STARTING
ENTREPRENEUR
YOU ARE A STARTING ENTREPRENEUR
if you have been an entrepreneur or self-employed person for less than a year and a half. The Bbz offers you 2 options: an additional benefit or a loan for working capital.
DIRECT TO
SUPPLEMENTARY BENEFIT
- If you do not have enough income to live on, you can receive an additional benefit for a maximum of 3 years during the start-up period of your business. This benefit replaces your social assistance or unemployment benefit.
LOAN FOR WORKING CAPITAL
- Do you need start-up costs or money for investments? Then we refer you to qredits.nl to apply for a loan. Are you an entrepreneur in the cultural or creative sector? Then take a look at the Amsterdam Culture Loan.
- It is also possible to apply for a loan for working capital through the Bbz scheme. Keep in mind that extensive research is being done to determine whether you can be expected to repay the loan. This can take up to 13 weeks and can be extended if more time is needed. The maximum amount you can borrow is €39,057 (amount 2022).
- The working capital is a loan with interest. The interest is currently 8% per annum. The term of the loan depends on the repayment capacity of your company. In most cases, you have to repay the loan in 5 years.
Conditions
- As soon as you start you have to rely on the income from your business. You are dependent on the income from your (future) company if your income outside the company, such as wages or benefits, is lower than the social assistance level. Your partner’s income also counts.
- You are 18 years or older, but you do not receive an AOW.
- You are a Dutch citizen, a citizen of a country in the European Union, or you have a valid residence permit.
- Your company must be located in the Netherlands.
- You will work 1,225 hours or more for your own company or self-employed profession. That is an average of 23.5 hours per week.
- You have all the diplomas and permits needed for your company or self-employed profession. Or you can get those permits. For example, consider a catering permit or an environmental permit.
- Before you start your business, you are entitled to unemployment benefits or social assistance benefits or you are threatened with dismissal.
- You can also receive a supplementary benefit if you have savings. Your assets are not included. If you apply for a loan for start-up capital, we will take your capital into account.
- Your partner’s income is included in determining how much supplementary benefit you will receive.
- Your business needs to be viable. You must write a good and complete business plan to demonstrate this.
Housing allowance
If you apply for a supplementary benefit and have high housing costs, we will also assess whether you can receive a housing allowance. So you do not have to apply for it separately. Housing allowance is possible in 2 situations:
- If you rent a private sector home or
- If you have an owner-occupied home.
You need this when applying
- You must be able to upload a copy of your passport, ID card or residence document of you and your partner, as jpg or pdf.
- You will need financial information to complete the form properly. For example, we want to know how high your housing costs are, or what income you have in addition to your business. Therefore, keep the following information at hand:
- Information about your housing costs (rent/mortgage interest/leasehold).
- Information about your disability insurance.
- Information about your income (annual accounts/income tax returns/wage or benefit specification).
- Business plan.
- You may need to upload some documents. You will see this during the application.
Extra needed when applying for a loan for working capital
- Information about your assets and debts (private and business), also about your partner and minor children living at home.
- A BKR overview, also from your partner. How you do this:
- Go to bkr.nl and log in at the top right.
- View your credit details.
- Click on the details under ‘credit details’ and choose ‘print’ (for example via the right mouse button).
- Save that overview as a PDF.