Self-employment Income Support Scheme: Barristers

(asked on 15th June 2020) - View Source

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme to members of the Bar who require payments to maintain practice but who are excluded from the support by the three year average earnings rule.


Answered by
Jesse Norman Portrait
Jesse Norman
This question was answered on 18th June 2020

The Government recognises the importance of the work of the legal professions in enabling access to justice across the country, and HM Treasury has worked closely with the Ministry of Justice and the Legal Aid Agency to understand and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the sector.

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) helps those adversely affected by COVID-19 and is one of the most generous self-employed COVID-19 support schemes in the world. Self-employed individuals, including members of partnerships, are eligible if they have submitted their Income Tax Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19, continued to trade, and have been adversely affected by COVID-19. To qualify, their self-employed trading profits must be no more than £50,000 and at least equal to their non-trading income.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has said there will be no further extension or changes to the SEISS. However, other support is available and the SEISS continues to be one element of a comprehensive package of Government support for individuals and businesses. This package includes Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support,?increased levels of Universal Credit, mortgage holidays, and other business support grants.

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