From today (Monday 4 May), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will begin contacting
customers who may be eligible for the government’s 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
£7,500 (equivalent to three months’ profits), paid in a single
instalment.
HMRC is also
inviting customers, or their agents, to go online and check their
eligibility for SEISS.
In order to receive quick confirmation from
the eligibility checker, individuals should:
- have their Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) and
their National Insurance Number to hand
- make sure their details are up-to-date in 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 service will open on 13 May and is
being delivered ahead of the original timetable. This will 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, and those eligible will
have the money paid into their bank account by 25 May, or
within six working days of completing a claim.
Who’s 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 £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 – and returns for 2016 to 2017 and 2017 to 2018 where
needed – 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 £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 advise on 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
Guidance and information on the scheme is available on GOV.UK:
