Support for self-employed “doesn’t go far enough” says Fife MP

The UK government announced that self-employed workers can apply for a grant worth 80 per cent of their average monthly profits to help cope with the financial impact of the virus.

The money, which will be paid in a single lump sum, will allow self-employed workers to claim up to £2500 a month, but will not start until June at the earliest.

While Glenrothes and Central Fife MP, Peter Grant has welcomed the news, he says the announcement doesn’t go far enough and fails to match the Prime Minister’s pledge given earlier this week.

Grant has once again called for an emergency Universal Basic Income to be introduced, saying: “While I welcome this long-awaited announcement and would urge all who are eligible to apply, it does fall short of what I and others have been asking for.

“There has been a lot of uncertainty surrounding self-employed people and how the coronavirus restrictions will impact them financially.

“To tell people who rely on a regular weekly flow of income from their business that they have to wait until at least June is simply unacceptable.

“Providing financial assistance isn’t only a necessary step for the economy, but it is also necessary to ensure that self-employed people stay at home and do not feel compelled to work just to make sure that they have money coming in to support them and their families.

“I would once again reiterate my call for the Prime Minister, Chancellor, and wider UK Government to introduce an emergency Universal Basic Income to ensure that people’s incomes are protected in the face of this pandemic.”