Upcoming Workshops

Free workshop: How to show you’re ‘gainfully self-employed’

If you’re receiving Universal Credit and thinking of starting your own business, you’ve likely already hit some confusing forms and unhelpful jargon. One of the biggest hurdles? Proving that you’re “gainfully self-employed.”

This free workshop will walk you through what that actually means — and how to meet the requirements without drowning in admin or pressure.

What we’ll cover:

• What Universal Credit really wants to see

• How to write a simple business plan that satisfies DWP

• What counts as “work” when you're building something new

• How to log your hours and income (even if it’s tiny to start with)

• How Inkie can help you stay on track with minimal fuss

This is a supportive session designed to take the fear out of the form-filling, and give you confidence to move forward at your own pace — without losing your benefits or feeling like you’re doing it wrong.

Who it’s for:

• Anyone on Universal Credit thinking about starting a business

• Those in early days of self-employment

• People already referred to the New Enterprise Allowance or similar schemes

• Anyone trying to show “gainful self-employment” in a simple, clear way

You’ll leave with clarity, reassurance, and tools to help you keep going — even when things feel uncertain.

Free to attend. No hard sell. Just helpful, human advice.

Your brand is more than a logo — it’s how people feel when they encounter your business. In this live session, we’ll walk you through the process of discovering and shaping your brand with intention, so you don’t feel like you’re making it up as you go.

We’ll cover:

• Your brand's why — and how to use it as your compass

• Language and tone — the words that sound like you

• Visual identity — colours, typography, layout and logo

• Taglines — how to say what you stand for in one clear line

This session is calm, practical, and designed to help you think like your own creative director — no jargon, no pressure.