SEISS delay

jill1962

I was most surprised to learn that the 4th payment was delayed from Feb to April when many self-employed people would have made decisions about their business based on, now incorrect, knowledge that another grant was available to cover Feb, March and April. I wasn’t informed about this by the HMRC. I only knew it wasn’t happening because of Martin Lewis. I’m sure people who are currently on furlough would have something to say if their payments were withdrawn and then left until the budget the following month to be told that they couldn’t apply until late April. Have I missed something? Am I the only self employed person in this situation? 

Jeremy535897

It was delayed from February to April to enable those who started self employment in 2019/20 to qualify. It was announced in the Budget:
"2.15 Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) fourth grant – To support the self-employed across the UK through the next stage of the pandemic, the government confirms that the fourth SEISS grant will be worth 80% of three months’ average trading profits, paid out in a single instalment and capped at £7,500 in total. The grant will cover the period February to April, and can be claimed from late April. Self-employed individuals must have filed a 2019- 20 Self Assessment tax return to be eligible for the fourth grant. This means that over 600,000 individuals may be newly eligible for SEISS, including many new to self-employment in 2019- 20. All other eligibility criteria will remain the same as the third grant. Further details will be published in due course."

zzyzx1221

jill1962 said:

I was most surprised to learn that the 4th payment was delayed from Feb to April when many self-employed people would have made decisions about their business based on, now incorrect, knowledge that another grant was available to cover Feb, March and April. I wasn’t informed about this by the HMRC. I only knew it wasn’t happening because of Martin Lewis. I’m sure people who are currently on furlough would have something to say if their payments were withdrawn and then left until the budget the following month to be told that they couldn’t apply until late April. Have I missed something? Am I the only self employed person in this situation? 

Firstly, the grant still covers the same period, it's just paid out slightly later.

Secondly, people who know how to run a business shouldn't be making business decisions based on a grant that could, at least in theory, be withdrawn with little to no notice.

DjangoUnchained

i think it was announced and well publicized that it was going to be delayed and put back, and there has been much complaining about it. Personally im just grateful for the grant and hoping i still qualify. 

Pennywise

zzyzx1221 said:

jill1962 said:

I was most surprised to learn that the 4th payment was delayed from Feb to April when many self-employed people would have made decisions about their business based on, now incorrect, knowledge that another grant was available to cover Feb, March and April. I wasn’t informed about this by the HMRC. I only knew it wasn’t happening because of Martin Lewis. I’m sure people who are currently on furlough would have something to say if their payments were withdrawn and then left until the budget the following month to be told that they couldn’t apply until late April. Have I missed something? Am I the only self employed person in this situation? 

Firstly, the grant still covers the same period, it's just paid out slightly later.

Secondly, people who know how to run a business shouldn't be making business decisions based on a grant that could, at least in theory, be withdrawn with little to no notice.

That's a bit harsh, especially re businesses that aren't even allowed to operate at the moment.  SEISS may be the only income they have, and they need it to pay their business bills, so that they can be ready to open again when allowed.

jill1962

I don’t need the budget quoting to me. I am aware of what was said. The point I was making is that regardless of which period it covers, it is not being paid until quite near the end of the period it covers firstly and secondly saying that people should run their business better is an insensitive and ill informed comment as these have not been normal times to be running a business so normal business decisions and choices have been different. I don’t think such an unpleasant tone is necessary and I shan’t be posting anything further as this forum is, sadly, attracting the same responses from know-alls which makes these forums so unpleasant and not informative, helpful or supportive. 

BabyStepper

jill1962 said:

I don’t need the budget quoting to me. I am aware of what was said. The point I was making is that regardless of which period it covers, it is not being paid until quite near the end of the period it covers firstly and secondly saying that people should run their business better is an insensitive and ill informed comment as these have not been normal times to be running a business so normal business decisions and choices have been different. I don’t think such an unpleasant tone is necessary and I shan’t be posting anything further as this forum is, sadly, attracting the same responses from know-alls which makes these forums so unpleasant and not informative, helpful or supportive. 

Hi there

Please keep posting. You can just ignore the rude people, most of us here are nice.  I totally agree with you that this grant is poorly timed. It makes planning your business very difficult and keeps us all in a very uncertain state. It's not easy to try and be grateful for what we're getting while being messed around so much. Other countries managed a much longer term plan, we seem to be expected to wing it from one deadline to the next. 

Try to hold on. Better times are coming. They have to be, right?     

Under_the_Radar_2

I think most, if not every, self employed person feels your grievance. Ignore the odd  "you should know better or should be able to plan around it" comment. We are living in an unprecedented time and self employed deserve parity with furlough schemes. No one could have planned for this. My normally comfortably profitable business was essentially shutdown over night and 12 months on I still don't know exactly when it will be able to provide me a reliable income. No way could I, or anyone have planned for that. Expecting us to cling on till March 3rd was tough enough, and now we're expected to just sit around until mid to late April before they even start thinking about paying out is just disgusting on many levels - so in short I think there are a fair few people on the same page as yourself. The arguments for holding it back are weak and pathetic and we have a right to be totally disgruntled by it. That said all you can do is hang on, there isn't going to be any movement - personally I've moved around some 0% cards to keep me going until Rishi Rich decides to throw us a bone. Good luck and lets hope it is nearer mid April than early May.