SEISS: Self-employed support eligibility rules under fire
Rishi Sunak announced self-employed people would get more money than they had originally expected, as he increased the amount of support available through the third Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grant.
Now, the third grant, which covers November to January, will be calculated at 80 percent of average trading profits, up to a maximum of £7,500.
It came as the Chancellor confirmed an extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – also known as the furlough scheme.
This will now continue until the end of March 2021.
Today, businessman John Caudwell shared his reaction to the increased support for self-employed people.
READ MORE: Furlough scheme extended until end of March and SEISS raised
During a panel discussion on Good Morning Britain, the Phones 4u co-founder expressed his concerns about the SEISS eligibility rules.
Kicking off the conversation, presenter Piers Morgan said: “One of the biggest problems of the first lockdown was that two to three million self-employed people just did not get any help because they hadn’t racked up enough record with their businesses to justify any government support.
“We cannot be in this position where millions of people through no fault of their own are rendered with no ability to earn money and no ability to feed their families.”
Asked for his viewpoint, Mr Caudwell agreed, saying: “Right from the beginning, what I’ve been saying is that the policy of the government should be to leave no individual and no business worse-off post-corona than pre-corona.
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“And the government are doing that broadly but there are such a lot of gaps in what they’re doing that it’s leaving many many businesses in trouble.”
Addressing eligibility rules for different coronavirus support schemes, he said: “I don’t understand also this needing to put dates on furlough or anything else for that matter.
“What they need to do is say, ‘While ever corona damages the economy of this country and damages individuals, we will be supportive.'”(sic)
“Now to the point that’s been made that we can’t afford it, that’s just not true – at all.
“And that investment forms in two parts. Part number one is that we support everybody and all the businesses through this crisis and get through.
“And part number two is that we implement CPR – which is Caudwell Pandemic Recovery – which is a massive investment in the future to create real real jobs by investing in infrastructure, investing in a renewable energy city, and in 500,000 to one million apprenticeships, and then the final part which is really very important is to try and attract inward investment.”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV from 6am.
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