Whilst checking out my blog stats I noticed a number of searches looking for more information about the coalition government’s New Enterprise Allowance Scheme. So I did a little skimming of the Department for Work and Pensions [DWP] website and below answers the main questions I’ve heard over the last few weeks.
Taken From http://www.dwp.gov.uk/adviser/updates/new-enterprise-allowance/
The Trailblazer area is Merseyside which will be running a pilot between now and April 2011 when the DWP expect to roll out the programme to other ‘target areas’ [see below]. Following that a National rollout in the Autumn.
The value – up to £2000 [not a standard amount] in the format below:
JSA claimants will get ‘access to a business mentor who will provide guidance and support to develop the business idea’.
When the ‘customer’ [JSA claimant] ‘can demonstrate they have a viable business proposition with growth potential they will be able to claim financial support’ which takes the form of:
- A weekly allowance ‘broadly equivalent to JSA’ for 3 months.
- A reduced weekly allowance [about half] for a further 3 months.
- A possible start-up ‘loan’ of £1000.
Target Areas taken from http://www.dwp.gov.uk/policy/welfare-reform/get-britain-working/
- Cornwall and Isles of Scilly
- Devon
- Eastern Scotland (Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee City, East Lothian, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Midlothian, Perth and Kinross, Scottish Borders, Stirling and West Lothian local authorities)
- Highlands and Islands (Argyll and Bute, Eilean Siar, Highland, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands local authorities)
- Lancashire
- Lincolnshire
- Merseyside
- Northumberland and Tyne and Wear
- South Yorkshire
- South West Scotland (Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire local authorities)
- Tees Valley and Durham
- Wales
- West Midlands (Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall, Wolverhampton)
I’ll report further on the trailblazer area as information gets published.
Any ideas when this will roll out in East of England? And specifically Essex?
Thank you
Michael
Hi Michael,
The only information available at the moment from and Essex perspective is that it will be part of the national rollout in the Autumn, sorry no fixed dates as yet see here for more info