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Self-employed support is not enough – Poots
The UK government’s self-employed income support scheme is not enough to help farmers through the coronavirus pandemic, DAERA Minister Edwin Poots has said.
“It will provide some help at this difficult time for farmers and their families, but I recognise that it’s not enough. I will continue to press the Government and EU for a support package for farmers in NI,” Poots said in a statement.
As part of the scheme, self-employed businesses can apply for a taxable grant worth 80% of trading profits for a three-month period.
Guidance from HRMC states that claimants must have lost trading profits due to coronavirus, although it is not clear what evidence of reduced profits is needed. HRMC will contact eligible applicants by mid-May and payments will be made by early June.
Measures
The self-employed income support scheme is one of several coronavirus measures for businesses that have been announced by the UK government in recent weeks.
Farm businesses are not eligible for the small business support grant scheme, as agricultural land and buildings are exempt from business rates.
However, farmers can apply for the coronavirus business interruption loan scheme. It offers loans on repayment terms of up to six years with the government paying interest for the first 12 months.
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