Eligibility for Self-Employment Assistance
To apply for Self-Employment Assistance, you must meet both the personal and business eligibility requirements relevant to the service you want to access.
You must also reside in, or have a business registered, in one of two regions in Melbourne. You can check your location on these maps:
Inner Metropolitan Melbourne or North Western Melbourne
Personal eligibility requirements
You must:
- be at least 15 years of age (a person must be 18 years of age to access Small Business Coaching)
- Be working or studying no more than 25 hours or less per week
- Not be an undischarged bankrupt
- Not be prohibited by law from working in Australia
- Not be an overseas visitor or overseas student
OR
- Be receiving an eligible Centrelink Allowance, such as JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Parenting Payment Single/Partnered, Disability Support Pension, Carers Payment, or Age Pension
AND
- Be available to participate in the appropriate Self-Employment Assistance service
- If appropriate, be able to undertake the Small Business Training, commence and work the required hours in your proposed new business
- Not have received the previously named NEIS assistance in the past 12 months
If you don’t meet the above criteria, there is special eligibility for:
- Retrenched workers
- Veterans
- Family members of serving ADF personnel
Some participants may be eligible to commence the services before their retrenchment or transition date or under special criteria.
If you are unsure if you are eligible, please contact us via the enquiry form and we can check for you.
Business eligibility requirements
Your business or concept will need to meet the following criteria:
- Be able to operate as an independent, and legal entity
- Demonstrate potential commercial viability
- Intend the business to be established, located and operated solely in Australia
- Ensure controlling interest in the business remains with the Self-Employment Assistance participant(s).
Business Advice Support
You may be able to participate in a one-hour business advice session if you are setting up a business in an area were Holmesglen provides the service such as Inner Metropolitan Melbourne or North Western Melbourne (see maps).
You may access a maximum of two business advice sessions within a 12-month period.
Business Health Check
A business health check means that different support is provided for different circumstances, and could include:
- mentoring and coaching
- analysis and development of a business plan
- referral to other support services
You may be eligible to access a business health check if:
- the business based in Australia is not yet viable, and is a micro-enterprise
- you are not currently accessing Small Business Coaching
You may only access one business health check in a 12-month period.
Small Business Training
In addition to meeting the personal and business eligibility criteria above, you must have:
Or
- Your prospective business is not yet commercially viable, but you may have done a little trading. You may have a business plan that we can assess and then determine the next suitable support for you, which may involve small business training, or proceeding to small business coaching.
Small Business Coaching
You need to be 18 years of age at the commencement of your business and be willing to enter an agreement for business coaching and associated support.