Self-employed & Coronavirus

[Renneronline]

I once started a company and for those who persisted in carrying on through with their idea deserve every praise in the book. Because to attain any level of decent success there's a whole mountain of crap to wade through and then climb. If it goes flat at any time, you are on your own,

I was waiting on an invoice being paid by a bloody council whose terms were 90 days and didn't pay it until I had got myself out and into another job which, when paid 120 days later, was used to pay off what I'd borrowed just to exist in the meantime.

How governments persist in their treatment of the SE as they do and get away with it is criminal. They seem to think, along with HMRC, that everyone of them lie ...and they are probably right about a number of them, my experience with the paperwork and the sods at HMRC has left a very bitter taste. It's no wonder that the latest proposals hang them out to dry, of course it's unfair, it's how it works.

Without the SE this economy would stall big time and they deserve to be treated at times like this like everyone else, not as an after thought, it's disgusting.

 

[Ric]

I’d expect/ hope it’s firstly about what they can quickly quantify, given how on the hop they are with this.

Self-employed is seemingly much trickier. You’d have a bunch of people that set up this year and have legitimately been doing work but don’t yet have a tax profile... that would be on top of those that have been doing it for years and do have a tax record.

Distinguishing both of those categories from those that will undoubtedly try it on to get free money in the increasingly shades of grey areas of self employed... and thus stopping the bogus claims is harder said than done compared to PAYE.

Given how far the government are already ‘all in’ it’s hard to see how they won’t support freelancers it’s just that it’s seemingly a much trickier situation to grasp than current PAYE.

Its obviously awful for those that are legitimately freelance to be marooned, but I feel that all this support will likely/ eventually arrive with all the bells and whistles that government schemes usually bring, which will mean it’ll be (deliberately) beyond many businesses to actually comply with the bureaucracy.

I know many freelancers (from the creative industries), and like other sectors, people in prominent positions just don’t get them/ it.

I’m sure the government will come around, I just hope it’s not too late because those folk, in all sectors, do deserve the same safety net because the contribution is huge to our society in many forms, economically, practically, culturally and beyond.

Very good post mate.

Agree that the self-employed sector is a bit harder to deal with, but equally not sure why they couldn’t take, say, the last three year’s assessments and work out an average wage from that and give them 80% as per other workers.

 

[BobKowalski]

I totally get your and the whole 15% self employed point of view (and totally agree that you should be compensated as well) but they have got to find the cash from somewhere and feel that is probably too much of a risk to cover all.

That would make no sense. There is no point in shutting down businesses and paying workers to stay at home to stop the spread of the virus and leave 5 million out on a limb having to still find work and potentially still spreading the virus because they have to pay mortgages and eat.

 

[GBrannan]

Very good post mate.

Agree that the self-employed sector is a bit harder to deal with, but equally not sure why they couldn’t take, say, the last three year’s assessments and work out an average wage from that and give them 80% as per other workers.

I think it’s because you’d have a whole bunch of newly self employed that feel like they’d been discriminated against.

It’s a very difficult situation.

The fact the government are effectively writing blank cheques, there’s going to become a point where they’re going to have to accept that some people will try it on and get free money.

However for the vast majority the government are going to be a life boat that is desperately needed, perhaps more so than those under PAYE.

I hope they get their act together quickly and the mechanism for applying for the finance is quick and straightforward.

 

[Ste1969]

As a self employed builder. i would hope they will sort this out in the next presser along with help for renters.I do think help will be on the way in what form who knows.

 

[RayCTID]

That would make no sense. There is no point in shutting down businesses and paying workers to stay at home to stop the spread of the virus and leave 5 million out on a limb having to still find work and potentially still spreading the virus because they have to pay mortgages and eat.

I hope the governmnent will quickly find a scheme for the self employed as well as the ones in full time employment.

 

[The perfect fumble]

Very good post mate.

Agree that the self-employed sector is a bit harder to deal with, but equally not sure why they couldn’t take, say, the last three year’s assessments and work out an average wage from that and give them 80% as per other workers.

They could, and I suspect they will, though administering it is going to be a logistical nightmare. Good thing the Tories haven't alienated the civil service (cough).

Knowing our luck he'll give the contract to Serco.

There's a political consideration as well, the Tories would be ill advised to piss off freelancers. I'm no fan of the Conservatives, that's well established, but there'll be a reckoning after this is all over and I'm beginning to think this government is not going to come out smelling of roses, they're going to need all the allies they can get.

Herd immunity anybody?

 

[Ric]

They could, and I suspect they will, though administering it is going to be a logistical nightmare. Good thing the Tories haven't alienated the civil service (cough).

Knowing our luck he'll give the contract to Serco.

There's a political consideration as well, the Tories would be ill advised to piss off freelancers. I'm no fan of the Conservatives, that's well established, but there'll be a reckoning after this is all over and I'm beginning to think this government is not going to come out of this smelling of roses, they're going to need all the allies they can get.

Herd immunity anybody?

My only hope that they’ll put it right is that to fuck over 15% of the workforce would be political suicide.

 

[The perfect fumble]

My only hope that they’ll put it right is that to fuck over 15% of the workforce would be political suicide.

As Mancini used to say "this and only this".

 

[idahoblues]

As a self employed builder. i would hope they will sort this out in the next presser along with help for renters.I do think help will be on the way in what form who knows.

I'm in the same boat mate, I'm going to keep going to work until someone stops me.