Originally written by Timothy Adler on Small Business
HMRC has opened its Self-Employed Income Scheme for applications here.
Around 3.5m self-employed freelancers and contractors will already have been contacted by HMRC, deeming that they are eligible for the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS).
Freelancers and the self-employed can apply for a one-off payment of up to £7,500 covering three months. This is based at looking at your tax returns for the past three years and then averaging your monthly income. Only freelancers and the self-employed who have been earning up to £50,000 a year can apply for the self-employed coronavirus income support scheme.
>See also: Self-employed Income Support Scheme what it means for you
The grant does not need to be repaid but will be subject to income tax and national insurance.
Money should hit bank accounts by May 25 or six working days after a claim is made.
However, the Treasury is already thinking about dropping the ceiling for self-employed support to £30,000 when the scheme is extended.
And the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme does not cover owner-directors of small businesses. Treasury believes it would be too difficult to calculate an average of three years’ worth of self-employed income from the tax returns of owner-directors, which include