News story

Self-employed invited to get ready to make their claims for coronavirus (COVID-19) support

HMRC will begin contacting customers who may be eligible for the government鈥檚 Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.

Graphic with the text 'Self-Employment Income Support Scheme'

From today鈥�(Monday 4 May), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will begin contacting customers who may be eligible for the government鈥檚 Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS).

Those who are eligible will be able to claim a taxable grant worth 80% of their average trading profits up to a maximum of 拢7,500 (equivalent to three months鈥� profits), paid in a single instalment.

HMRC is also inviting customers, or their agents, to .

In order to receive quick confirmation鈥痜rom the鈥痚ligibility鈥痗hecker, individuals should:

  • have鈥痶heir Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR)鈥痑nd their鈥疦ational Insurance Number to hand
  • make sure鈥痶heir details are鈥痷p-to-date鈥痠n their Government Gateway account

Once the online check is complete, eligible customers will be given a date when they can submit their claim. They will also be encouraged to update their contact details.

Claims service opening shortly

The claims鈥痵ervice鈥痺ill open on 13 May and is being鈥痙elivered鈥痑head of the original timetable. This鈥痺ill help millions of self-employed people, covering a wide range of industries and jobs, whose livelihoods have been adversely affected by the coronavirus.

The claims process will be very simple,鈥痑nd those eligible will have the money paid into their bank account鈥痓y 25 May, or within鈥痵ix working days鈥痮f completing a claim.鈥�

Who鈥檚 eligible

Individuals are eligible if their business has been adversely affected by coronavirus, they traded in the tax year 2019 to 2020, intend to continue trading, and they:

  • earn at least half of their income through self-employment
  • have trading profits of no more than 拢50,000 per year
  • traded in the tax year 2018 to 2019 and submitted their Self Assessment tax return on or before 23 April 2020 for that year

HMRC is using information that customers have provided in their 2018 to 2019 tax return 鈥� and returns for 2016 to 2017 and 2017 to 2018 where needed 鈥� to determine their eligibility and is contacting customers who may be eligible via email, text message or letter.

Wider government support

This scheme brings parity with the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, where the government committed to pay up to 拢2,500 each month in wages of employed workers who are furloughed during the outbreak.

Where individuals are ineligible for the scheme, HMRC will direct people to guidance setting out the scheme conditions to help them understand why they are ineligible, and鈥痑dvise鈥痮n other support available to them such as:

  • income tax deferrals
  • rental support
  • Universal Credit
  • access to mortgage holidays
  • various business support schemes the government has introduced to protect businesses during this time

Further information

Guidance and information on the scheme is available on 188体育:

Updates to this page

Published 4 May 2020