Self Employed Hardship Fund (Scotland Only)

Applications are now open for the Self-Employed hardship fund. This fund is for anyone who became Self Employed in Scotland on or after 6 April 2019 (meaning they do not qualify for the SEISS) and who is suffering financial hardship as a result of Covid-19.

As part of the application you must sign a declaration to confirm that you meet all of the following criteria:

• over 50% of your individual income is from self-employment

• your trading profits were below £50,000 in financial year 2019-20

• you have lost business due to coronavirus and are suffering financial hardship as a result

• you are ineligible for other COVID-19 related business support (including the Business Interruption Loan Schemes, Corporate Finance Fund, Job Retention Schemes, Future Fund, R&D Focussed SMEs Fund, HMRC Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, Non-Domestic Rates relief, Small Business Grant or other business support)

• you do not receive working age benefit payments (Universal Credit, Statutory Sick Pay, Employment and Support Allowance, Job Seekers’ Allowance, Income Support) or have applied for but not yet started receiving Universal Credit

• you trade as self-employed, not as a limited company or partnership

• you have taken steps to limit costs and expenditure (including through schemes such as VAT deferral and seeking a mortgage payment holiday)

• you do not have access to sufficient savings or other sources of income to meet basic needs

If you receive the grant you can continue to work or take on other employment including voluntary work.

HOW DO YOU APPLY

You need to apply in your Local Authority area, which you will find be following this link https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/service/coronavirus/newly-self-employed-hardship-fund

You will be asked to provide documentary evidence of your status and eligibility for the grant. Local authorities will then determine whether you meet the criteria, which has been set by the Scottish Government.

You will need to provide:

• documentation to show you had an active business prior to COVID-19, such as your VAT registration, bank account statements showing revenue and outgoings linked to self-employment, marketing materials, etc. A full list is provided with the application form.

• self-declaration that you are currently experiencing hardship

• evidence of being resident in the local authority area of application

Successful applicants will receive a one-off payment of £2,000 and the process should take up to 10 working days from application to appraisal and funds being released for approved applications.