To be or not to be self employed roofer

[vinnie1]

ive been made redundant after working for this company for 6 years

after looking at jobs advertised ive seen nothing worth going for, because of the wages they are offering some are a joke ,if i take one of these jobs it would be like starting out again on a small wage.

i have a partner and 3 children ,im on jsa at the moment still looking for work,
if i where to go self employed would we be entitled to any benefits and from day one of going self employed ,what about rent and council tax especially if no work comes in for a while

Is it necessary to have a accountant ,how hard is it to do the book keeping

Rather than keep getting my jsa ,i want to make the money myself ,one job a week could be more than i recieve of my jsa ,more jobs the better of course ,its all about taking the plunge.

i know the jobcentre can help people go self employed but i just need a bit advice before asking

 

[MH1]

What have you got too lose?

Plenty of good advice is available for new start ups, it could be the best thing ever too happen to you, I know several roofers and most make a very good living.

 

[Deleted member 9840]

Go for it.

Start off by registering with the CIS scheme. Get some cards printed and hand them out to all your old employers, all the roofing, building and FM companies in the area. Keep ringing them up regularly, don't wait for them to call you.
Use the work that this generates as your bread and butter wages.

Next tell all your family and friends what you are up to and ask them to tell their contacts.

Finally even if you don't drink make sure that you go to your local pub every Friday afternoon and become a regular and tell everyone what you do. Someone in the pub will always know someone who needs a "good roofer".

This time next year Rodney......this time next year...

Good luck

Steve

 

[grincher]

you have absolutely nothing to lose at present. if you were already in employment then the the slates would be higher (sorry the stakes). If you are in the Herts/North London area I may even have a small job for you.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Is it necessary to have a accountant ,how hard is it to do the book keeping

Hi Vinnie

You dont have to have an accountant some people are happy dealing with their own accounts and tax returns.

Their is certainly a lot to learn if you want to deal with your own tax affairs. This is a good place to start -

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/businesses/tmastarting-up-in-business.shtml

By using a good accountant you dont have the worry and hassle of dealing with your own accounts and tax affairs. You'll also have the reassurance that you are claiming all you can, and importantly paying no more in tax than you need to.

I think some people are put off using an accountant due to the high fees some accountants charge - but we're not all the same.

Good luck with whatever direction you decide to go in.

 

[gordano]

I used to run a roof/gutter maintenance business with a business partner ... we found it difficult to recruit experienced roofers in the London M25 area. As suggested above, register for CIS and you can sub contract ... not many companies in this sector employing direct.

Re JSA, check with your local office to make sure CIS registration will not affect your benefits. If you set up your own company that is classed as employment, but I am not sure about CIS.

 

[estwig]

You can set-up your own company and work for it whilst in receipt of dole money, the crack is you can't do more than 16 hours a week and you can't draw a wage. You can be a sole trader with a separate bank account for the business and then the business can make money, but you can't.

It's a good opportunity to get a business up and running.

 

[oldeagleeye]

Just a correction there Gordano.

You can actually set up a limited company for just under £17 quid and as long as you don't take a salary you can make £200K if your could and still claim benefits.

I believe but do check that you can also take out all expenses and a directors loan to top your benefit up.

Whoops. Just saw Estwigs post. Work hours it seems limited to 16 a week. Not too sure about that myself.

Rob

 

[estwig]

Whoops. Just saw Estwigs post. Work hours it seems limited to 16 a week. Not too sure about that myself.

Rob

Sorry?????????????

I'm not fibbing and I know my beans!!

 

[Deleted member 9840]

Sorry?????????????

I'm not fibbing and I know my beans!!

Ecky thump Keith.

You have gone from the "worlds most techy builder", "earning more than most lawyers" and "looking for world domination" to one advising on how to play the benefits system. :|

How times change......

Steve

 

[estwig]

Ecky thump Keith.

You have gone from the "worlds most techy builder", "earning more than most lawyers" and "looking for world domination" to one advising on how to play the benefits system. :|

How times change......

Steve

A game from my youth, started my first business whilst on the dole.


It's all a game and you have to know the rules to be a player!

 

[Deleted member 9840]

A game from my youth, started my first business whilst on the dole.


It's all a game and you have to know the rules to be a player!

.......but if you put the hours in practising and perfecting the game instead of studying the rule book for loop holes and short cuts to the silver bullet, you will always be the winner in the long run.

Steve

 

[Kernowman]

You can set-up your own company and work for it whilst in receipt of dole money, the crack is you can't do more than 16 hours a week and you can't draw a wage. You can be a sole trader with a separate bank account for the business and then the business can make money, but you can't.

It's a good opportunity to get a business up and running.

This information is way out of date. If you are receiving JSA then you must notify the DWP the moment you do ANY work whatsoever, paid or unpaid - it matters not. Once you are working, then you sign off JSA and can claim Working Tax Credit plus you can still claim for Housing Benefit.

 

[estwig]

.......but if you put the hours in practising and perfecting the game instead of studying the rule book for loop holes and short cuts to the silver bullet, you will always be the winner in the long run.

Steve

This is true, there is no silver bullet, unless you break the rules, then you get shot!

 

[estwig]

This information is way out of date. If you are receiving JSA then you must notify the DWP the moment you do ANY work whatsoever, paid or unpaid - it matters not. Once you are working, then you sign off JSA and can claim Working Tax Credit plus you can still claim for Housing Benefit.

Hairy muff!!

 

[MASSEY]

This information is way out of date. If you are receiving JSA then you must notify the DWP the moment you do ANY work whatsoever, paid or unpaid - it matters not. Once you are working, then you sign off JSA and can claim Working Tax Credit plus you can still claim for Housing Benefit.

You do have to inform them of all you do.

You seem to be saying that the 16hrs a week rule is not still there,

Last time i checked it was :|

 

[Kernowman]

You do have to inform them of all you do.

You seem to be saying that the 16hrs a week rule is not still there,

Last time i checked it was :|

The 16 hour rule was abolished a long time ago, so too have the other loopholes you could use.

It was in effect back in 2007 when someone I know was prosecuted by the DWP for working while claiming JSA. He wasn't earning any money at all, but still had to repay all the benefit he had claimed to the DWP. It is easy to fall foul of their rules because they change them and don't tell anybody, not even the jobcentre staff.

 

[MASSEY]

2007

oh well you learn something new every day

 

[vinnie1]

thanks very much for all your replies very helpful,i have not been on this forum long but seems very good lots of feedback cheers