Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

CoronavirusLatest NewsFreelance workersSick pay

Government considers Statutory Self-Employment Pay

by Ashleigh Webber 24 Mar 2020
by Ashleigh Webber 24 Mar 2020 Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire/PA Images
Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire/PA Images

The government is considering introducing Statutory Self-Employment Pay, following pressure from many who fear the current lockdown to stem the spread of the coronavirus will prevent them from receiving a sufficient income.

The House of Commons Public Bill Committee have published a proposed amendment to the Coronavirus Bill which, if approved, will give freelancers and self-employed people a guaranteed income of 80% of their monthly net earnings, averaged over the last three years; or £2,917 per month, whichever is lower.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak came under pressure to support self-employed people who are unable to work during the coronavirus pandemic after he announced the “coronavirus job retention scheme” for employees last week. Grants from HM Revenue and Customs would cover employees’ salaries up to £2,500 per month, backdated to 1 March.

Jason Moyer-Lee, general secretary of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain, said that while the “lock down” announced by the prime minister was necessary to prevent the spread of the virus, urgent income support measures were also needed to protect the livelihoods of the self-employed and those in the gig economy.

“And the effectiveness of any lock down will be reduced by the fact that without proper sick pay many precarious and low-paid workers who are still working will not be able to stay home when they are ill or need to self-isolate,” he said.

Self-employed people are not eligible for statutory sick pay if they are unable to work because of covid-19, but they can claim the equivalent £94.25 per week in state benefit.

“Proper sick pay is needed to enable low paid workers to protect themselves, their families, and the wider public. And there needs to be income support for the self-employed so they can avoid financial destitution.  The prime minister and the chancellor have repeatedly said they will do whatever it takes to protect people and the economy. This is what it takes,” said Moyer-Lee.

The TUC has also joined the call for better protections for the self-employed. It said: “More than five million self-employed people aren’t covered by the government’s job retention scheme.

“And the measures announced last week, which include delaying the next self-assessment tax payments and ensuring that self-employed people on low incomes can access up to £94 a week through the benefits system, are clearly not good enough.

“It’s not right that employees are getting so much help from government while self-employed workers lack proper income support.”

HR Director opportunities on Personnel Today

Browse more HR director jobs

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor at OHW+ and part of the Personnel Today editorial team. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport.

previous post
Businesses and unions react to UK ‘lockdown’
next post
Gender pay gap reporting enforcement suspended this year

11 comments

Avatar
Abdul Aziz Abdullah 24 Mar 2020 - 7:04 pm

I am 9 months self employed now a taxi driver at the end of the month need to be paid £550 rent £358 car insurance £216 car financing £100 bills gas and electricity, £40 broadband and phone , and few extras and since last no work even and this week stay home to keep my wife and baby safe , thanks for considering that.

Reply
Avatar
Old Cynic 24 Mar 2020 - 7:55 pm

Is this actually legitimate, why would an amendment from an unknown source propose £400 more for the self employed than employees, particularly when the £2,500 is most likely to include ER NIC and pension? There’d be riots.

Reply
Avatar
Done with this 25 Mar 2020 - 5:05 pm

Sick pay

Reply
Avatar
NOOR adil 25 Mar 2020 - 2:25 pm

I’m a taxi driver from last week no work and this week staying at home end of manth need topay rent £700 £143 council tax £407 financing £92 gas & electricity £32 broadband £85 mobiles phones thanks for considering that

Reply
Avatar
Tauseef aslam 26 Mar 2020 - 12:07 pm

Same here. A taxi driver from Manchester with all similar payments . I really worried

Reply
Avatar
Screw Ed Basically 25 Mar 2020 - 3:50 pm

I was employed till 12th of March and have become self employed as of the 13th. I am on a spouse visa and can’t claim benefits.

Reply
Avatar
Abdul Awan 25 Mar 2020 - 4:30 pm

Cab driver in Birmingham for last 25 years since providing service to the community and when unfortunately hard time of life is here we’ve been forgotten. The worry is even though I don’t feel well but still need to go to work which is not safe for me neither for my family and the other public but because of only me to support my family I got no other option.

Reply
Avatar
B S 25 Mar 2020 - 6:52 pm

@old cynic because beleive it or not Self employed people earn more than employed office workers. although we seem to be looked down upon as scum by most of society alot of us are on double most salaried workers and have more bills to cover.

Reply
Avatar
R. Fernandes 25 Mar 2020 - 10:07 pm

I am on zero contract, I work as a security officer, past 3 weeks no shift, how much will I get paid, so that I can pay my house rent, car loan,insurance, food, bank personal loan. I have one son, he goes to college.

Reply
Avatar
joseph 25 Mar 2020 - 11:56 pm

I am a self employed pub manager who will get nothing that has been offered as we dont post the business rates

Reply
Avatar
Stewart Bradley 27 Mar 2020 - 8:51 am

i am a self employed scaffolder of 15 years in the construction industry helping to build the country my site is now closed i have no work, 4 children a wife to support and boris has fucked us over riots will be next i promise!

Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Why workplace Covid-19 testing should continue

7 Apr 2022

April 2022 employment law changes: six tasks for...

14 Mar 2022

HR must be vigilant as remaining Covid restrictions...

22 Feb 2022

Smaller businesses and TUC unite for call to...

18 Feb 2022

Top 10 HR questions January 2022: that extra...

1 Feb 2022

Can you reduce contractual sick pay for unvaccinated...

20 Jan 2022

Making the world of work better: TUC’s Paul...

14 Jan 2022

Cutting sick pay for unvaccinated staff ‘could be...

13 Jan 2022

Next joins Ikea and Wessex Water in reducing...

13 Jan 2022

Union urges government to reverse fit note relaxation

12 Jan 2022
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more
  • Why now is the time to plug the unhealthy gap PROMOTED | We’ve all heard the term ‘health is wealth’...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+