Job center team.arbeit.hamburg

Apply for benefits for the integration of the self-employed

Prerequisites

• They receive citizen's allowance.
• You want to become self-employed or are already self-employed, that means
  • They work in their own name and on their own account and
  • You bear the economic risk of your activity, the so-called entrepreneurial risk.
• Self-employment is your main job, that means
  • You work independently for at least 15 hours per week and
  • You can support yourself fully or to a significant extent with the income you earn within a reasonable period of time.
• You are personally qualified to successfully carry out self-employment. You can prove that you have the knowledge and skills you need for self-employment, for example by
  • Evidence of your professional and entrepreneurial qualifications,
  • professional experience or
  • participation in measures that prepare you for starting your own business.
• Your self-employment is economically viable, which means
  • Your business model is so well thought out and developed that your start-up can be successful in the long term
    • The viability of your self-employed activity can be proven by an expert opinion. Expert bodies can be chambers, professional associations or start-up initiatives. The responsible body will tell you the expert body responsible for you in your region. You usually have to submit detailed documents there.
• The goods you want to purchase are appropriate and necessary for your work.
• Other sources of financing are not possible, such as special federal and state programs, local economic development or microcredits.
• The funding complies with EU state aid law / the de minimis regulation.

Documents required

The responsible authority will inform you which of the following documents are necessary in your case.

• expert opinion confirming that your self-employed activity is economically viable
• De minimis declaration in accordance with the state aid law of the European Union (EU)
• capital requirements and financing plan
• business plan in text form
• CV
• tax registration, business registration or registration with the Chamber of Crafts
• certificate of participation in a start-up seminar
• Offers of necessary investments
• if applicable, contract documents such as partnership agreement or rental agreement
• at least 2 rejections from banks to which you have submitted credit requests
• other individual documents

Please note

The responsible authority will examine and decide which benefits you can receive. This means that you have no legal entitlement to them.

No ongoing operating costs are covered, such as

• wages and personnel costs,
• Rent,
• telephone bills or
• maintenance costs.

Deadlines

There is no deadline. You must submit the application before you make any purchases or use any consulting services. It is not possible to grant a loan or subsidy for goods that have already been purchased or to cover consultations or training that have already been used.

Procedure

• You make an appointment with the responsible authority.
• The responsible body will discuss with you whether self-employment can be a realistic strategy for you to integrate into the labour market and end your need for assistance, and what type of support is available to you.
  • Loans and grants for the purchase of goods:
    • The responsible authority will give you the application form or activate the online application process for you.
    • The responsible authority will examine your application and the attached documents.
    • The responsible body assesses your personal suitability for the specific self-employed activity and the economic viability of your company. This includes a forecast as to whether you will be able to earn a living through self-employment within a reasonable period of time.
    • You will receive a written or digital notification as to whether your application is approved.
    • After positive feedback, you can make the purchases.
    • You then submit evidence that shows what you spent the funds on
  • Consulting and training to impart knowledge and skills:
    • The responsible body commissions the consultations and training courses from external educational providers.

Processing time

Once you have submitted all of your documents, the review and decision and the issuance of the notification usually takes about 4 weeks.

Fees

No

Legal remedies

• contradiction


• Complaint before the social court

Legal basis

Section 16c of the Second Book of the Social Code (SGB II)

https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/sgb_2/__16c.html