What counts as "adversely affected" for the self employed grant?

FeathersForever

I've read the gov.uk pages, and checked my eligibility using the tool, and I qualify for the grant. My concern is:
My business has been adversely affected: my main client (who formed the vast majority of my income) reduced my hours a lot at the start, and have just reduced them again. I'd say (very approximately) I lost one third of my income over the initial two months, and now down by almost two thirds. Additionally, my contract expires at the start of August and they are highly unlikely to be able to rehire me, at which point I really will be down to almost nothing.
BUT:
I've not lost all my income
This grant is for March-May, and for most of that time, although I was affected, I still had an ok income. I expected to be asked how badly affected I'd been, and the grant would be calculated based on that. But it's simply offering me a fixed amount. I tried to talk to someone on the online chat, but I'm not sure they understood what I was asking, just gave me links to the website I'd already read. 
So does anyone have any advice on whether there's, like, a minimum amount you need to have lost/minimum percentage your business needs to have dropped before you count as "adversely affected"? I'm tempted to just go ahead and take the cash (especially as the next few months are looking pretty grim), but I don't want to end up accidentally in trouble with HMRC . . . 

whizzywoo

There's no minimum amount that you have to have lost in order to be adversely affected.

If you are down by two thirds now and possibly down to zero later in the year, then I would say that you have definitely been adversely affected.

The amount of the grant is fixed depending on your profits in earlier years.  You cannot vary it.  Some people will win and some will lose.  It would take the system too long to start varying each grant to take partial amounts.  Don't forget that it will need to be included in your accounts as business income.

Keep records about what you would have earned and what contracts/hours you have lost and you won't have a problem.

hunnie

They don't ask if you've lost all your income. Just if you've been adversely affected. So you should be okay.

Jeremy535897

Your business could be adversely affected by coronavirus if, for example:

• you’re unable to work because you:
  • are shielding
  • are self-isolating
  • are on sick leave because of coronavirus
  • have caring responsibilities because of coronavirus
• you’ve had to scale down or temporarily stop trading because:
  • your supply chain has been interrupted
  • you have fewer or no customers or clients
  • your staff are unable to come in to work

theone999

FeathersForever said:

I've read the gov.uk pages, and checked my eligibility using the tool, and I qualify for the grant. My concern is:
My business has been adversely affected: my main client (who formed the vast majority of my income) reduced my hours a lot at the start, and have just reduced them again. I'd say (very approximately) I lost one third of my income over the initial two months, and now down by almost two thirds. Additionally, my contract expires at the start of August and they are highly unlikely to be able to rehire me, at which point I really will be down to almost nothing.
BUT:
I've not lost all my income
This grant is for March-May, and for most of that time, although I was affected, I still had an ok income. I expected to be asked how badly affected I'd been, and the grant would be calculated based on that. But it's simply offering me a fixed amount. I tried to talk to someone on the online chat, but I'm not sure they understood what I was asking, just gave me links to the website I'd already read. 
So does anyone have any advice on whether there's, like, a minimum amount you need to have lost/minimum percentage your business needs to have dropped before you count as "adversely affected"? I'm tempted to just go ahead and take the cash (especially as the next few months are looking pretty grim), but I don't want to end up accidentally in trouble with HMRC . . . 

Unless your income went up, you've been adversely affected. Because either the industry / field you're in is making a killing because it directly benefits from a pandemic, or it's not. 

richam

I'm also trying to work out how "adversely affected" I am. I usually have 5-7 clients (as a video editor) a month but have only had 4 in April and 3 in May (one was cancelled due to the event being delayed and the other was delayed until their business reopens). I can still live off that income easily and it's maybe 15-20% less than I would usually get but I can only take 80% or nothing. I may get those jobs back again so in August for example get 5-7 clients as usualy (+2 that cancelled beforehand.)

I've never claimed anything from the Government and don't want to take advantage of this even though technically i'm eligible for it. 

averageguy11

I’ve only lost between 15 and 20% ...which I know will come back at some stage....hard to claim 80% ...wish they had done it on a sliding scale ...or a facility to give back the bit you’ve not lost 

Jeremy535897

Donate to the NHS.

Petriix

Don't mistakenly believe that the choices the government have made actually make any sense. They should have asked people to estimate how much they have lost and cap payments at that level. Or, better still, given everyone a universal basic income and then clawed it back from people still earning through incredased income tax. They chose an arbitrary method for calculating payments which bares little relation to people's actual needs. There are lots of people who are being totally screwed by the calculation (see other threads) so maybe donate something to someone else who is struggling if you think you're getting too much. 

mobilejo

Well you've all been "adversely affected", regardless of the extent, and are eligible to the 80%. 

It is not just about what has happened so far, but what could happen in the coming recession. Without a crystal ball, its impossible to say whether that recession will have a worse impact on your business, and if you miss the boat on this scheme you may just find you need it in the future when its not available.