Scottish Government throw Covid-19 lifeline to newly self-employed
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A NEW Scottish Government-backed fund has been launched to help newly self-employed people suffering hardship due to the lockdown.
The scheme offers a one-off £4000 payment for those whose status as being newly self-employed makes them ineligible for the UK government’s coronavirus Self-employment Income Support Scheme.
To be eligible, applicants must be able to demonstrate that they: Became self-employed on or after April 6, 2019 but before March 17, 2020 (and are therefore ineligible for the UK government’s Self Employment Income Support Scheme because they did not submit a tax return including income from self-employment for 2018-19); Alternatively, became self-employed between October 1, 2018 and April 6, 2019 but are ineligible for the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) because they were not self-employed for a sufficient period of time in the 2018/19 Financial Year to demonstrate that they derived 50 per cent of their income from self-employment.
Additional application criteria apply.
Self-employed who have received funding through the first round of the Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund launched in April 2020, are still able to apply for support. This is a follow-on from that scheme and recognises the need for further help with living costs.
Click here to view a short video guide to the application process.
More information is available at https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/service/funding/newly-self-employed-hardship-fund?mc_cid=95af5744b9&mc_eid=e13e5bda while to apply visit https://www.bizsupport.scot/?mc_cid=95af5744b9&mc_eid=e13e5bdacc
The deadline for applications is 5pm on March 16, 2021.