Being self employed and the coronavirus

[HappyHippyDad]

Morning all.

I have had nearly all my jobs cancelled now. Still got a weeks work ahead but then perhaps 1 day a week. I was wondering if anyone new what the government plans are for the self employed with regards finance?

This might be a good thread to add to as new government plans come out.

All I really know if that they are postponing the July tax payment.

I expect I'll continue to get small jobs over the next few months perhaps amounting to a day a week, perhaps emergency jobs only, who knows. Does this mean I'll still be able to get some financial help even though I still have work?

It's all a bit confusing.

 

[Mike Johnson]

Whatever they decide to do it will be to their advantage and not yours, they don't give money away without recouping it in some way.

 

[telectrix]

it's our money anyway. we've paid it allin taxes. time to get some of itback.

 

[westward10]

At present the financial help is aimed at the employed so whether this is an over sight which will be addressed we will see as the self-employed sector are kicking up a fuss.

 

[Mike Johnson]

I am not saying we shouldn't, but how will all those poor politicians pay for their next pay rise if they don't keep something back.

 

[westward10]

This isn't about politician knocking. It seems the powers that be want to help.

 

[Strima]

Luckily I have savings to fall back on so I'm not overly concerned.

As I'm high risk as are two of my girls I've decided to sack work and keep my distance. Working on BT street cabs is grotty at the best of time but the risk of infection is too much for me to keep working.

 

[snowhead]

It seems S/E is being looked at.
The issue they've got with payments is they're trying to use existing systems, so amongst other things they know they're paying to genuine people and not scammers, who will of course be out in their thousands.

The U.S plan of sending a cheque for every household for $1500 or so doesn't seem a good idea when all the Millionaires and Billionaires will also get them.

 

[Vortigern]

I must say @Strima I am in the same boat praise be, we could afford a protracted period without work. I actually do worry about the guys on the forum who are not so lucky and will experience hardship with no work. Indeed the wider community as well. It is worrying but at the same time so many mixed messages that I am not sure which way to jump. So I err on the side of caution. The builders I work with say it's a load of B%%$%%s, which I think is pretty stupid! The expectation seems to be I should work but...why take the risk it is at least for me non essential strictly speaking.

 

[Pretty Mouth]

Universal credit apparently:

[Withdrawn] Support for those affected by COVID-19

www.gov.uk

 

[littlespark]

Reading up on the govt website doesn't really clarify a self employed position.
It says, "if you are self employed and self isolating"
Well, its only self isolating if you or someone in your family is showing symptoms..and guidelines said to self isolate for 2 weeks until the symptoms passed.
None of us are self isolating. My kids are off school, because its closed to non-critical workers children, my wife runs baby classes and her head office has shut them down and im the self employed.
I am thinking of just stopping all work now, but will I get the universal credit?

 

[FatAlan]

It’s Cummings plan still for the self employed to carry on spreading as he’s all for the herd immunity scenario and is not worried about a few pensioners. Still, good majority voted for this deceiving bunch of criminals so the public gets what the public wants!

 

[DPG]

It’s Cummings plan still for the self employed to carry on spreading as he’s all for the herd immunity scenario and is not worried about a few pensioners. Still, good majority voted for this deceiving bunch of criminals so the public gets what the public wants!

Seems to me the government are handling things pretty well considering. Certainly better than some other countries. And to say they dont care about pensioners dying is pretty unbelievable to be honest.

 

[littlespark]

Pack it in!
This is a discussion about Covid-19 and what we can do to support ourselves as work dries up. Not a have-another-go-at-the-government right now chat.

Ive just had the old house job suspending works for the time being, so im really thinking of just stopping myself and staying put in the house. Will I get support financially if I am choosing not to work and not actually "self isolating"

 

[Baddegg]

Bit harsh @FatAlan....people didn’t vote for this at all no one saw it coming, people voted as to who they felt best represented their views and aspirations of the future, sounds like more sour grapes from the socialist left wingers (or anyone who’s spent they life mollycoddled in state employment) I’m not a fan Particularly of this or any other government but to use this situation as a point scoring political exercise is disgusting...you should be ashamed, I’m very impressed on the whole with how this country has come together and all trying they best in a very bad situation!

 

[Mike Johnson]

Ok chaps, back to the Corona virus.

 

[happysteve]

Back to @happyhippydad 's original post:

I've had some jobs postponed - from older folk, or those with health issues - until it all blows over (so not outright cancelled), but most bookings still want to go ahead.

I've been phoning/emailing folk with bookings coming up, explaining I'm perfectly happy to postpone if they want. Where it's older clients, and the work is elective rather than a safety issue, I've been trying to put them off.

Enquiries are starting to dry up, and I have no problem with that, it's understandable.

I've been taking precautions when in peoples' homes: touching as little as possible (e.g. bannisters etc) and wiping down everything I do touch as I go or just before I leave. I no longer accept kind offers of tea/coffee.

As time goes on and the social pressure and/or "advice" to avoid "unnecessary" contact ramps up, I suspect I'll be doing safety-related works only.

But it worries me that folk will just try to do things themselves. A couple of times in the last week alone, when doing relatively simple jobs I've uncovered dangerous situations, whereby due to existing faults, they're down to one layer of protection (an earth connection) to avoid electrocution. It's about balancing and assessing the risks (shock/fire risk vs inadvertantly passing on a virus that could kill someone) and it's something I'm just going to have to deal with on a case-by-case basis (until the work runs out and I don't have to worry about it anymore).

