Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to provide support to people that are self-employed for fixed business costs.

The Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency.

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will provide grants to those who are self-employed, or members of partnerships, worth 80% of their trading profits/partnership trading profits, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. The value of the grant is based on a 3-year average of trading/partnership trading profits, from the tax years 2016-17 to 2018-19. SEISS is available to those who generate majority of their income from self-employment and who earn less than £50k.

Self-employed individuals may also benefit from other support available, including:

• A 12-month business rates holiday for all eligible retail, leisure and hospitality businesses in England
• Small business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief
• The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS)
• VAT deferral for up to 12 months
• The Time To Pay scheme, through which individuals in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, can receive support with their tax affairs
• Protection for commercial leaseholders against automatic forfeiture for non-payment until 30 June 2020
• A 3-month mortgage holiday for homeowners

The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible, when the schemes open and how to apply: https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support.

Details of the range of support for individuals affected by COVID-19 is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19.