Up to three million self-employed and other workers ‘don’t qualify for any Government Lockdown Covid cash’

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Models, photographers, illustrators, designers, writers, artists – the list of those who are self-employed is endless. Many teachers, consultants, drivers, farmers and gardeners work for themselves – and don’t qualify for any of the Government’s Covid-19 cash.

IPSE, the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed, is the only dedicated representative body for the UK’s self-employed community, including freelancers, contractors, consultants and independent professiona said that the numbers involve run to more than a million workers.

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Ian Carrotte of ICSM Credit said it was a scadal that these workers were left behind in the Government’s finance packages. He said: “Our findings suggest as many as 3 million workers get nothing from the schemes. If you are a wedding photographer – well wedding bookings are being cancelled – while run way shows for models have ended due to Coivd. You would think it is possible for the Government to have come up with a system since last March for this vital sector.”

Derek Cribb, CEO of IPSE (the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed), said: “There’s no doubt the new lockdown measures will have a severe impact on the already struggling self-employed sector. The school closure is also likely to hit self-employed parents particularly hard, cutting into their working week.  

“The new support package, aimed at businesses with premises, misses the mark and will do little to mitigate the financial damage to the self-employed sector. After almost a year, there are still drastic gaps in the support available to the self-employed, with over 1.5 million sole directors, newly self-employed people and others still excluded.

“We urge the government to work with business groups to plug these gaps and get support to freelancers in need over the coming months. We are keen to work with government to find a solution and make this right.”

About ICSM Credit

ICSM Credit has more than four decades of experience as a credit intelligence group whose members gain inside information about firms in trouble allowing them to avoid bad debts and rogue traders. To join costs less than a tank of fuel – while at the moment there’s a special free temporary membership offer during the Covid-19 crisis which gives access to free legal letters. ICSM also has an effective debt collecting service which has a global reach – ask for details from Paul.

For details about ICSM Credit call 0844 854 1850 or visit the website www.icsmcredit.com or email Ian at Ian.carrotte@icsmcredit.com on how to subscribe and to join the UK’s credit intelligence network to avoid bad debts and late payers. Follow ICSM Credit on FaceBook, Twitter and YouTube and Ian Carrotte on LinkedIn.

To keep up to date subscribe to the FREE ICSM Credit Newsletter to hear all the latest insolvency news and to see who has gone out of business click on the orange panel on the top left of the home page of the website www.icsmcredit.com or send an email to Ian.carrotte@icsmcredit.com

For details for the work of the journalist Harry Mottram visit www.harrymottram.co.uk

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