To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have moved into self-employment under the six-month offer introduced on 6 April 2009; how many people have received the self-employment credit; how much has been spent in total on the self-employment credit; and what estimate she has made of the average cost of movement into self-employment under the offer. (316977)

[holding answer 22 February 2010]: Under the jobseeker’s allowance self-employment offer, there are two elements to the help we give people who want to move into self-employment or start a business—self-employment advice and support through our expert partners, and financial support for those leaving jobseeker’s allowance and becoming self-employed.

Between April and October 2009, 5,310 jobseeker’s allowance recipients have left benefit and claimed the self-employment credit as they moved into self-employment.

Total spend on the self-employment credit up to the end of October 2009 was £2,267,776 with a unit cost of up to a maximum of £800 per start (up to 16 weeks at £50 per week). The average cost is not available.