Good advice if you want to start your own business
If you’d like to become self-employed, you can apply for supplementary unemployment benefits (supplerende dagpenge) while running your own business.
If you’re thinking about starting your own business while receiving unemployment benefits (dagpenge), you can apply for supplementary unemployment benefits as long as you remain available to the labour market full time.
This means you must be able to take on a full-time job immediately.
Your unemployment benefits will be deducted by the number of hours you spend on your business. However, any income the company generates won’t be deducted from your unemployment benefits.
If your business generates income, this may help you qualify for new unemployment benefit eligibility at a later stage. To do so, the income year must first be completed, and a final tax assessment from SKAT must be available.
Feel free to contact us before deciding to become self-employed. We’re happy to guide you through the rules on whether and how you may be eligible for unemployment benefits.
See also the different definitions of self-employment
When you start a business
Once you’ve decided to take the leap and start your own business, you must:
- Let us know that you’re now self-employed.
- Submit an application via our self-service platform.
Read more about the rules on partial self-employment (bibeskæftigelse)
It’s to your advantage to start your business on the first day of a month. That’s because you use up part of your eligibility for supplementary benefits for the entire month in which the business is launched.
If you’re unsure about the next steps for your company, you can get free guidance and support at your regional Erhvervshus (a public business hub that helps entrepreneurs and small businesses get started).
Business hubs
In addition, you can find a lot of relevant info on virksomhedsguiden.dk