Originally written by Timothy Adler on Small Business
UPDATED: Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a Self-Employed Income Support Scheme to help Britain’s 5m self-employed get through the coronavirus pandemic.
The Self-Employed Income Support Scheme will offer a taxable grant of up to 80 per cent of a self-employed person’s income based on their taxable profits over the past three years, capped at £2,500 per month.
The scheme will only become available at the beginning of June and will have an initial three-month lifespan, to be reviewed.
And the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme will only cover those who paid tax on trading profits of up to £50,000 of income in 2018-19.
HMRC will pay the single lump sum direct into people’s bank accounts.
Individuals should not contact HMRC now. HMRC will use existing information to check potential eligibility and invite applications once the scheme is operational.
Sunak claimed the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, which will cover up to 95 per cent of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment, was unparalleled in almost any other country.
Sunak said: “We know that people are worried about their jobs and income … many self-employed people are worried about the lack of support for them.
“This last 100 days have