Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will consider the operational challenges facing self-employed driving instructors, who are unable to operate their businesses at full capacity as a result of the need to mitigate against the transmission of covid-19, when deciding which types of businesses are eligible for funding in the future under the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

The Government recognises that many self-employed people have encountered immense challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) provides substantial support to self-employed people who meet the eligibility criteria, including self-employed driving instructors.

Together, the five SEISS grants combined will have provided an individual with support of up to £36,570, making it one of the most generous self-employment income support schemes in the world.

At the Spring Budget 2021, the Chancellor announced a generous extension of economic support for businesses and individuals, with many schemes including the SEISS continuing well beyond Step 4 of the Roadmap in order to accommodate even a cautious view about the time it might have taken to exit restrictions. The Government has confirmed that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and the SEISS will be closing at the end of September 2021 and the Government will maintain its focus on helping people back into work.