back to work enterprise allowance

thecelt

Hey all,
am contemplating the back to work enterprise allowance,
possibly doing websites, socical media, maybe some wordpress stuff so people can easily update themselves
With so many people out there doing this kind of stuff, am I mad to even consider it?

flo_indublin

hi there,

the good thing about the back to work enterprise scheme is that it will give you a few months to test the waters and possibly to establish yourself...If things don't work out (but hopefully they will!), at the end of it you should be able to go back to JSB even though it's means tested...

I was recently approved for the back to work enterprise scheme and like you I'm going to work in a saturated market (freelance translations and SEO in a very common language combination) but I want to give it a try..Do you have one or two customers to start with, something on which you can build on, as word of mouth is very important when you're freelance.
Good luck!

thecelt

yes i heard you can back out of the back to work scheme in a certain timeframe if it dont work out!

I think I could prob get some initial work without too much effort,
but my big worry is, would it be possible to keep picking up work!

Do people thing that there is an opportunity for someone to start out now or is the market too swamped?

Jayne Ronayne

I think that you should apply for it. You will only have few opportunities to try your own thing and any support is needed! I recently started my own company actually but I havent heard much about this scheme what exactly is it and who can apply?

random.stranger

I'm not sure, but if you started in the last month, I'd suggest you get your skates on...

Applications should be submitted 14 days before the self-employment commences, in order to be approved.

However, applications MAY be accepted up to ONE month after work commencing, provided that the claimant has signed off at the appropriate time. This is particularly appropriate where there is corroborating evidence that the claimant expressed an interest in the BTWEA while signing off.

However, lack of knowledge of the scheme is not, in itself, an acceptable explanation for a late claim. The BTWEA must have been instrumental in the claimant deciding to leave the Live Register. The best evidence of this is that they apply on commencement of work or within one month thereof. As places on the scheme are limited it is important that the Back to Work Allowance is proven to be instrumental in the applicants' return to the workforce.

Source: http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/btw_eall.aspx

More Info: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/social_welfare_payments_and_work/back_to_work_enterprise_allowance.html

Best of luck Jayne.

ladiesman217

Hi thecelt

Yes the market is swamped, but what I would say is there are hundred's of websites in Ireland alone that terrible.
What is going to make you stand out from the rest, is the type of questions that you need to be asking yourself. There are numerous websites out there that just don't hit the mark
in-terms typographic layout and overall functionality. Businesses can sometimes overlook their websites design and just concentrate more on the face to face stuff. This is a no no because a well designed and functional website is the first impression that a client will have of a persons business.
More then often the web is the first point of call for somebody looking for a product or service.

If the website functions well with a clean and crisps look, then the customer will have the perception that the business functions that way to.

So more or less what I'm saying is "yes, definitely go for it". What could make you stand out is something as small as a follow up call to the client to see if everything is functioning well. See what your competition is doing, what service do they provide. " Research is key"

Best of luck with it!

phormium

If you are applying for it now, you have been doing 'market research' up until now.

Mynamehere

I am currently applying for the back to work Enterprise allowance. Up to now i have been working casual/ part time and sending in the yellow slips every week etc

What i plan to do is work Monday to Thursday on my business and then do a paye days work with my current casual employer on the Friday or Saturday. Does working part time with another employer effect the back to work enterprise allowance in any way?

I asked this question at the start your own business course i did but nobody knew the answer. Does anybody on here know if this can be done?