Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what additional financial support he plans to make available for self-employed workers in the creative industries during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government has announced unprecedented support for business and workers to protect them against the current economic emergency including almost £300 billion of guarantees – equivalent to 15% of UK GDP.

Help for self-employed workers in sectors like the creative industry has been provided through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). SEISS provides grants to those who are self-employed, or members of partnerships, worth 80% of their trading profits/partnership trading profits, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. The value of the grant is based on a 3-year average of trading/partnership trading profits, from the tax years 2016-17 to 2018-19. SEISS is available to those who generate majority of their income from self -employment and who earn less than £50k. Some 95% of people who are mainly self-employed could benefit from SEISS. The scheme went live on 13 May.

In addition, to support those on low incomes at this time, the Government has announced a package of temporary welfare measures, including:

• A £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element.
• An increase in the Local Housing Allowance rates for UC and Housing Benefit claimants.

• A relaxation of UC minimum income floor for all self-employed UC claimants affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19.
• A 3-month mortgage holiday for homeowners

Details of the range of support for individuals affected by COVID-19 is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19.