Are you an SME or Start Up who has fallen through the cracks of the UK Govt help schemes? The Sunday Times would love to interview you.
The Sunday Times are looking to speak to people who run SMEs/start-ups that fall through the cracks of the current help schemes: be that loss-making and thus deemed not viable, struggling with their bank being rubbish etc.
Is this you, drop Liam Kelly (Enterprise Correspondent, The Sunday Times) a note > liam.kelly@sunday-times.co.uk
Also - pls feel free to add below, any problems you’re having with the scheme, and if you see someone's comment you can help with, please jump in!
If we support each other we really will get through this, just you watch.
Thanks everyone.
Replies20
- Are you talking about innovation grants or the current salary support?
- So I just found out I am just one of those people. I have been working Freelance again for 3+ years but transitioning out of a paid job, who were slowly cutting back hours. As they are only taking the 18/19 year and not the 19/20 year, I made more in paid employment than freelance that year (not this year by any stretch) but that doesn't count. I am going to have to try and apply for UC but I don't believe I qualify for that either.
- I would just like to give an update.The universal credit has refused any payment this month because I earned too much money, as usual. They said they were going to remove the earnings threshold, but what they didn't say was that it did not come into effect until 6/4, that is tommorow. If someone does'nt hire me soon I'm dead.I got to admit the virus does'nt scare me, but starving does. The only thing I want to know is; how long is this going to go on for?Italy is showing good signs of recovery.Stop confinement! Rise up the immune! God save us all.
- Sorry. Andrea Ellis I’ve just registered sounds interesting and look forward to it. :)
- @andrew Ellis
- @Andrew Ellis this looks super interesting, drop me a note to pip@the-dots.com and I'll intro you to my lovely team to help promote :-)
- Definitely fallen through the cracks, as both a freelance UX/UI designer and have been freelance for 5+ years and also through my bootstrapped art marketplace start-up; BetterShared.co. I'm a Director of both Ltd companies and was self-funding my startup. Having just paid for both my personal and business tax (in full) in January the tax delay scheme doesn't help me and so far only UC seems viable. Trying to pivot and look for alternate grants / crowdfund as a business loan is just more debt!
- @Dannique Blake How quickly did UC start paying you?
- Thanks Pip. I've emailed him. Plus I'd like to let everyone know about this that I've launched: https://wearelikeminds.com/the-online-like-minds-lockdown-business-festival-april-20-24th/ can we have a chat on it all please on Monday?
- Great - thank you Pip. I don't know a single Freelancer not affected x
- Our small independent magazine is suffering and we can’t benefit of anything the government is offering to other small business because we are too small and everyone in our team is a freelancer
- @Nadine IvaskeviciusI am just a home educator and I am very uneducated I guess. I have though myself over the past four years I could barely spel' my name before and now I have my own education programme and website if I can help you in any way just let me know I hate the education system they have gone out of there way to constantly bulk and pull me down
- Sorry, there was some strange autocorrect in my previous comment. I meant with “immediate financial help” not “uneducated”...not sure how that happened.
- Yes! Small LTD, two directors, all contracts frozen cancelled and all we hear is apply for UC. Surviving how? I am beyond shocked as looking at Germany who is massively helping all categories of people including small business and self employed wit uneducated financial help. And our Chancellor dares to say that his package is the most generous out there..thank you for sharing will definitely get in touch with Liam.
- Thank you for sharing - we set up our business a little over a year ago and were just on the cusp of success, having invested our heart , soul and savings. We are sad and confused about what to do next - to be honest Barclays have been great but we are still in shock so may be being grateful for our small loan naively. Will reach out to Liam and thank you again.
- Oh boy yes that includes every freelancer that is a sole director of a limited company, not self-employed. We're in the limbo between furlough schemes and grants for self-employed people. As of now there's hardly anything to do other than squeezing the personal finance belt.
- ps. we have totall fallen through the cracks ebing a LTD with 2 directors who need to work on the business to keep it going! No point in a loan, as we dont want debts!
- Thanks. Will defo email him. It’s sad times x
- I've no idea.Any Tory government has always done all it can to make life impossible for those who are not best friends with the Earl of Shropshire. This is Britain, and the fuedal traditions have left a deep impression.
- Thanks for posting this Pip. I took the jump to being a self-employed photographer in August 2019 after years of working in-house at companies & have definitely fallen through the cracks of the government help schemes. Trying to keep my head above water at the minute but I think I'm going to have to shut up shop soon because of this. Stay safe everyone x
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