Rejected petition Fund 80% of self-employed income based on historic tax returns (COVID19pandemic)

Rejected on 27 March 2020

The Government has failed to stand by freelance and self-employed workers. The support offered is insufficient and moreover unfair. The government should treat the self-employed the same as employed workers and guarantee 80% of their income up to £2,500 per month, based on historic tax returns.

Current proposals create massive inequality between those who have their income secured and the UK's five million self-employed and freelancers. Measures suggested fall far short of the support available to workers elsewhere in the economy. Stating that it is operationally difficult to protect self-employed incomes is unacceptable. This petition is for those who have provided billions in revenue for the UK but who are not being protected now, in their hour of need.

Why was this petition rejected?

We can't publish petitions when the request is something that's already happening or something that has been announced since you started your petition.

We think your petition is covered by Government or Parliament action already. If you'd like something else, you could start a new petition clearly explaining what it is.

Since this petition was started, the Government has said that most self-employed people can claim a taxable grant worth 80% of their trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for the next 3 months.

You can find out who is eligible and how to apply here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme

You can read the Government’s announcement here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-gives-support-to-millions-of-self-employed-individuals

You can find out what other Government support is available for people as a result of coronavirus (under the section on employment and financial support) here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips

We only reject petitions that don’t meet the petition standards.