Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the introduction of the additional evidential standard under which applicants to the Self Employment Income Support Scheme are required to show a continued sectoral impact of covid-19 by 14 July 2020 on the level of accessibility to that scheme's second payment.

Applications for the second and final grant will open on 17 August. This will provide eligible claimants with a taxable grant worth 70% of their average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering a further three months’ worth of profit, and capped at £6,570 in total.

Those claiming?for the second grant will have to confirm?that their business has been adversely affected on or after?14?July 2020.??The eligibility criteria for both grants are the same.

A business could be adversely affected by coronavirus if, for example,?the self-employed person is unable to work because they are shielding or self-isolating. A business could also be adversely affected if it has fewer or no customers.?More examples are provided on GOV.UK.

Taxpayers claiming the SEISS grant should keep a record of how their business has been adversely affected; examples of evidence are available on GOV.UK.