Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will amend the earnings criteria for the Self Employed Income Support Scheme in the context of the periods of lockdown that have taken place since the commencement of that scheme.

The Government recognises the impact that periods of lockdown across the country have had on the self-employed and remains committed to supporting them through the impact of the virus.

The self-employed are very diverse and have a wide mix of turnover and profits, with monthly and annual variations even in normal times, and in some cases with substantial alternative forms of income too. The design of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), including the eligibility requirement that an individual’s trading profits must be no more than £50,000 and at least equal to their non-trading income, means it is targeted at those who need it the most, and who are most reliant on their self-employment income.

The SEISS has already provided generous support to self-employed individuals, with claims across the first three grants totalling over £19.7 billion. The Government has also confirmed that there will be a fourth SEISS grant, covering the period from February to April 2021.

Further details of the SEISS, including the fourth grant, will be released on 3 March.