You will receive a PW benefit
Your Employment Case Manager believes that self-employment is the quickest and most effective way for you to find paid work. You have not made any other arrangements with your Employment Case Manager that conflict with the plans for the preparation period.
Preparation period
You will be given up to 12 months to draw up a business plan and carry out market research.
Support
During this period, you are required to receive support from an external agency, which we will select on your behalf. A mentor will help you to draw up plans and carry out market research. The mentor will also assist you in drafting your business plan. The costs of this support will be borne by the local authority.
Regular payment
During this period, you will continue to receive your PW benefit.
Preparatory grant
During the preparatory phase, you may sometimes incur necessary costs, for example for market research. Apeldoorn City Council can provide you with an interest-free loan. You will only start paying interest once you have launched your business. You will not be required to repay the loan if, for valid reasons, you decide not to go ahead with the launch.
Facilities for new businesses
Have you successfully completed the preparatory phase and do you have a well-thought-out business plan in place? If so, you can apply for the ‘Start-up Scheme’.
Income
- You are receiving a PW benefit.
- Your Werk account manager believes that self-employment is the quickest and most effective way for you to find paid work.
- You have not made any other arrangements with your Work account manager that conflict with the plans for the preparation period.
A viable business
You have a promising business idea for a venture that is expected to be viable. This means that you can be expected to earn a ‘sufficient’ income. Your income from your business or self-employment, together with any other fixed income (e.g. from paid employment for a few days a week or your partner’s income), must be sufficient to:
- Keeping your business running Your income isn’t just for living on. You must also be able to use it for investments and reserves. This means that your income, plus depreciation, must be high enough to meet all repayment obligations (including those under the Bbz). It must also be high enough to maintain the business. You must therefore also be able to make necessary (replacement) investments, if necessary with the help of bank credit.
- Making ends meet We take your individual circumstances into account, not just the social security threshold. Have you been managing on less than the social security threshold for years? If so, we will take this into account when assessing whether your business is viable. The continuity of your business or profession must, however, be guaranteed. Under normal circumstances, an income below the social security threshold does not therefore entitle you to social security benefits. In such cases, you will only receive social security benefits if exceptional circumstances arise that create a need for assistance. Are your personal expenses permanently higher than your income? If so, your business is not viable.