Seasonal Workers: Coronavirus

(asked on 15th May 2020) - View Source

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to provide bespoke (a) grants or (b) loans to self-employed seasonal workers in the (i) creative, (ii) hospitality and (iii) tourism sectors that are ineligible for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme as a result of the 50 per cent income threshold.


Answered by
Jesse Norman Portrait
Jesse Norman
This question was answered on 21st May 2020

The Government recognises the extreme disruption the necessary actions to combat COVID-19 are having on businesses and sectors like tourism, hospitality and creative industries. The Treasury is working closely with employers, delivery partners, industry groups and other government departments to understand the long-term effects of social distancing across all key areas of the economy.

The Chancellor has already announced unprecedented support for individuals and businesses, to protect against the current economic emergency. These include a package of welfare measures; grant schemes such as the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund and the Discretionary Grant Fund; a range of Government-backed and guaranteed loan schemes; the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). The SEISS is intended to support individuals who rely primarily on their trading profits from self-employment and have been adversely affected by COVID-19.

The Government is keeping the exit strategy of all schemes under review as it responds to the pandemic and considers the longer-term economic recovery.

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