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<p>The government has provided an unprecedented package of support for individuals
through the pandemic. The majority of taxi drivers are self-employed and so may have
been able to benefit from the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), which
was extended at Budget, through a fourth and fifth grant, until September.</p><p>Taxi
drivers are amongst the 1.5 million businesses that have accessed the Bounce Back
Loan scheme over the past 11 months, which has provided facilities totalling £46.5billion.
Taxi drivers experiencing hardship can also apply to the Recovery Loan Scheme, launched
earlier this month, which maintains a generous 80% guarantee to ensure lenders continue
to have the confidence to lend.</p><p>Beyond these schemes, taxi drivers may be able
to access other elements of support, including continuation of the uplift in Universal
Credit, rental support, mortgage holidays, enhanced Time to Pay for taxes, VAT cuts
and deferrals, and other business support grants. At the budget, an extra £425 million
business grant funding was announced, on top of the £1.6 billion already allocated,
for local authorities to use at their discretion to support local businesses not eligible
for Restart Grants, but nonetheless experiencing severe impacts on their business.
The taxi and private hire sector may be able to benefit from these recently extended
schemes.</p>
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