Under the legislation governing unemployment assistance any income from self-employment of either the claimant or his spouse must be assessed as means. Account is taken in this connection of any expenses associated with the self-employment.
The person concerned, who is in receipt of unemployment assistance since 1984 is self-employed as a cabinet maker and his wife as a cleaner. He is assessed with means of £37 per week derived from his own net earnings of £5 per week and his wife's net earnings of £32 per week. This assessment has been upheld by an appeals officer.
In assessing means from self-employment for unemployment assistance purposes any expenses incurred are deducted from the assessment. There are no plans to change the method of assessment of earnings from self-employment for the purposes of the unemployment assistance scheme.
Further investigations are taking place into the circumstances of the employment in this case and the person concerned will be notified of the outcome.