Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of delivering targeted support for creative freelancers, via grant funding, to include (a) newly self-employed people, (b) people with less than 50 per cent of their income from self-employment, (c) PAYE freelancers and (d) limited company directors.

The government has provided around £400 billion of direct support for the economy through the pandemic to date, which has helped to safeguard livelihoods and public services in every region and nation of the UK.

The government recognises the impact Omicron is having on businesses and individuals, which is why we announced £1 billion of targeted financial grant support for the hospitality, leisure and cultural sectors to protect jobs and businesses.

The package includes £30 million which will be made available through the Culture Recovery Fund (CRF), to support theatres, museums and other vital cultural institutions through the temporary disruption this winter, helping in turn to support the livelihoods of those working in this sector.

In addition to the CRF, government funding via Arts Council England will also provide an immediate £1.5 million to support freelancers affected by the pandemic, alongside a further £1.35 million contribution from the theatre sector. This will provide grants of £650,000 each directly to the Theatre Artists Fund, Help Musicians, and £200,000 to a-n the Artists Information Company, a charity for visual artists which will distribute cash to freelancers over the coming weeks.

The government is also waiving late filing and late payment penalties for Income Tax Self-Assessment (ITSA) taxpayers to support cashflow and ease administrative burdens. Self-Assessment taxpayers with up to £30,000 of tax debt can spread their tax payments online, through HMRC’s “time to pay” service, and all others can call HMRC to arrange a repayment plan. For those on low income whose earnings continue to be affected by Covid-19 restrictions, work coaches will continue to be able to suspend the Universal Credit Minimum Income Floor on an individual basis for up to six months.