Newly Self Employed Hardship Grant?

paulscaff1

Ive just read that if your newly self employed you cannot claim for the upcoming hardship grant if you have claimed for UC?
Am I reading this right?
Thanks.

paulscaff1

Martin Lewis keeps telling us just to claim UC untill self employed support eventually comes through.  But his advice may make some of our situations worse if the above posting is correct?

Jeremy535897

paulscaff1 said:

Ive just read that if your newly self employed you cannot claim for the upcoming hardship grant if you have claimed for UC?
Am I reading this right?
Thanks.

No. If you are newly self employed you cannot claim the self employed grant. You had to be self employed before 6 April 2019. Universal credit has nothing to do with that. There is a hardship fund being set up in Scotland, but I am not aware of one in England.

Guidance on the self employed grant says:
"You can make a claim for Universal Credit while you wait for the grant. You should record the grant as part of your self-employment income, and it may affect the amount of Universal Credit you get. This will not affect Universal Credit claims for earlier periods."

Be aware that if you are currently claiming tax credits, starting a claim for universal credit will stop the tax credit claim forever.

paulscaff1

Hi Jeremy

Im not reffering to the SEISS.
Im referring to the Newly Self Employed Hardship Grant in Scotland.
Falkirk council website says you will not be eligible for this if you are already claiming UC or JSA.
I recieved my first JSA payment two weeks ago.

Jeremy535897

Yes, I realised that and edited my post. I can see references to benefits regarding the older crisis fund, but on a quick look I can't see that in the announcement of the fund for newly self employed. Where have you picked this up from? You won't be able to post a link but just type it out without the http bit.

paulscaff1

Hi Jeremy
Its on Falkirk City Council website.
It says you wont be eligible if you are already in reciept of UC/JSA.  Website below.
.falkirk.gov.uk/covid19/hardship-fund.aspx

Thanks

comeandgo

I hear Nicola has just announced this help for newly self employed in Scotland and that local councils will organise it.

Jeremy535897

Thanks very much. I have to say that it seems an awful lot of hoops to go through for a taxable sum of £2,000. I'm not sure how they would even check on some of them. Your reading appears to be correct, though.

I don't think the advice that you quote as Martin Lewis's is wrong. That advice says you can claim UC in advance of receiving SEISS without affecting SEISS or repaying the UC. That advice won't harm a claim for the hardship grant, because you can't claim the hardship grant if you qualify for SEISS (you won't be newly employed). 

paulscaff1

So basically I personaly wont qualify for the Newly self employed hardship grant if im in reciept of UC?
If i was to cancel my UC as of today, would I then become eligible?
Thanks

paulscaff1

The applications open at 2.00pm this afternoon.

paulscaff1

Surely about 90% of Newly self employed are already claiming UC?? so they wont qualify for the hardship grant? Makes no sense.