Covid 19 Update (7/5/20) Self Employed Income Support
This scheme is for self employed people or members of a partnership who have been affected by the COVID-19 crisis and allows you to reclaim a grant based on your average trading profits for the tax years 18-19, 17-18 and 16-17.
There is an extensive list of criteria to be eligible for the grant and I would encourage you to read the HMRC guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme#check
To check if you are eligible HMRC has a simple system for doing so which you can find here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme#eligible
Once you have gone through the checking process you will be able to add more details for the claim and then HMRC will tell you when you will be able to process your claim, this will be a date from the 13th May 2020 onwards.
You can expect to receive your payment roughly 6 days after the processing per current HMRC estimates.
There are a few key points we would raise that are relevant to these claims:
- You need to ensure you have a government gateway account setup before you process your claim and you will be prompted to do this when checking your claim if you do not already have one. Even if you are not making a claim we would encourage you to register for a government gateway account.
- Your self-assessment “UTR” number and national insurance number can be found on the top of your last tax return we sent you for approval.
- HMRC has explicitly stated that tax agents cannot file these claims on your behalf, you must make the claim yourself.
- This is not the same as the Furloughment scheme for employee’s and is not intended for directors of companies to reclaim their wages for example, it is for the self employed or “sole trader” individuals and members of partnerships.