UK Parliament home

This petition was submitted during the 2019 to 2024 Parliament

View other petitions from this Parliament

Closed Remove the 50% earnings barrier so all self employed workers to receive support.

Closed on

Anybody who submits a self assessed tax return should be entitled to government support. Even if this means a graduated level of support. We want the government to reconsider the qualifications for support and offer something even at a reduced rate.

The government has announced support is available for self employed people whose earnings from self employment account for 50% and above of their total income. This means that even if 49% of your income is from self employment you do not quality for any assistance. This is an enormous amount of income to suddenly lose, it is unfair to be penalised because you fall short of the eligibility bracket. The government has stated that nobody will be left behind, let’s see that they aren’t.

12,265 signatures

Show on a map

100,000

Petition progress

View all updates for this petition, with the most recent first.

  • Petition closed

  • Related activity

    MPs to debate Government spending on Covid-19 support for employees and the self-employed

    On Tuesday 7 July MPs will debate the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and support for the self-employed through the Self-employment Income Support Scheme.
    The debate should start at around 4pm, although the exact start time will depend on other business, and you can watch the debate live here: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/51b7cb07-c3d5-4e95-b272-4732c0e9f5b9

    A transcript will be published the following day here: https://hansard.parliament.uk

    The debate has been requested by the Chair of the Treasury Committee, which recently published a report on the economic impact of coronavirus, and gaps in support: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/1446/documents/13238/default/

    This debate is being held as part of several Estimates Day debates, where MPs debate and agree the Government’s spending plans. You can find out more about Estimates Day debates and the subjects that are being debated here: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/202/backbench-business-committee/news/147093/backbench-business-committee-confirms-topics-for-estimates-day-debates/

  • Related activity

    MPs publish report on the economic impact of coronavirus

    A group of MPs called the Treasury Committee have published a report on the Economic impact of coronavirus. The report considers the Government’s response to coronavirus, including on the self-employed and other groups who could be missing out on financial support.

    Read the full report on the "Economic impact of coronavirus: Gaps in support", published on 15 June 2020: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5801/cmselect/cmtreasy/454/45402.htm

    Read transcripts and view videos of evidence sessions and find out more about the Treasury Committee’s inquiry into the economic impact of coronavirus: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/224/economic-impact-of-coronavirus/

    The Treasury Committee is currently accepting evidence for their inquiry and submissions are welcome until Friday 26 June 2020:
    https://committees.parliament.uk/call-for-evidence/106/economic-impact-of-coronavirus/

    What is the Treasury Committee?

    The Treasury Committee looks at and questions the Government about matters relating to public spending, public finances, taxes and public budgets. It's a cross-party committee of MPs and is independent of the Government.

    You can find out more about the Treasury Committee on their website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/158/treasury-committee/

    You can follow the Transport Committee on Twitter: @CommonsTreasury

    The Treasury Committee is a ‘select committee’. Find out how Select Committees work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c

    Further Information

    You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

    Find out more: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/192/the-governments-response-to-coronavirus/

    You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/

  • Government responded to this petition

    The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme requires trading profits to be at least equal to non-trading income to ensure it is targeted at those who are most reliant on their self-employment income.

    Read the response in full

    As the economy reopens, the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) continues to be one of the most generous self-employed COVID-19 support schemes in the world.

    The self-employed are very diverse and have a wide mix of turnover and profits, with monthly and annual variations even in normal times, and in some cases with substantial alternative forms of income too. The design of the SEISS, including the eligibility requirement that an individual’s trading profits must be no more than £50,000 and at least equal to their non-trading income, means it is targeted at those who need it the most, and who are most reliant on their self-employment income.

    The Chancellor of the Exchequer has said there will be no further extension or changes to the SEISS. However, individuals receiving more than half their income from other sources may still be eligible for other elements of the unprecedented financial support provided by the Government. The SEISS is one element of a comprehensive package of support for individuals and businesses, including Bounce Back loans, tax deferrals, rental support, increased levels of Universal Credit, mortgage holidays, and other business support grants. More information about the full range of business support measures is available at www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

    HM Treasury

  • Government will respond to this petition

    This petition got more than 10,000 signatures meaning that government will respond to it.

  • Related activity

    MPs investigate the economic impact of coronavirus

    A group of MPs called the Treasury Committee is investigating the economic impact of coronavirus, including looking at support for businesses, employees and self-employed people.

    The Committee launched the first stage of its inquiry on 18 March to look at the speed, effectiveness and reach of the Government’s and Bank of England’s immediate financial response to coronavirus.

    During this stage, the Committee pushed the Government on the lack of support for the self-employed, on lenders requesting personal guarantees on business interruption loans, and on the issue of large firms struggling to get support, including in order to retain their employees.

    On 24 April the Committee launched the next stage of its inquiry, in which it will examine the effectiveness, cost and sustainability of the Government’s and Bank of England’s support packages. The Committee will also examine the impact on the economy and different sectors, the implications for public finances, and how the Government can work towards a sustained recovery.

    You can find out about the inquiry, including how to submit your views and details of meetings the Committee is holding, here: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/224/economic-impact-of-coronavirus/

    The Treasury Committee is a cross-party group of MPs and is independent of the Government. The Committee looks at and questions the Government about matters relating to the spending of public money and economic policy.

    You can find out more about the Treasury Committee on their website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/158/treasury-committee

    You can follow the Treasury Committee on Twitter: @CommonsTreasury

    The Treasury Committee is a ‘select committee’. Find out how Select Committees work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c

    Has coronavirus affected your business in Wales?

    A group of MPs called the Welsh Affairs Committee is looking into the impact of coronavirus on the Welsh economy, and would like to hear your views.

    If your business in Wales has been affected by coronavirus, complete this survey to tell the Welsh Affairs Committee how the coronavirus outbreak has affected you: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=nt3mHDeziEC-Xo277ASzSsdf6aRbb_hHi61kcnJ3-KJUNEpKUVQ3ODkxU0tTQUdVV05ZMFhYRFozRy4u

    The survey should only take 10 minutes to complete, and closes at 5pm on 15 May.

    The Welsh Affairs Committee is a cross-party group of MPs and is independent of the Government. The Committee looks at and questions the Government about matters that have an impact on Wales.

    You can find out more about the Welsh Affairs Committee on their website: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/162/welsh-affairs-committee/

    You can follow the Welsh Affairs Committee on Twitter: @CommonsWelshAff

    The Welsh Affairs Committee is a ‘select committee’. Find out how Select Committees work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_2RDuDs44c

    Further Information

    You may also be interested to know that because of the large number of petitions that have been started in relation to coronavirus, the Petitions Committee has been questioning the Government about its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

    Find out more and watch the Committee put questions suggested by petitioners to Government Ministers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officer: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/news/145767/committee-question-deputy-chief-medical-officer-and-ministers-on-coronavirus-response/

    Read letters from the Committee asking further questions of Government Ministers: https://committees.parliament.uk/work/192/the-governments-response-to-coronavirus/publications/

    Visit our website to find news and information on other activity in relation to coronavirus and other issues: https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/326/petitions-committee/

    You can read impartial analysis of the Government response to coronavirus and policy developments here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/coronavirus/

  • Petition published

    This petition can now be signed.

    If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.

    If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.

    This petition will stay open until 3 October 2020.