Self employment grant during the Covid crisis.

[ardcarp]

I'd be very interested to hear from those who are self-employed musicians or from those who know people who are self employed (in whatever capacity) about their experience of claiming the government's promised Self-Emplyment grant. Frankly it's a broken promise...but I'll elaborate later if needed. Either post up here or send me a PM.

Thanks.

[MrGongGong]

I'd be very interested to hear from those who are self-employed musicians or from those who know people who are self employed (in whatever capacity) about their experience of claiming the government's promised Self-Emplyment grant. Frankly it's a broken promise...but I'll elaborate later if needed. Either post up here or send me a PM.

Thanks.

Nothing to claim yet
You can go online and find out if you are eligible
but that's about it ........

What else is there to know ?

[Petrushka]

My brother is a self-employed electrician and has received his £10,000 grant. He tells me that the major factor in his receiving it relatively quickly was that he has an office building.

Clearly, self-employed musicians won't have an office building so this might account for any delays some of you are experiencing.

[ardcarp]

My brother is a self-employed electrician and has received his £10,000 grant.

I think that may be a different grant....one administered by the local authority in respect of business premises.

The maximum grant from HMRC's scheme is £7,500. The actual amount is one quarter (to cover three months) of 80% of your self-employed earnings based on the average of the past three years up to a maximum of £50,000.

Example: If your annual average earnings were £30,000, then 80% of that is £24,000 You would receive a one-off payment of one-quarter of that which is £6,000

IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE. There are so many ifs, buts and mays that HMRC will wriggle out of it if they can...and they keep inventing new clauses to help their wriggling.

So I'd love to hear about anyone who has experienced problems...or has even succeeded in getting the grant!

[MrGongGong]

I think that may be a different grant....one administered by the local authority in respect of business premises.

The maximum grant from HMRC's scheme is £7,500. The actual amount is one quarter (to cover three months) of 80% of your self-employed earnings based on the average of the past three years up to a maximum of £50,000.

Example: If your annual average earnings were £30,000, then 80% of that is £24,000 You would receive a one-off payment of one-quarter of that which is £6,000

IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE. There are so many ifs, buts and mays that HMRC will wriggle out of it if they can...and they keep inventing new clauses to help their wriggling.

So I'd love to hear about anyone who has experienced problems...or has even succeeded in getting the grant!

No one has had anything yet
it's not even open for applications
all you can do is see if you are eligible

BUT I do know it's based on taxable profit rather than turnover
so if you do have "earnings" of £30,000 you probably are doing "very well" indeed

Does this apply to you?
I checked my eligibility and at some point, I will, apparently, actually get something

[ardcarp]

No one has had anything yet

I received the link to apply today,
Usual rigmarole of numbers and codes.

I told a friend that I'd eat my hat if I got anything. My hat is still intact.

[Nevilevelis]

No one has had anything yet
it's not even open for applications
all you can do is see if you are eligible

BUT I do know it's based on taxable profit rather than turnover
so if you do have "earnings" of £30,000 you probably are doing "very well" indeed

Does this apply to you?
I checked my eligibility and at some point, I will, apparently, actually get something

Quite. I checked my eligibility too (I am eligible) and was told I may apply on a specific date this month. Most of my colleagues believe they will contact us and I was certainly advised to this effect by my accountant. It may be a delaying tactic.

NVV

[ardcarp]

Yes...one of the many.

[teamsaint]

Also got an HMRC email today - logged into GOV.UK and, as expected, found I was eligible.

I had understood that they would contact us to let us know if we qualify for assistance, but it now seems any claim is dependent upon one's first logging in to GOV.UK to check for eligibility. Is this a sneaky tactic to reduce number of valid claimants?

So did they initiate contact with people to invite claims ? Or did you have to log in to trigger the invitation to make a claim?

[Boilk]

So did they initiate contact with people to invite claims ? Or did you have to log in to trigger the invitation to make a claim?

I suspect the latter, because the HMRC email contained a couple of paragraphs as follows:

This email sets out how to check your eligibility and how to make a claim.

How to check if you are eligible: Search GOV.UK for 'Self-Employment Income Support Scheme' from Monday 4 May.

[teamsaint]

I suspect the latter, because the HMRC email contained a couple of paragraphs as follows:

No, I just couldn't care less about double spaces. Perhaps I also have a dodgy space bar, but never realised, due to my lax ways.

I'm still not clear about whether the initial contact comes from the taxpayer ( as we used to call them in my day ) or HMRC.

[Boilk]

I'm still not clear about whether the initial contact comes from the taxpayer ( as we used to call them in my day ) or HMRC.

I didn't contact them - was in fact waiting for their email as I have filed tax returns for the last umpteen tax years (including 2018-2019)!

[oddoneout]

No, I just couldn't care less about double spaces. Perhaps I also have a dodgy space bar, but never realised, due to my lax ways.

I'm still not clear about whether the initial contact comes from the taxpayer ( as we used to call them in my day ) or HMRC.

This seems to indicate both routes are possible provided the DIY option is done through the correct online channels?

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/self-employed-invited-to-get-ready-to-make-their-claims-for-coronavirus-covid-19-support

[gradus]

Not a grant bean if your self-employed income is less than 50% of your total income.

[ardcarp]

Yep. Take for example a self-employed person reaching pension age. He/she cannot survive on a state pension (think Council Tax, Water Bills, Heat and Light, Food, etc, etc) so continues to work, maybe reducing hours a bit. If his/her net profit is marginally less (even 1p less) than his pension income he/she gets nothing. Whereas if he/she had earned £49,999.00 the full grant would be payable. One law for the rich.......

More complications for partnerships

More complications...in fact nothing... if he/she turned the small business into a company and gets paid via dividends.