Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to support self-employed individuals who have not previously earned enough money to be eligible for support during the covid-19 outbreak.

Throughout the crisis, the Government’s priority has been to protect lives and livelihoods. This is why it has introduced a comprehensive package of support that self-employed individuals can benefit from.

Applications are open for eligible individuals to claim the third grant under the Self Employment Income Support Scheme. The third taxable grant is worth 80% of average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering 3 months’ worth of profits, and capped at £7,500 in total. There will also be a fourth grant covering February 2021 to April 2021. The Government will set out further details, including the level of the fourth grant, in due course.

Those ineligible for the SEISS may still be eligible for other elements of the support available. The Universal Credit standard allowance has been temporarily increased for 2020-21 and the Minimum Income Floor relaxed for the duration of the crisis, so that where self-employed claimants' earnings have fallen significantly, their Universal Credit award will have increased to reflect their lower earnings. In addition to this, they may also have access to other elements of the package, including Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, self-isolation support payments and other business support grants.