This current pandemic has led to very strange times for us living in Llanelli. At the start of lockdown we were told to stay home, protect the NHS and save lives and this would slow down the spread of the virus.
For many workers this could be a welcome break to spend more time at home and spend time with their children, especially for the majority of workers who are entitled to the government furlough scheme. This allows workers to get eighty percent of their pay, with a maximum cap they would receive at £2500 a month. The scheme was set up to stop mass unemployment and to help kick start the economy once lockdown restrictions end.
However, for those workers who are not entitled to apply for the scheme, the current situation people are finding themselves in can be extremely worrying. Not only are they worrying that family, friends or they themselves could contract the virus and be at risk of becoming fatally ill, they have that extra worry of not being able to afford to pay their bills and put food on the table.
My self-employed cousin was given work at the start of the pandemic as he was one of the workers who helped to convert Llanelli Leisure Centre into a facility for the NHS. However, since then there has been very little work available to him and he has been failed by the UK government.
Initially, he was delighted when the UK government announced that it would be offering financial support for self-employed people due to the restrictions to stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.
However, because he became self-employed only ten months ago he was devastated to learn that he isn’t eligible for the government furlough scheme. The government has failed to self-employed workers who are in the same situation as my cousin.
Being at home with your family is no fun when you have money problems, no work and children to feed. The situation my cousin finds himself in is no fault of his own and he should have been offered the same financial support as other self-employed people.
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