SEISS Grant - Am I eligible?

PS92

I have a LTD company and I’m also self employed. For the 3 qualifying years I averaged over 50% of my income from self employment. However in the 19/20 tax year my self employed business made a loss. 

I intend to continue trading as self employed in 20/21 but as yet have had no customers (no time to complete the work or advertise) due to caring for a parent who is extremely vulnerable to coronavirus. I have spoken to their consultant who has confirmed the restrictions they have given my parent are much stricter than normal, due to coronavirus. Some caring would be needed without coronavirus, but far less which would have allowed me to continue working on a SE basis. 

Am I eligible? 

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"

You may fall within the line in bold above.

PS92

Jeremy535897 said:

"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"

You may fall within the line in bold above.

Thank you, I suppose this is my problem. I ‘may’ qualify, the guidance is still quite vague as to how much of an impact this needs to have had. 

Jeremy535897

I don't think it is a question of how much of an impact. Any adverse impact is sufficient. The issue is whether you have caring responsibilities due to coronavirus. You already had those responsibilities before coronavirus. You say they have increased, presumably because you now have to do more because the person you care for is unable to go out due to shielding? If you are doing shopping for them when you would normally be doing self employed work, I think you qualify.

PS92

Jeremy535897 said:

I don't think it is a question of how much of an impact. Any adverse impact is sufficient. The issue is whether you have caring responsibilities due to coronavirus. You already had those responsibilities before coronavirus. You say they have increased, presumably because you now have to do more because the person you care for is unable to go out due to shielding? If you are doing shopping for them when you would normally be doing self employed work, I think you qualify.

Thank you. As well as food shopping there’s lifts to hospital appointments (3 hour round trip 2/3 times a week) as they can’t use public transport or walk around city centres if they drive and walk. Collecting medicines from hospital pharmacies (again they aren’t meant to go inside due to coronavirus) regular hospital appointments are being done in a one-in-one-out pod in the car park. Caring for their livestock - there’s too many other people present for them to go. It totals up to 17 hours a week. 

poppy12345

Just to add that you've missed the deadline to apply for the first grant. The 2nd grant applications start in August, if you're still affected you can apply for that.