Today, Community has written to the Chancellor to immediately plug the gaps in the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and ensure parity for the self-employed for the remainder of the crisis to match the support employees receive.
Roy Rickhuss CBE, General Secretary, said:
“Thousands of self-employed workers have been excluded from financial support since March. Despite repeated calls to protect workers who have fallen through the gaps, including from the Treasury Select Committee, you have not acted.
I urge you [the Chancellor] to immediately take action to plug these gaps. Community surveyed our self-employed members and 50% told us they were not eligible from the support from the government; from this it is clear to us that the most vulnerable are most at risk.
Whilst we welcome your announcement of the of the increase in the SEISS to 80% of earnings for November, we highlight the fact that for December, the self-employed will once again receive only 40% of their profits in income support, significantly less than the 70% that employees expect to receive. The government must ensure parity for the self-employed for the remainder of this crisis.
Do the right thing and ensure that thousands of self-employed people are not plunged into further financial hardship as a result of this pandemic.”
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© Community Trade Union 2024