unemployed and going self-employed.

Hi There,
Apologies if I am in the wrong Forum. I hope someone can help me here.

I have been unemployed for almost 18 months . My payment was stopped in Jan 2010 due to my stamps running out and we are currently being means tested. I still haven't heard anything from Social welfare, so to get some extra money in I approached an old employer from my college days about some part-time work. He agreed I work 4 evenings a week, working 3 or 4 hrs each evening. He also asked that I help with admin work that I can work from home. This suites me as I have a 2year old and 6 month old baby.
However.. he is not putting me though the books. I am uncomfortable with this as somewhere in the social welfare filing system I am seen as unemployed.
I dont want to turn my back on paid work and he is a very good employer to work for.
what if I go as self-employed, I work for myself and invoice him?

Also....
back in April I applied for the BTWEA scheme with welfare as I am planning and researching setting up an online business that targets schools and colleges. (I had been thinking about this since last year)

So My main concern is, I am probably going down a route that I am completely unfamiliar with re: my old employer and not going through the books. and where I will stand with Social Welfare if I go self-employed?

Any assistance is greatly appreciated.

It is strange that you only approached this person for work after your JB ran out! Also, are you still signing on or have you now signed of as you are working 4 nights a week? You say you already applied for BTWEA; what happened this application? You would have to register as self-employed if you are thinking of contracting yourself to your old employer, but if you are already down that route since April ....

Hi Welfarite,
thanks for reply.

Believe me, I approached him after posting plenty of CVs to companies and attending interviews with agencies since Feb/ march. I followed up on the BTWEA application and was advised that a decision has to be made and only then I would be given names on who to contact in social welfare. I am not signing on and this opportunity only came about this week.

I assumed you were signign as you ask where u[you atand with Sw when self-employed. Also, even if you were not getting JA you should be signing for credited contrbutions to preserve future pension entitlements. Furthermore, if you are not signing then you will not be registered as unemployed with SW on their 'filing system' and you won't qualify for BTWEA as you are not signing.
I suggest you chase up the BTWEA aplication with them; it is unusual to be waiting so long for a decision as you have to indicate a start date for your self-employment on the application which must be long past by now; what date did you put down? It is always advisable to chase up your applications and not depend on SW getting back to you. Yhey may have assumed you were not interesed in pursuing it as you didn't contact.

oh my goodness I cant remember what date I put on the application but I will definitely follow that up today I didn't realize if im not signing on that it might not be processed.
So do you advise that I .... follow up on BTWEA, advise SW that I am now self-employed re: old employer?. will that mean I will have to go down the route of getting accountant to do tax as it will be part-time ( i cant see it being more than 20 hrs per/week) or will they advise in the SW office?

Many Thanks for your help

As you are already working, a new BTWEA application wouldn't work; you have to apply before you start and anyway you're not currently signing.
The only way you could include the current work (and I'm assuming that it is S/E and not work as an employee; I don't know) is if the original BTWEA application is awarded from a date prior to when you started this work so chase that up. Other than that, SW are not interested in any way with the current work as you are not signing!
I can't advise about accounts/taxation, etc., sorry.

Thanks you very much for your help. At least a have an idea where to start now. No probs just when I hear the words bookkeeping, taxation, accounts, etc.. my brain turns to cabbage!

Clarion

Hi Clarion, didnt get your gender, however, one thing I would be concerned about is your retirement pension @ 66 yrs. When I applied for my Contributory Pension I had to pay €4,500.00. to Social Welfare, as I was self employed for a spell in 1990 - 1996. Check out that situation

hi sidetracker,
sorry just got your message now.
Thats interesting to know and many thanks for the heads up. I suppose i will just mention to either revenue or SW that my pension entitlements will be secure while being self-employed?