Sole Trader no help and lost all work

chinwoman

Hi

I dont know if anyone can advise me but my husband is a sole trader working as a first aid/H&S trainer . All our courses have been cancelled in the last few days so he now has no work at all and only a few invoices due to be paid in April

We  rent a housing association property for ex service personnel ( HA were very unhelpful and told me to make a claim for UC sooner rather that later ) In theory ok but .....

I claim ESA  contributions based (support group) and I was told if he makes  a claim for Universal Credit ,  my ESA would then stop .

I would then have to make a new claim once he is working again. Surely this cannot be right, it is hardly our fault that he has lost all his income and why should I have to go through the claim process again

We have phoned a business help line but they have said there is currently no help available for sole traders/ freelancers / self employed

I am thinking we are going to be the ones that 'drop through the net' or are going to be allowed to go to the wall in favour of those who employ others .

Please please does anyone know if any help is available ,

Thanks so much

Linda

SmithColin

Sadly there is  always one thing you can always be sure of even in unusual situations and that is it will be the self employed small people who are the real backbone of the country who end up picking up the bill for this while the big companies get the huge government handouts.

-taff

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance-detailed-guide

don't think they are right

Slurm

I have a similar situation. ALL work cancelled and dried up, and seeming very unlikely to come back in next months. I have all kinds of outgoings for my business and family, and most have been extremely inflexible - telling me their usual cancellation policy applies (childcare for example - I must still provide a 4 week notice and continue paying for the next month despite them being closed). My extortionate London rent remains exactly the same due end of the month, but my income has dropped to zero overnight. There’s no pause button on my outgoings and I’m only eligible to receive £90 UC per week, starting in 5 weeks (if I do indeed qualify as it seems to be a tricky system). And yes my tax bill is being delayed - that’s no help at all - I can’t use that money to pay for things in the meantime - i know that bill is coming in Jan. not even sure it will be possible to retain any savings until that time, as it stands. The only logical action I can see is to ditch my career, something I’ve dedicated the last 10 years of my life to. 

Steadijim

I'm in the same boat as a sole trader working in the film industry. I can't understand it. The sentiment seems to be that freelancers have scammed the system and underpaid and therefore should not be helped! I have paid all my taxes and national insurance, always. I don't try to avoid anything, yet I'm being left to drown when someone who may be on £500k per year, but on PAYE, can claim £2.5k per month. It's capped, so why the hell am I not eligible?

poppy12345

chinwoman said:

I claim ESA  contributions based (support group) and I was told if he makes  a claim for Universal Credit ,  my ESA would then stop .

This is not correct. Contributions based ESA is not part of UC. Your ESA will continue as normal but it will be deducted in full from your UC amount. You will receive the LCWRA element of UC as well as any other elements you maybe entitled to.

Use a benefits calculator to check what you maybe entitled to. A claim for UC will end any tax credits you may already be claiming.

https://www.entitledto.co.uk/