Self-Employment Income Support Scheme extended to self-employed new parents in 2018/19
Posted: Mon 22nd Jun 2020
The government has extended the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) to self-employed parents who took time out in 2018/19 to have children.
Under SEISS, eligible self-employed individuals can claim a grant of up to £7,500. Applications for that grant close on 13 July with a second grant of up to £6,750 available from August.
The scheme is based on trading profits of no more than £50,000 a year and it requires people to have at least 50% of income from self-employment and to have submitted a 2018/19 tax return.
But the Treasury said it is tweaking the scheme so that parents who took time out of trading, didn't file a tax return in 2018/19 or their trading profits fell below their non-trading income due to caring responsibilities will be able to apply for a grant.
To make a claim for a grant, parents will be able to use either their 2017/18 or both their 2016/17 and 2017/18 self-assessment returns as the basis for their eligibility for the SEISS.
New parents cannot yet apply but a HMRC spokesperson told Enterprise Nation that details around the application process for those newly eligible will be released on 1 July. We will publish the new guidance when we have it.
UPDATE (1 July 2020):
HMRC has now said self-employed parents eligible for SEISS under the new criteria will be able to claim the first and second grant from August. Full guidance will now be released on 2 July. We will publish it when we have it.
The latest coronavirus support information
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