Self-employment Income Support Scheme

(asked on 14th January 2021) - View Source

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer on 11 January 2021 to Question 133991 on the Self-employment Income Support Scheme, what plans he has to include newly self-employed people who file a tax return for the 2019-20 financial year in the fourth grant of that scheme.


Answered by
Jesse Norman Portrait
Jesse Norman
This question was answered on 19th January 2021

The Government recognises that taxpayers have faced immense challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic and it has prioritised delivering support to as many people as possible while guarding against the risk of fraud or abuse.

The first Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grant supported 2.7 million individuals with claims totalling £7.8 billion. A further £5.9 billion has been claimed through the second and, as of 13 December, £4.8 billion through the third SEISS grant.

The fourth grant will cover February to April 2021. The Government will set out further details in due course. The Government has taken a flexible and responsive approach and it will continue to look for ways to improve the SEISS grant and existing support.

The SEISS continues to be just one element of a substantial package of support for the self-employed which includes Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, self-isolation support payments and other business support grants.

Reticulating Splines