Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what additional provisions he has under assessment to help self-employed individuals who do not qualify for the Self-employed Income Support Scheme.

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) is helping those that have been adversely affected by COVID-19, and has already helped 2.6 million people with over £7.6 billion of support. As set out in the Winter Economy Plan last week, the Government is extending the SEISS Grant; an initial taxable grant will be provided to cover three months’ worth of profits for the period from November to the end of January 2021.

Those ineligible for the SEISS Grant Extension may still be eligible for other elements of the very large package of financial support available. The Government has temporarily increased the Universal Credit standard allowance for 2020-21 by £20 per week and relaxed the Minimum Income Floor, so that where self-employed claimants' earnings have significantly reduced, their Universal Credit award will have increased to reflect their lower earnings. The self-employed also have access to other elements of the package, including tax deferrals, rental support, mortgage holidays, and other business support grants.

Furthermore, the Winter Economy Plan announced further support to reduce pressure on business finances. The application deadline for four temporary coronavirus loan schemes – Bounce Back Loans, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans, Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loans (CBILS) and the Future Fund – has also been extended to 30 November. The Government is introducing Pay as you Grow, a new option for Bounce Back Loan borrowers to repay their loan over a period of up to ten years, and enabling CBILS lenders to extend the term of these loans to ten years where they deem this necessary.

Up to half a million businesses who deferred their VAT bills will also be given more breathing space through the New Payment Scheme, which gives them the option to spread their payments over the financial year 2021-2022. All 11 million UK self-assessment taxpayers will be able to benefit from the recently enhanced Time to Pay ‘self-service’ facility to create a 12-month, interest-free payment arrangement for up to £30,000 of self-assessment debt.