Self-employed help on the way with emergency coronavirus package

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The PM’s spokesperson revealed that they were coming up with a bumper package to help the five million Brits who work for themselves and have been affected by the spread of the deadly disease.

Millions of self-employed workers will get an emergency package of help in the coming days

Trades including bricklayers, plumbers and creative industries will be struck by immense hardship if no urgent action is taken.

At the moment they have to apply for Universal Credit if they need help – which comes with a five-week wait too – or look at statutory sick pay which is just £94.25 a week.

Last week the Chancellor rolled out a huge package of measures for workers and businesses – but they didn’t cover anyone who is self-employed.

After huge pressure from Tory MPs and charities, the Government said today help IS on the way.

Boris Johnson’s spokesperson said earlier: “We understand the position the self-employed are in.

“We have always said we will go further when we can and are actively considering further steps.

“We appreciate the urgency of the situation and officials are working around the clock to find a well-targeted support package.”

They said there were several problems with rushing out plans for the self-employed, and they were trying to iron them out as soon as possible.

Eighty per cent of salaries, up to £2,500 a month, will be met by the state but the scheme must be extended, critics have said.
Former Cabinet Minister David Davis blasted Ministers saying it was vital that financial salvation was extended in the coming days.

He said: “It is absolutely necessary. Without this the whole of the British economy will have a seizure – almost a fatal seizure in economic terms.

“It is great for those who have got jobs but it does miss out a pretty important sector of the economy – namely the self-employed.”

He added that Mr Sunak “is going to have to find a way of replicating this for the self-employed as well”.

It came as:

  • An 18-year-old was thought to have become the youngest victim of the virus in Britain as the number of deaths in the UK rose to 335 today
  • There are growing fears that Britain is on a similar trajectory to Italy – scene of the world’s worst outbreak – where the death toll passed 5,000 over the weekend
  • The PM warned the NHS could be “overwhelmed” in the same way as the Italian healthcare system has been, if the spread of the virus in the UK is not curbed
  • 1.5million vulnerable people will be written to this week to tell them to stay indoors
  • Trains were taken under government control this morning – with Brits able to get a refund on unused season tickets
  • All McDonalds branches will be closed from tonight – along with Nando’s, Costa Coffee, John Lewis, Primark and Timpson
  • Ministers will bring forward emergency laws to the Commons tonight giving the PM sweeping powers to fine people who don’t isolate

National poverty charity Turn2us said it has reported a huge spike in self-employed workers using its online benefits calculator tool – a 1,800 per cent increase from the previous week.

And the charity is warning that current support will leave many substantially worse off than employees.

Last week Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, where 80 per cent of a workers wage will be guaranteed by government, does not include support for self-employed workers.

A couple with no children would be up to £900 a month worse off without extra help, Turn2us said.

Lewis Spedding, 65, works as a self-employed tutor in North Cumbria, teaching GCSE maths, and feels abandoned by the PM.

He’s trying to adapt with online learning tools but is finding the transition difficult.

“I feel left out as a self-employed worker by the Government,” he told HOAR Online.

“I hope the Government doesn’t ignore us in this crisis.

“I have had to budget extremely hard at certain times of the year – and Turn2us was very helpful to me back in 2018 when I was struggling.”

Lewis Spedding feels ignored by the Government during the crisis

Workers crammed themselves into tube carriages this morning in London – many of whom have to carry on going to work as they aren’t eligible for the same financial help at the moment

Representatives for the self-employed met the Government over the weekend.

Last night Boris Johnson pledged support. He said: “I can tell you again that this government will be standing behind you — behind British business, behind British workers, employees, self-employed — throughout this crisis.”

Campaigners hope the Treasury will be able to use HMRC systems to transfer cash back to self-employed workers based on an average earning over three years.

A source close to the meetings said: “There have been some constructive talks.

“The situation we were in — where someone with a job gets £2,500 a month and the self-employed just under £400 — was never going to stand. Whatever they agree on, it needs to come quickly.”

Mike Cherry, National Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said at the weekend: “Millions of self-employed strivers – including plumbers, electricians and brickies – should not be hung out to dry.

“Many of them are seeing the businesses they’ve worked so hard to build fall away.
“While employees are being guaranteed 80 per cent of income, five million self-employed are being offered next to nothing.
“We are engaged in a collective national effort. The self-employed should not be singled out as second-class citizens.”