Self employed, I can't afford any more time off

[KingSheathBelle]

The Gov self employed support is for three months.

I can't afford two week randon isolations. I need my income to pay the mortgage and bills, I am at breaking point

I can't obey.

[Lifeisconfusing]

This must be so hard for you op!! what type of work is it? Have you managed to get any payment holidays etc to give yourself a breather. Please remember this won’t last forever and you will come back stronger and more motivated then ever

[HampsteadHeathen]

If you got ill you would need to take time off. You are unlikely to be asked to isolate as a contact of a confirmed case but if it does happen you will need to isolate, it is really important that you avoid spreading the virus to your family and other contacts. You can minimise the chances of having to do this by following social distancing very strictly.

[HampsteadHeathen]

I guess the thing to remember is that these won't be random, they will be highly targeted.

[Paranoidmarvin]

I wondered this. I’m self employed as well. How long will this go on for. As an example your told to self isolate and your fine. Then two weeks later your told to do it again. I can’t afford that. And people who say I would need to obviously don’t live hand to mouth and don’t understand that it would mean no money for food.
I can’t keep isolating weeks after weeks.

[StrawberryBlondeStar]

OP what’s your work? I’ve just posted on another thread that I think the isolating will be made compulsory rapidly (give it say a month to get going). I ask about your work, because obviously if you need to be close to people for 15 mins then it’s going to be very difficult. If not, then you’ll have to keep avoiding situations where you end up in contact with people for 15 mins (so no park meet ups etc) - so you won’t be told to isolate. It really sucks, but they aren’t going to provide any more funding for the self-employed.

[HampsteadHeathen]

@Paranoidmarvin

I wondered this. I’m self employed as well. How long will this go on for. As an example your told to self isolate and your fine. Then two weeks later your told to do it again. I can’t afford that. And people who say I would need to obviously don’t live hand to mouth and don’t understand that it would mean no money for food.
I can’t keep isolating weeks after weeks.

I think you are worrying about the wrong thing! If you keep being asked to isolate that will be because you keep coming into contact with confirmed cases, you should be more worried about catching the virus and passing it on to your family and friends. It is unlikely that you will be asked to do this at all let alone repeatedly but if you do get asked it is important.

I speak as someone who will only get SSP if I isolate, but I also have a colleague who has been on a ventilator for several weeks. I think of him when I consider the need to isolate.

[insancerre]

What’s your work?
You might be able to start working again with social distance measures in place
Unless you are a hairdresser

[Lindy2]

You need to be closer than 2m to someone for 15m plus to be asked to self isolate.

If you properly follow social distancing rules then you should not be in this situation.

What is your job? Can you do it and safely social distance?

If you catch Coronavirus because you have been in close contact then clearly continuing to work isn't an option. You need to do everything you can to avoid potential infection.

[Lindy2]

(15 minutes plus)

[Paranoidmarvin]

@HampsteadHeathen you think me worrying about how to pay my bills and feed my son is the wrong thing ?????

[Uhoh2020]

If you are careful and adhere to all the social distance advice you should be fine unless your job requires you to be in close contact with others for a length of time. Youd have to be incredibly unlucky to be asked to isolate over and over again.

[HelloMissus]

I’m self employed too. So is DH.
I’m feeling optimistic about going forward. Very few cases are diagnosed as positive each day. The chances of me being in close proximity to someone who has tested positive for more than 15 mins is unlikely. And in the unlikely event I have, I will probably get it.

[stuckindoors77]

What's your job op? Does it involve mixing with lots of people closely for more than 15 minutes at a time? If it does then you might need to seriously consider what protective clothing you can get to reduce this. If not and you're just worried about the social side of things then I think the answer is to just be very careful. Observe strict social distancing, keep socialising to once or twice a week, avoid crowded places at all costs. If you're not mixing with massive numbers of people, then the odds of you getting one isolation, let alone multiples are actually very low.

[GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat]

I agree, I’m a childminder! I’m actually considering a job change- it would be crippling after only just hanging on by a thread so far.

[Lumene]

Totally understand OP.

The govt needs to offer viable financial support for the self employed if they expect compliance by everyone.

The more people who are willing and able to follow the rules, the fewer will have to, so it benefits us all.

[ListeningQuietly]

If your work is safe to do then get on and do it it.
If its not you have to borrow / cope.
Have you applied for your 3 months money ?

I have clients who will be the very last to go back to work and they are struggling
I have others who never stopped working

[SoloMummy]

If you are yourself sick with coronavirus or are self-isolating because a member of your household is sick, you may be able to get New Style Employment and Support Allowance, if you paid National Insurance contributions as an employee or self-employed person between April 2017 and April 2019. You may also be able to get Universal Credit. You can use our benefit calculator to work out how much Universal Credit you can get. People whose health is affected by coronavirus will not be affected by the minimum income floor. The minimum income floor reduces the amount of support self-employed people can get through Universal Credit.

If you are experiencing economic impacts from coronavirus or do not feel able to work because of the need to maintain social distancing, or aren’t able to work because you have to look after your children you won’t be treated as unwell. You may be able to get New Style Jobseekers Allowance, if you paid National Insurance contributions as an employee between April 2017 and April 2019. You may also be able to get Universal Credit. You can use our calculator to work out how much Universal Credit you can get.

I would assume that the top option will apply if have to isolate due to track and trace.

You may have to decide whether to close your business and claim uc in the short to medium term.

[KingSheathBelle]

I'm a childminder. I've lost half my families. We are close to breaking now financially. I'm not alone thinking this.

[TimeWastingButFun]

I think only jobs where you can socially distance are up and running, so as long as you keep 2m away from people at all times you won't need to self isolate.

[TimeWastingButFun]

Oh I've just see you're a childminder, sorry. So it's impossible to socially distance then :-(

[ListeningQuietly]

Belle
Have the NCMA been able to give advice ?

Its really tough for people whose jobs cannot be done 'socially distanced' --nor should they be.

Are there other families around who could come to you (because their child care is not available)
Do you "advertise" through the NCT branch?

[ListeningQuietly]

Solomummy
UC is a shit option for any self employed person over 40
because we have to destroy our savings pots to get it - which sets back retirement by 20 years

[porktangle]

The tricky thing is that if a child is tested positive for example and you are a contact, you will have no choice but to close and self isolate. It'll be pretty obvious if you don't with other families involved. Even if you're a contact from someone else, you run the risk of spreading it through your children and families. I don't think your business would last long if people realised that you would ignore (even for good reason) the rules or avoiding testing with symptoms ('mummy, childminder was coughing all the time today!').

That said, I'm not convinced that people are going to be traced in huge amounts. The numbers are coming down so the chances are getting smaller and smaller.

[StrawberryJam200]

@SoloMummy are you a DHSS employee? What is this new style ESA, hadn't heard about it? Is it specifically for this situation, ie being asked to self isolate?

Oh OK, sorry, have now googled and realised it's the ESA that's been round a few years. So is that (plus UC) the government's answer to people wondering how they'd survive on SSP or if they're self employed?

Are many self employed going to be eligible for those?

[SoloMummy]

[quote StrawberryJam200]@SoloMummy are you a DHSS employee? What is this new style ESA, hadn't heard about it? Is it specifically for this situation, ie being asked to self isolate?

Oh OK, sorry, have now googled and realised it's the ESA that's been round a few years. So is that (plus UC) the government's answer to people wondering how they'd survive on SSP or if they're self employed?

Are many self employed going to be eligible for those?[/quote]
Pretty much yes.
Tbh, with @KingSheathBelle being a childminder, for which people are calling out got atm with school Closures, being able to have parents paying and then when they have to isolate with their children but pay to retain their place, I'd have thought that op would actually be one of the better off self employed moving forward.