CENTRAL DEVON MP Mel Stride has welcomed the Government’s decision to extend the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS), giving more security to individuals whose livelihoods are adversely affected by coronavirus in the coming months. So far 2.3 million claims worth £6.8 billion have been made to SEISS, and eligible workers will be able to claim a second and final grant in August. The grant will be worth 70% of their average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering three months’ worth of profits, and capped at £6,570 in total.
Individuals can continue to apply for the first SEISS grant until 13 July - the money should be paid into the bank account of eligible applicants within six working days of completing a claim. Applications for the second grant will open in August.
Mr Stride, who chairs the House of Commons Treasury Select Committee and has pressed for more support for self-employed workers, said:
“This is really good news for self-employed workers – it will provide much-needed peace of mind for the 2.3 million people who made a claim in the first round of the scheme, knowing they will be able to be financially supported for another 3 months.”
The eligibility criteria are the same for both grants, and individuals will need to confirm that their business has been adversely affected by coronavirus. An individual does not need to have claimed the first grant to receive the second grant as they may only have been adversely affected by COVID-19 in this later phase.
