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Lancashire Times
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9:00 AM 26th March 2020
business

Business & TUC Response To The Chancellors Support For Self-employed

 
Image by William Iven from Pixabay
Image by William Iven from Pixabay
The support package for the self-employed announced by the Chancellor this afternoon is welcome relief for the thousands of self-employed workers in the construction industry, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).

Brian Berry
Brian Berry
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “Construction workers across the country will now be taking a collective sigh of relief knowing they will now be protected in the same way that employees will be if they lose work due to COVID-19. I am delighted that the Chancellor has heeded our calls to be generous with his offer to the self-employed, who make up almost 40% of those working in the construction industry. Building companies will now also be able to close sites to protect workers and public health without having to worry about the losses faced by self-employed workers on those sites. We now urge the Treasury and HMRC to ensure that all support packages are up and running as soon as physically possible.”

Welcoming measures outlined by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak to support the self-employed and sole traders whose businesses have been affected by Coronavirus, BCC Director General Dr Adam Marshall said:  

“The Chancellor’s announcement offers a lifeline to the vast majority of the UK’s 5 million self-employed people, many of whom have seen their livelihoods vanish overnight.

Dr Adam Marshall
Dr Adam Marshall
Chambers, along with other business groups, have worked constructively with government to ensure the self-employed receive similar support to those who are employed through PAYE.

“We welcome the scale of this scheme and recognise the complexities involved in its design. It is now critical that the government delivers this practical support to people on the ground as soon as possible.”

Frances O'Grady
Frances O'Grady
Also commenting on the Chancellor’s announcement of a new income support scheme for self-employed workers, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said:

“With so many of the self-employed facing a collapse in their earnings the Chancellor is right to act.

"This is a welcome step forward for self-employed and freelance workers across the economy, from construction to the creative industries.

“It’s vital that support reaches workers as soon as possible. Many are already dealing with severe hardship.

“Unions look forward to being consulted on how this scheme is rolled out.”

Eleanor Temple, chair of insolvency and restructuring trade body R3 in Yorkshire said:

"Even without the current coronavirus outbreak, self-employed people and sole traders often have unpredictable income levels, making it harder for many to save for a rainy day. The Government’s announcement is a welcome, if limited, step towards evening out the support available for workers across the economy.

“The limitations do stand out. The self-employed will have a sizeable gap to bridge between now and June when the help will actually be available. That could be too long to wait for those with no safety net. There are quite a few gaps in the support: for people who have only recently started working for themselves or who pay themselves through dividends, there may be no help at all.

“Anyone who is in financial difficulty or starting to see signs it may be around the corner should seek advice from a professional as soon as possible. The earlier you seek advice about your personal finances, the more considered a decision you can make, and the greater range of options you have for improving your situation.”