Government help

[hubb67]

Hello,

I have been made redundant and been receiving Jobseekers for the last 6 months. That period has now ended and I am due for one more installment of my redundancy before the money runs out. I am fortunate that my wife is working but it will be a massive struggle to keep everything going.

As I have had no success in finding another job, not even an interview. At the moment I receive royalties from music and photography which are placed in various libraries. I have been registered with the inland revenue for the last 4 years but it's not yet an income but growing, especially with the time in this period I have afforded to produce work. Eventually it will provide an income but I just need time.

I have spoken to an adviser at the job center who told me if I go into self employment I could receive £50 a week for 16 weeks. I am not sure if this has to be a new business but I did tell the chap that I have been part self employed for some time.

As I am pretty much quite desperate to get this going as I need to up my income, I really could do with some advise from anyone here who knows more about this kind of thing. The other thing I am not sure of is my tax and insurance. Jobseekers are still paying those contributions for me but not the £64 a week allowance. If I go full time self employed, where would I stand with tax and insurance contributions as my earnings will be too low to cover them ?

Any help will be much appreciated.

Thanks.

[Punched]

That would depends on how you define "Self Employment"

to me if someone is "Self Employed" they set their own hourly rate taking into consideration, Wages, Holidaypay etc...

To go full time "Self Employed" its ideal if you did something as opposed to simply telling the DSS that your self employed

What is it that you do, or can do, perhaps members might be able to recommend a more appropriate plan of action

Gerry

[hubb67]

I write and record music and take photographs to sell via libraries which earn royalties.

[Indizine]

If you go on a gov scheme to start a business, they will have business advisors to tell you what you will get, so you are best asking them. To get on the scheme and get started in business whilst getting benefits, you will be required to produce a business plan and the advisor will work with you to determine your income, etc. before you sign off or before you even go on the scheme, to make sure you will be better off (as that's the whole idea of course).