Where’s help for real self employed people ???

Mr D

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Feb 12, 2017
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Many people who have always done it on their own all their lives won't have any interest in claiming benefits.

They will be looking for opportunities

Not helped by the time it takes to get benefits.
Can get £10k from your bank by way of a loan same day, can spend weeks getting a benefit after handing in all paperwork needed.
 
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JEREMY HAWKE

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    9 likes must be a record. When this is all over I'd like to buy you a drink to celebrate.

    I won't forget that one :)

    @Mark T Jones has the record for his investment guide but he is more educated than me :)
     
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    Mitch3473

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    Aug 25, 2011
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    I suppose even from these are dark times some good will emerge, like some self-employed "entrepreneurs" realising the meaning of self employed.

    It means you take responsibility for your earnings, your cash flow. You plan for contingencies. This early in the crisis if you're already needing help then you're not really cut out for business.

    If business is not for you, give up your fancy title of company director and go join those unemployed people who're living off benefits and doing so well.

    And quit whining.
    Harsh but Oh so true. Warren Buffet said that when the tide goes out you get to see who's swimming naked.
     
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    JEREMY HAWKE

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    James Kaye

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    Mar 18, 2020
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    in that case I suggest you approach your landlord for a portion of their rate relief.

    Cheers Mark. It's definitely the sensible and only option but considering it is a co-working space with a lot of people then if they apply for the £3,000 then it won't go far if they redistribute it! I think this is a major blind spot in the government's thinking as there are huge amounts of small business now that operate inside co-working spaces and who are not included in this relief legislation due to rates being part of the monthly rent.
     
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    >I think for a long time there’s been the perception that self-employed people generally earn >more than their employed counterparts.
    >
    >A busy self employed plumber (for example) can probably earn £200/day upwards, whereas a >plumber on the books just over half of that, maybe less.
    >
    >So therefore, the self-employed person should have saved for a rainy day, as one never knows >what lies ahead, when the work dries up/gets patchy, sickness etc etc.


    I think that perception differs from reality in most cases.

    First off the self-employed person may 'turn over' more than the employed person, not necessarily 'earns' more!

    There is also a large proportion of the current self employed workforce that are only earning the equivalent of a wage or a half decent wage, not the income of a small business that can then pay a decent wage and cover the business costs.

    Quite simply a lot of 'Self-Employed' are really part-time employees, but the employers take advantage of the cost savings and having a dynamic workforce, getting away with calling people 'self employed', whole IR35 thing is case in point....

    Also I think your example is quite floored comparing 'turn over' to a 'wage'. The sums don't work out quite so rosie once you consider all the overheads of been self-employed vs the benefits of been employed.

    (yes obviously there are some genuine 'Self-employed' contractors at are able to charge an appropriate fee for there services, but I think they are a very small minority of what is now an area businesses have been allowed to take advantage of for many years, creating a gig economy of SE people who are really just dynamic employees... but that's a whole different conversation, there is a real unprecedented problem here right now).


    I wouldn't ordinarily be looking for a hand out, that's just how it is and I live within reasonable means and put a little aside to cover the ups and downs, the problem is this is exceptional circumstances! The government is mandating things that are stopping entire industries dead for the foreseeable future.

    Unprecedented times, hence we need Unprecedented help from the government.


    One thought I had as an option to help the self-employed is to temporarily raise the current April 5th SA tax threshold, that would give all the people who have a bit saved for the next tax bill direct access to some cash, without the need to setup access to funds, bureaucracy and less immediate direct financial cost for the Government (until Jan 31st). And for those who haven't saved anything, it would at least alleviate some debt worry from for next January 31st as they is not likely to be much opportunity to earn what they need to between now and then to meet current liabilities.

    m
     
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    fisicx

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    Sep 12, 2006
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    True.

    The self employed plumber needs to buy the van, tools, pay for marketing etc.
    One would hope they already have a van and tools. Marketing shouldn’t cost much for a local plumber.
     
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