To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the financial effect on self-employed women in the creative industries of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme not discounting periods of maternity leave when calculating financial support.
This question was answered on 20th May 2020
The Self-Employed Income Support Scheme has been designed to deliver support as quickly and effectively as possible to millions of individuals. The Government understands the challenges faced by those with periods of maternity leave and the existing averaging calculation does account for periods of reduced profits. The Government will continue to work with stakeholders to make sure the correct funding reaches those who need it most, keeping all policies under review, while ensuring that any potential changes do not risk the wider delivery of Government schemes.