New Enterprise Incentive Scheme – NEIS

If you are an eligible job seeker and are interested in starting and running a small business, you may be able to access assistance through the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS).  NEIS can provide you with accredited small business training, business advice and mentoring, as well as ongoing income support for up to 52 weeks.

Experience...

The NEIS Program

Its time to make your dreams a reality!

NEIS is one of the Australian Government’s longest running employment activities, and has helped more than 100 000 people develop new, viable small businesses around Australia.

Support to build your own business

Your local NEIS provider can help you put your business idea into practice. They will provide you with individualised assistance to help you achieve your goals, and will maintain regular contact with you to provide extra help if you experience any business problems or need other additional support.

NEIS Training

Job Services Australia has set aside specific training places under the Australian Government’s Productivity Places Program  for job seekers who wish to establish their own small business through NEIS.  The training undertaken is a Certificate IV in Small Business Management. During the training you will  develop your business plan which will then be assessed.

NEIS training helps you to achieve a nationally recognised qualification, and is a Centrelink approved activity for up to 13 weeks. This allows time for completing the course (normally six to eight weeks), assessment of your business plan by your NEIS provider and any final business preparations. 

If your business plan is approved, you will receive NEIS Assistance.

NEIS Assistance

• NEIS Allowance for up to 52 weeks
• NEIS Rental Assistance for up to 26 weeks (if eligible)
• Business mentoring and support during your first year of business operation. 

NEIS Allowance and NEIS Rental Assistance

While participating in NEIS you will receive NEIS Allowance for the first 52 weeks of business operation. NEIS Allowance is equivalent to the single, 21 or over, no children rate of Newstart Allowance, and is paid fortnightly in arrears, subject to you fulfilling your obligations under your NEIS Participant Agreement.  An advantage of NEIS Allowance is that the amount you receive will not be affected by income from your NEIS business. 

You can receive external income while participating in NEIS—that is, income from outside your business, such as from investments or other work. However, your NEIS provider is required to ensure that your NEIS business is your primary, full-time activity. Therefore, if your external income is greater than twice the basic rate of NEIS Allowance in a given financial quarter, it may affect the amount of your NEIS Allowance.

Note: Recipients of Disability Support Pension, Carers Payment, Parenting Payment (Single) and some Department of Veterans’ Affairs pensions can choose to remain on these payments while participating in NEIS.

You may also be eligible to receive NEIS Rental Assistance, which is a fixed rate payment made to you for a period of 26 weeks from the date you first receive NEIS Allowance. 

NEIS business mentoring and support

Business mentoring and support is an essential component of NEIS. NEIS business mentors are people with proven business acumen and experience in marketing, finance, accounting or other relevant business skills.

As a NEIS participant you will receive business mentoring for the first year of operation of your business, including assistance and advice about organisational, financial and marketing issues to help develop your business.

Your NEIS mentor will meet with you face-to-face a number of times during this first year of operation to help maximise the potential success of your business. 

Who can participate in NEIS

To participate in NEIS you must be registered with a Job Services Australia provider. Your Job Services Australia provider can tell you if you are eligible. You also must:

• be at least 18 years old when you begin receiving NEIS Assistance
• be available to participate in required training and work full time in your proposed NEIS business*
• not be an undischarged bankrupt
• not have received NEIS Assistance for a similar business activity
• not have received NEIS Assistance in the previous two years.

* or fewer hours for those with an assessed partial capacity to work, reduced work participation requirements or who volunteer for employment services.

Your NEIS business must be:

• not currently operating on a commercial basis
• independent, capable of withstanding public scrutiny and lawful
• assessed as commercially viable by a NEIS provider
• not based on the purchase or takeover of an existing business
• not competing directly with existing businesses, unless it can be demonstrated that there is an unsatisfied demand for the product or service, or the product or service is to be provided in a new way
• established, located and operated solely within Australia
• in an area where skills are in demand for less disadvantaged job seekers.

How to become involved

If you wish to apply to NEIS or have further questions, please contact the Team at New Hunter Business on PH: 4925 7788 or send an  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .