Lancashire scheme aids thousands to go from benefits to enterprise

A scheme to help Fylde coast people on benefits start their own business has been hailed a success.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Jan 2018, 10:31 BST
Updated 8th Jan 2018, 10:35 BST
The New Enterprise Allowance scheme is designed to get people on benefits to consider becoming entrepreneursThe New Enterprise Allowance scheme is designed to get people on benefits to consider becoming entrepreneurs
The New Enterprise Allowance scheme is designed to get people on benefits to consider becoming entrepreneurs

Thousands of start-up businesses are flourishing thanks to the Department for Work and Pension’s New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) project – supported by the European Union Social Fund.

The project, managed locally by the North & Western Lancashire by the Chamber of Commerce, offers vital support to help those claiming certain unemployment benefits to become self-employed and start their own business.

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Since the scheme began in 2011, the Chamber and its team of mentors have successfully assisted 3,000 businesses to start trading in this area. The survival rate for start-up businesses engaged with the NEA project is higher than the national average.

New Enterprise Allowance clients are offered complimentary membership for the Chamber for their first 12 months of trading, together with valuable hand-holding support to ensure the best change of business survival.

Start Up businesses, who aren’t part of the NEA scheme, but have been trading for less than two years, can also access business support through discounted membership of the Chamber of Commerce via their ‘Start Up’ package which provides access to a wide range of business support, protection and profiling tools.

Contact the Chamber for further information on (01253) 347063 or email

[email protected]

Related topics:Chamber of CommerceFyldeNorth