After a week of speculation, the Chancellor used today’s coronavirus press conference to unveil the government package to help the self-employed. Announcing the new measures, Rishi Sunak said that the reason for the delay had been the sheer complexity of having to come up with a new payment system that could cover such a diverse workforce and not fall victim to fraud.
The new self-employed income support scheme means the self-employed can receive up to £2,500 per month in grants for three months. Sunak said the package covers 95 per cent people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment. Those who are not eligible include individuals with company profits over £50,000 and those are so recently self-employed they do not have a previous tax return. Those who are able to claim will have to wait until June to receive any funds (which will then be backdated) owing to both the decision to let people who have failed to file their tax return on time do so – and to allow time to get the system ready.
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