A number of self-employed people in my constituency have contacted me to share their concerns over the new iteration of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS).

I share their concern that setting the level of support to only 20% of trading profits will not be enough to keep self-employed people afloat.  Indeed, the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) described the new SEISS scheme as “woefully inadequate” and warned of a “dark winter ahead” for many self-employed people.

The new scheme also has the same major flaw as the previous scheme, it excludes one in three self-employed people, such as limited company directors and the newly self-employed.

I have written to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, and raised these concerns with him.  You can see a copy of this letter posted below.

I hope that the Government will rethink its approach to helping the self-employed, so that they can receive the support that they need to get through this difficult time.