Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support independent businesses during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency including an initial £330 billion of guarantees – equivalent to 15% of UK GDP. We have made significant changes to the operation of statutory sick pay, universal credit, and employment and support allowance to ensure that people have quicker and more generous access to a support system. We have taken further steps to give businesses access to cash to pay rent, salaries or suppliers, alongside a commitment to pay 80% of the regular monthly wages, up to £2,500, of furloughed workers for three months, via the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), and help for the self-employed with the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS).

Our economic response is one of the most generous and comprehensive globally and we are working urgently to deliver these schemes as quickly as possible.

Businesses are now able to access much of this support already. There is a Business Support website that helps businesses find out how to access the support that has been made available, who is eligible, when the schemes open and how to apply - https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/