AQW 14670/17-22

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 15/02/2021
Answered On Date: 22/02/2021
Priority Written: Yes

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy (i) what support is available from the Newly Self Employed Support Scheme for workers who became self-employed from the start of the first lockdown in March 2020; (ii) whether travel agents, tour guides, tutors and auction room staff qualify; and (iii) what support exists for those who have fallen between the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, because they are more recently self-employed, and the Newly Self Employed Support Scheme, because they became self-employed too long ago.

Answer:

(i) I launched the Newly Self-Employed Support Scheme (NSESS) on 3 December 2020 which is specifically targeted at those individuals who became self-employed during 2019/20 as they were excluded from the UK government’s Self Employed Income Support Scheme. The scheme provides a one-off taxable grant of £3,500 to newly self-employed individuals (sole traders and those in partnerships) that meet the eligible criteria. To date over 1,300 payments have been made totalling £4.7m.

(ii) Travel agents, tour guides, tutors and auction room staff are able to apply for the scheme should they meet the eligibility criteria.

(iii) I appreciate that there remain self-employed individuals impacted by the limits on the NSESS and SEISS, including those who became self-employed in 2018/19 or before. However, there is a £10 million funding envelope for the scheme and the eligibility criteria was designed within this funding envelope. Extending the scheme beyond the current eligibility criteria would have a significant financial impact and would be a decision for the Executive to make collectively.

Whilst the Executive and my own Department continue to receive calls for specific targeted support, it is simply not possible to design and fund schemes for every type of business or employment across our society, However, I along with my Executive colleagues continue to consider all options to provide support to as wide a range of businesses as possible during this pandemic.