The New Enterprise Allowance is the subject of something of a political pissing match at the moment. Business and Enterprise Minister Mark Prisk (predictably) praised his new creation, saying it is important to foster an “enterprise culture” in the UK. Prime Minister David “Dave” Cameron also weighed in on the new measures, calling the need for support for small businesses “vital”.
Meanwhile, in the red corner, the UK200Group, a rag-tag band of the countries wealthiest Accountants and Lawyers, branded the NEA a “fantasy”. In response the Government pulled out TV business personality James Caan to endorse the measure.
The back and forth will doubtlessly be endless (it’s only a matter of time until Alan Sugar issues an expletive-laden comment on the subject), but at the end of the day the measure is designed for people such as you, dear reader. So what do you think?
Our main bone of contention is the mandatory 6-month spell of unemployment before eligibility, however that isn’t by any means the scheme’s only issue. The UK200Group criticised the amount of money on offer, claiming the initial loan of £1,000 won’t make a meaningful difference to most new businesses.
What would you like to see from this new measure? More money? Tax relief? A personal visit and pep-talk from James Caan? Let us know in the comments!
Photo by Alexander Henning Bachmann – CC