Stay safe, folks

 

[buzzlightyear]

no one saw it coming

your wrong on that score ,those bloody airlines company's where still flying in out of china .

 

[SparkyChick]

Guys... Westward has already deleted political points scoring and I've just had to do the same. Keep it up and I'm sure one of us will close the thread.

Now is not the time or place for political arguments. This is a thread about how we are going to cope and what help/advice etc. is available, so grow the f' up and if you can't contribute to the actual topic, take yourself off to another thread.

 

[buzzlightyear]

i have just ordered a cattle prod so if I'm called out to a fault it will come handy ,stay back I said. lol. .

 

[SparkyChick]

If you want to discuss the virus or the politics of the situation... start a thread. Please keep this thread on topic! How many more times???

On the topic at hand...

My phone has gone a little quiet but I have got a bunch of quoted work that people are still wanting to do and a couple of bigger jobs one of which definitely needs doing (rewire for a couple who were supposed to be moving in this weekend). After that, I'm not sure what's happening. I'd like to hibernate but financially I just can't.

I've gradually been ramping up the protection and am now wiping everything down, wearing glove, glasses or goggles to stop me touching my eyes, respirator.

It's scary times and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't really worried as there is a real possibility my hard work on building up my business could disappear down the pan.

 

[Mike Johnson]

You are not going to like this, you have put your earnings before everyone else's safety?

 

[andyb]

Now is not the time or place for political arguments. This is a thread about how we are going to cope and what help/advice etc. is available, so grow the f' up and if you can't contribute to the actual topic, take yourself off to another thread.
[/QUOTE]
SC, you deleted my post in reply to a political point made earlier, my post was reasonable and polite, yet you've kept the origional post defending this goverment.
All threads morph into diferent areass, you'd have to delete about 75% of posts in just about every thread if you struk to that rule.
And do you think it's reasonable to tell a forum member to 'grow te f' up'?

 

[davesparks]

I'm self employed and work primarily in the entertainment industry so have had a slight headstart on the work vanishing and it's pretty scary to be honest.
Luckily this week we had a job in a local school so I have done a full week's work, but now I'm scratching around for anything I can get.

I hope the government can find a way to help the self employed, I appreciate it is more of a challenge to support us as there aren't normally the systems in place to do so.

The other issue affecting me is that I rent privately, another thing it is very hard to provide government help for. The government know who all of the mortgage companies are and can contact them to arrange help for those with mortgages, there is no easy way for them to contact all of the private landlords or provide help to the tenants.

 

[buzzlightyear]

we are all in the same boat and we are all rowing in the wrong direction, this post is not going off topic, SC. stand back and say we will all pull togeather.

 

[SparkyChick]

SC, you deleted my post in reply to a political point made earlier, my post was reasonable and polite, yet you've kept the origional post defending this goverment.
All threads morph into diferent areass, you'd have to delete about 75% of posts in just about every thread if you struk to that rule.
And do you think it's reasonable to tell a forum member to 'grow te f' up'?

We're trying to keep the thread on topic as it's perhaps one of the most important threads of the day given what's going on. I don't think anyone has said you can't discuss the virus or the politics here on the forum, just try and keep this thread for it's intended purpose.

As for the f', sorry not necessarily directed at you personally, but I'm getting more than a little agitated these days by people who are trying to use what is a world wide catastrophe for political points scoring. Lets all just try and stay alive long enough to discuss the politics after the event.

 

[westward10]

we are all in the same boat and we are all rowing in the wrong direction, this post is not going off topic, SC. stand back and say we will all pull togeather.

It was going well off topic and multiple posts were deleted.

 

[SparkyChick]

Guys, created a new thread about the ethics of working during the outbreak, moving posts over to there. PLease keep this on topic.

New thread is here:-

Ethics of working during the corona virus pandemic

The truth of the matter is that unless you are responding to an emergency stay at home and isolate yourself and your family, you should only be leaving your isolation to buy food or to collect essential medication. In an ideal world, I'd love to stay home as I'm sure everyone else would, but...

www.electriciansforums.net

Please try and keep this thread on topic - i.e. about the help/information that's available for the self employed and small businesses. Thanks
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Thread re-opened now the discussion about the ethics is going in the new thread. Please try and keep this thread for updates/info about the help/information that's available for small businesses and the self-employed.

 

[ruston]

This may apply to some members who are concerned about mortgages and rent in the short term.

Complete ban on evictions and additional protection for renters

Government announces radical package of measures to protect renters and landlords affected by coronavirus.

www.gov.uk

 

[davesparks]

This may apply to some members who are concerned about mortgages and rent in the short term.

Complete ban on evictions and additional protection for renters

Government announces radical package of measures to protect renters and landlords affected by coronavirus.

www.gov.uk

Yes, it's not quite as good as it seems though.
They've banned evictions for 3 months, but after 3 months they can evict you if you failed to pay your rent during those 3 months.
They have urged landlords to be lenient and allow tenants to pay the missed rent once the crisis is over. So as work is slowly picking up again after this crisis those of us who rent will need to be earning more than ever to pay back the missed rent.
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I'm sure i'm not the only self employed person who has thought about this, supermarkets etc are on a bit of a recruitment drive, they need staff in all departments at the moment. The income would be enough to keep the wolf from the door,

It makes me wish id taken the opportunity to get an HGV licence a couple of years ago, i'd be happy to spend the next few weeks driving trucks of food around.

I couldn't do a public-facing job, not because I fear catching the disease but because I just don't have the temperament for it.