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Coronavirus - if you're self-employed

This advice applies to Wales

If your business has been affected by coronavirus you might be able to get money from the government, for example if you've:

  • lost out on income
  • had to stop working to look after someone

You could get 70% of your average profits up to a maximum of £2,190 per month from the government. This is called the Self-employment Income Support Scheme.

If you're eligible, you can get money to cover lost income for 3 months. You have until 19 October 2020 to apply. The government have also said you can apply for 2 new grants from November 2020.

You won’t have to pay the money back, but you’ll have to pay tax on it.

If you have to self-isolate

The law says you have to stay at home and self-isolate if:

  • you or someone you live with tests positive for coronavirus
  • the NHS tell you to self-isolate because someone you had contact with has coronavirus

If you can’t work from home, you might be able to get a self-isolation payment of £500 from your local council. You can get this as well as a payment from the Self-employment Income Support Scheme.

You can check if you can get a self-isolation payment or other benefits.

Check if you can use the Self-employment Income Support Scheme

You can use the scheme if you’re self-employed or a member of a partnership. 

Your self-employed profits must not be more than £50,000 per year and they must make up at least half of your total income. The government will look at your tax returns to see if you’re eligible - if you’re not sure you can check the rules on GOV.UK.

You’ll also have to:

  • have been affected by coronavirus - you won’t need to give evidence of this when you apply
  • have done self-employed work in the tax year 2019-20
  • be planning to do self-employed work in the tax year 2020-21

You’ll probably also need to have done self-employed work in the tax year 2018-19 and submitted your tax return. If you didn’t do self-employed work in 2018-19 you should check the scheme rules on GOV.UK.

Self-employment Income Support Scheme extended from November 2020

The government have announced that 2 new grants will be available for people who are still trading but have less work because of coronavirus.

To get a new grant, you’ll need to already be eligible for the Self-employment Income Support Scheme - even if you haven’t claimed a grant.

The 2 new grants will last 6 months. They’ll be paid between November 2020 and April 2021.

When we have more information about the extension, we’ll update the advice on our website.

If you’ve already had a payment from the scheme

You can apply for a second payment from the scheme if both of the following apply:

  • you first applied before 14 July 2020
  • your business was still affected by coronavirus on or after 14 July 2020

If you’re a new parent or you’re in the military reserves

If your business was affected by coronavirus both before and after 14 July 2020, you might be able to apply for 2 payments. The payments are from:

  • the scheme that ended on 14 July 2020 – this is called the ‘first scheme’
  • the scheme that’s running at the moment – this is called the ‘second scheme’

You can check if you can apply for both payments on GOV.UK.

If you don’t think you’re eligible

You can check what benefits you can get.

Check how much you’ll get

HMRC will calculate how much you should get based on your self-employed profits. You’ll get 1 payment to cover lost income for 3 months.

You can find out more about the scheme rules on GOV.UK 

Applying for the Self-employment Income Support Scheme 

You can apply for the scheme on GOV.UK.

If you can’t apply online, you can check how to contact HMRC for help on GOV.UK.

If HMRC accept your application, they say they’ll pay you within 6 working days. 

If you need money while you’re waiting, you can check what benefits you can get. 

You’re allowed to keep working and still get money from the scheme. You can also get another job as an employee somewhere else. But you should remember:

  • you’re only eligible for the scheme if you plan to continue trading in this tax year - you might have to pay the money back if you apply and then stop trading
  • the money you get from the scheme is taxable income, so you might end up paying more tax

If you have problems with your payments

Tell HMRC as soon as possible, for example if you think you weren’t paid enough. You can check how to contact HMRC on GOV.UK.

If you think you were paid too much or shouldn’t have been paid at all

You should tell HMRC and pay the money back on GOV.UK. If you can’t tell them online, you can check other ways to contact HMRC on GOV.UK.

If you were paid:

  • before 22 July 2020, you should tell HMRC by 20 October 2020
  • on or after 22 July 2020, you should tell HMRC within 90 days of your payment date

If your company pays people through PAYE

You can apply for a grant to pay them 80% of their wages under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme on GOV.UK. 

If you need help while you’re waiting for money through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, you might also be able to use the Business Interruption Loan Scheme on GOV.UK.

Check if something is a scam

Make sure you only use trusted sources of information about coronavirus.

If you see emails about coronavirus from someone you don't know, don't click on any links or pay for anything. 

Never move your money into a ‘safe account’ if someone asks you to - even if they say they’re from the police or your bank.

You can protect your business by:

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