Liberal Democrats urge Govt to extend income support for self-employed

The Liberal Democrats are urging the Government to extend income support for self-employed workers after their success in convincing the Government to extend furlough payments for employees, preventing redundancies.

Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey, who is asking the public to join his campaign to protect workers, warned “taxi drivers, hairdressers, cleaners, childcare providers and millions of other self-employed people are still not getting the help they need.”

The call comes after the Chancellor announced the Job Retention Scheme, currently covering nearly a quarter of UK jobs, will continue to October with employees receiving 80% of their monthly wages up to £2,500.

Alistair Cameron, Welsh Liberal Democrat Senedd Candidate for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire said:

“The Furlough scheme has helped protect jobs and it is something the Liberal Democrats have campaigned to protect. So I am delighted the Government has done just that and extended the scheme.

“However, there are still millions of people that need significant help through this challenging period. Some who moved jobs but were not on their new employer’s payroll by mid-March have fallen into a crack in the system and need much more help.

“The lockdown has also been extremely difficult for many self-employed people. Taxi drivers, hairdressers, cleaners, childcare providers and millions of other self-employed people are still not getting the help they need. This is particularly important in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire where many are self-employed and have been working in tourism and agriculture.

“The Coronavirus crisis has left countless families facing financial hardship, with unemployment on the rise. We must protect families and our economy for the long term.

“The Liberal Democrats led the campaign for a Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, which finally opens today. But the Government must extend this scheme too. Self-employed people have waited far too long for this support, and they must not see it snatched away too early.”