# New Enterprise Allowance

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-enterprise-allowance/629786>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 29, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-enterprise-allowance/629786 "2012-07-29T18:38:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Eastblock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Eastblock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eastblock)\
**Post date:** [July 29, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-enterprise-allowance/629786/1 "2012-07-29T18:38:25Z")

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What is the logic behind offering New Enterprise Allowance to people only after they have been on Job Seekers Allowance for 26 weeks? Why not offer it up front?

I lost my job in June and have not been able to find a new one. I’m over-qualified for the low wage jobs so never get a response from applications to those. The jobs I am qualified for are few and far between at the moment. I don’t want to sit around and collect JSA so I have registered as self-employed and have thrown what little money I have into the project. It would have been nice with a helping hand but I would have to wait 26 weeks. I somehow doubt that people who have been unable to find a job in that time are the most likely candidates to succed in a new startup but perhaps that’s just me being cynical??