{"id":66953,"date":"2016-01-28T10:46:00","date_gmt":"2016-01-28T10:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?guid=151c856fcb2f4a9e2f6c6760b8d32ba5"},"modified":"2016-01-28T10:46:00","modified_gmt":"2016-01-28T10:46:00","slug":"press-release-government-scheme-proves-to-be-the-business-for-job-seeking-entrepreneurs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/?p=66953","title":{"rendered":"Press release: Government scheme proves to be the business for job-seeking entrepreneurs"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"govspeak\">\n<p>A survey of 1,500 participants of the New Enterprise Allowance (<abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr>) published today (28 January) shows that 80% of ventures started with <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> support are still trading \u2013 with more than 9 in 10 of these going for more than 12 months.<\/p>\n<p>Around half of respondents report an expansion in their customer base (55%) or an increase in turnover (47%) since starting their business. The majority of survey participants also say they have plans to grow their company in the coming years.<\/p>\n<p>Employment Minister Priti Patel said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>This government is determined to help jobseekers with real entrepreneurial ambitions turn their ideas into successful business ventures which create new jobs, boost productivity and contribute to long-term economic growth.<\/p>\n<p class=\"last-child\">The first year of trading is considered the most challenging, so I\u2019m delighted that through our New Enterprise Allowance and added support services we are helping businesses stay on track and grow 12 months in.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> initiative is delivered through Jobcentre Plus and offers expert mentoring and financial support to jobseekers, lone parents and people on sickness benefits who have a good idea to set up their own business.<\/p>\n<p>Set up in 2011, the latest statistics show almost 77,000 businesses have started with <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> funding and support.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, 1 in 5  (20%) of all businesses created using the <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> have been set up by benefit claimants with a disability.<\/p>\n<p>The <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> survey found that recipients started businesses in a wide range of sectors including retail, car repair, construction and professional services.<\/p>\n<p>The <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> survey also found:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>of those that received support from a mentor, the vast majority (83%) rated it as helpful in supporting them develop a business plan<\/li>\n<li>two thirds (66%) of respondents did not access any additional support outside of the <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> scheme at the time of developing their business plan, suggesting that for most, the <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> scheme provided sufficient and appropriate support<\/li>\n<li>the payment of the <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> weekly allowance was commonly highlighted by respondents as being a critical factor in enabling them to start their business<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"nea-case-study\">\n<abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> case study<\/h2>\n<p>For Winsome Duncan, the New Enterprise Allowance was a stepping stone to helping other people find the job of their dreams.<\/p>\n<p>The 38-year-old from Southwark was recommended to take part in the scheme by her work coach in 2013 after she told them she wanted to help others gain skills and become more employable.<\/p>\n<p>After developing a business plan to hold employability workshops and receiving a \u00a31,000 loan from Jobcentre Plus, Winsome also wrote a book \u201c100 Ways to Save Money: An Employment Guide\u201d, offering advice to young people and ex-offenders looking to get on the career ladder.<\/p>\n<p>Her business MPLOYME is now in its third year and employs 3 people part-time out of their base in the Pempeople pop-up shop on Peckham High Street.<\/p>\n<p>Winsome said:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>The <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> programme saved my life. It gave me a living and helped me to put food on other people\u2019s tables as well as my own.<\/p>\n<p class=\"last-child\">I am forever grateful to the programme, it\u2019s definitely life-changing.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The business continues to expand, and Winsome wants to find her own office space for the business:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"last-child\">You have to be dedicated and committed to make it work, and I would advise anyone looking to start their own business to look at the <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2 id=\"more-information\">More information<\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/new-enterprise-allowance\">New Enterprise Allowance<\/a>, operated by <abbr title=\"Department for Work and Pensions\">DWP<\/abbr>, offers eligible jobseekers mentoring and business support to develop a business plan before they start trading.<\/p>\n<p>Once a business plan is approved and trading starts, ongoing support is available from providers for a period of 6 months.<\/p>\n<p>Financial assistance is offered in the form of an <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> weekly allowance, administered by jobcentres, to claimants who have had a business plan approved and start working at their business for 16 hours or more a week.<\/p>\n<div class=\"call-to-action\">\n<p>Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/new-enterprise-allowance-survey\">New Enterprise Allowance survey<\/a> \u2013 findings from a survey of people receiving support from the <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> scheme to start a business.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"call-to-action\">\n<p>Read the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/uploads\/system\/uploads\/attachment_data\/file\/485412\/nea-official-stats-to-sept-2015.pdf\">latest <abbr title=\"New Enterprise Allowance\">NEA<\/abbr> statistical release<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"contact-press-office\">Contact Press Office<\/h2>\n<p>Media enquiries for this press release \u2013 0203 267 5118<\/p>\n<div class=\"contact postal-address\" id=\"contact_827\">\n<div class=\"content\">\n<h3>Press Office<\/h3>\n<div class=\"vcard contact-inner\">\n<p class=\"adr\">\n<span class=\"street-address\">Caxton House<br \/>\n<br \/>\nTothill Street<\/span><br \/>\n<span class=\"locality\">London<\/span><br \/>\n<span class=\"postal-code\">SW1H 9NA<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"email-url-number\">\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">London Press Office (national media and London area enquiries only \u2013 not questions about personal claims)<\/span><br \/>\n              020 3267 5144\n            <\/p>\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">Out-of-hours (journalists only)<\/span><br \/>\n              076 59 108 883\n            <\/p>\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">England and Wales (local media enquiries)<\/span><br \/>\n              029 20 586 then 097 or 098 or 099\n            <\/p>\n<p class=\"tel\">\n              <span class=\"type\">Scotland (local media enquiries)<\/span><br \/>\n              0131 310 1122\n            <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Follow <abbr title=\"Department for Work and Pensions\">DWP<\/abbr> on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Twitter \u2013 <a rel=\"external\" href=\"http:\/\/www.twitter.com\/dwppressoffice\">www.twitter.com\/dwppressoffice<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li>Facebook \u2013 <a rel=\"external\" href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/dwp\">www.facebook.com\/dwp<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li>LinkedIn \u2013 <a rel=\"external\" href=\"http:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/dwp\">www.linkedin.com\/company\/dwp<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li>YouTube \u2013 <a rel=\"external\" href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/dwp\">www.youtube.com\/dwp<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The majority of entrepreneurial jobseekers who became their own boss thanks to a government scheme are still in business, more than a year after launching their start-up.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66953"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=66953"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66953\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66976,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66953\/revisions\/66976"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=66953"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=66953"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mostafa.openonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=66953"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}