheers for post

 

[markhtly]

cheers mate,
whats a utr no as i said in previous posts i am a carer for my partner who is disabled and was trying to get help to set up i have been trying to get the jobcentre to refer me to inbiz its a start up self employment option as at minute we are on benefits so get the rent paid what i was trying to find out was if at first i wasnt taking a wage would i still be eligible for housing benefit SIVOODOO has given me a option to try so i will contact working tax credit to see if they have any answers cheers for post

Inform the council of your change in circumstance workwise.They will give you a form which basically asks you what your self-employed income will be.You don't have to fill it in until you have a better idea of what you'll be earning.So really this could be two/three months down the line.This is then reviewed by the Council every so often and your Housing Benefit is adjustded accordingly as to your earnings.

In short,declare low earnings to begin with and YES you will still get help with your housing payments AND council tax pro rata to your declared iincome.Do not worry about your housing payments for the moment,they will continue BUT do inform them of your self-employment.

Your UTR is your Unique Tax Reference number.Phone Inland Revenue and they'll send it you in the post.

 

[brucelee]

cheers mate,
thanks for help this is what i was trying to get answers out the dole but as i am a carer they dont class me as unemployed so are reluctant to help i even asked if i gave up the carers would i then be eligible for help .at first i wont be taking a wage and will alredy have significant start up costs for tools, training ,books,van,insurances etc. i will get in touch with them as you say cheers for your help mate just need to get going ad finding it hard to get answers and help and hae received more help of people like yourself on this forum than any government agency cheers to all who have helped