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The Government recognises the extreme disruption the necessary actions to combat Covid-19
are having on industries with large proportions of freelance workers.<p> </p>Eligible
businesses may already benefit from available employment schemes, government grant
and loan schemes, and a reduction in VAT and business rates relief. At Budget, the
Chancellor extended many of these schemes beyond the end of the Roadmap to accommodate
even the most cautious view about the time it might take to exit restrictions.<p>
</p><p>For example, the Government announced at Budget that the Self-Employment Income
Support Scheme (SEISS) will continue until September, with a fourth and a final fifth
grant. This provides certainty to self-employed individuals, including many freelancers,
as the economy reopens. The design of the SEISS, including the eligibility requirement
that an individual’s trading profits must be at least equal to their non-trading income,
means it is targeted at those who are most reliant on their self-employment income.</p><p>
</p><p>However, the SEISS is just one element of an unprecedented package of support
for the self-employed. As well as the business support outlined above, the temporary
£20 per week increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance was extended at Budget
for six months, and the Government also extended the suspension of the Minimum Income
Floor for three months, to the end of July 2021, so that where self-employed claimants'
earnings have fallen significantly, their Universal Credit award can continue to take
into account their lower earnings.</p><p> </p><p>At Budget, the Government also extended
the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for a further five months from May until the
end of September 2021. Furloughed workers in the UK will continue to receive more
generous support than those in many other countries, as the CJRS ensures employees
receive 80% of their current salary for hours not worked, up to £2500 per month, until
the end of September. The CJRS has been available to all employers with a PAYE system
and all employees on PAYE regardless of their employment contract. As such, freelancers
and those on short term contracts could be eligible for the CJRS if they are on PAYE
and meet the eligibility criteria.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, the Culture Recovery
Fund has already supported over 5000 organisations including theatres, music venues,
comedy clubs and festivals, helping to enable performances to restart, protect jobs
and create opportunities for freelancers.</p>
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