Business support for self-employed people

The Council is committed to supporting all businesses and the wider economy of Blackburn with Darwen.

We are working incredibly hard in these uncertain times to do everything possible to ease the businesses and economic impact of the coronavirus.

In a further support package, the Government has announced new measures to help people who are self-employed.

The details so far can and how to claim can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-gives-support-to-millions-of-self-employed-individuals

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme

A new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme has been introduced as a way for self-employed people to get help during the coronavirus.

Businesses and the self-employed have faced uncertainty as firms and trades were forced to close due to the new measures taken to tackle the coronavirus.

If you are a self-employed worker there are now a number of ways for you to get help and support if your line of work has had to be put on hold during this period.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the new scheme on Thursday, March 26^th, to support the UK’s self-employed affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

It will see most self-employed people receive up to £2,500 per month in grants for at least 3 months.

The Self-Employed Income Support Scheme would see those eligible receiving a cash grant worth 80% of their average monthly trading profit over the last three years. This covers 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment.

The scheme will be open to those with a trading profit of less than £50,000 in 2018-19 or an average trading profit of less than £50,000 from 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.

To qualify, more than half of their income in these periods must come from self-employment.

Self-employed people who are not eligible for this scheme can contact the Council to discuss their options for support. Please go to the online form: https://iweb.itouchvision.com/portal/f?p=1030:110:5564884632189:::::

We are committed to supporting all businesses and the wider economy of Blackburn with Darwen and are working incredibly hard in these uncertain times to do everything possible to ease the businesses and economic impact of the coronavirus.

You can find more information on the steps the Council is taking to help at:

https://theshuttle.org.uk/coronavirus-council-support-for-our-boroughs-businesses/

https://theshuttle.org.uk/support-for-local-businesses-during-coronavirus-update/

Councillor Phil Riley, the Council’s Executive Member for Growth and Development, said:

We understand just how worrying this situation is at the moment and people who are self-employed have faced quite a bit of uncertainty as businesses have been closed. This new scheme should bring a measure of support and help the majority people in the borough who work for themselves to access these grants.”