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Related: Lockdown Learning, discuss home schooling during lockdown.
Covid
Self employed and No sick pay what are we meant to do ?
marshgame · 04/03/2020 12:26
What happens for the self employed if they need to quarantine themselves as el t get paid (not an option for Dh to work from home)
What is in place to help others like us aibu to be worried
ComtesseDeSpair · 04/03/2020 12:37
It isn’t just the self employed. Self-isolation will also affect employees who only have statutory sick pay entitlement or who haven’t been employed long enough to qualify for sick pay. I’m not sure there’s really any plan in place to support self-isolation, it will affect most people in some way. I suppose we just all hope for the best.
Being objective here rather than emotive - I suppose when you choose to run a business or be self-employed, part of the decision making process should be around risk mitigation and business continuity in terms of planning for periods when you might be sick or unable to work or just not generating much income - Coronavirus shouldn’t really be any different to if you couldn’t work for several days or weeks or even months due to any reason. If one were to be really harsh, if you couldn’t survive two weeks without an income if you had to, whatever the reason, you don’t have a viable business and haven’t planned your finances well enough. And even then, there’s a difference between the genuine self-employed and business owners and those who work in the gig economy out of necessity.
Kazzyhoward · 04/03/2020 12:41
Surely you have put aside your tax/NIC dues from your profits, so you can tap in to those savings for a short while to tide you over.
Those without savings etc really need to plan their finances to start building up some savings for this exact possibility.
Hoik · 04/03/2020 12:43
You might be able to claim ESA if you meet the criteria but by the time its processed and paid you would probably be past the two weeks isolation anyway.
marshgame · 04/03/2020 12:45
No savings and no way of saving as we are financially living week to week it’s that hard
SE was the only choice when he lost his job we were literally thrown into it as the only alternative to unemployment so feeling
stressed now
Get tax credits not changed to IC yet so would that be what happens ? But that’s such a delay I’ve heard ?
marshgame · 04/03/2020 12:46
And do you have to go in person to apply? Maybe not the best idea if needing to self isolate
Immunocompromised v unwell child in the house too. Basically a disaster
help1653 · 04/03/2020 12:46
Not be self employed? Thats the risk you take when you work for yourself. And in contrast its why so many people take less money that they could get elsewhere to do public sector jobs, because the sick pay and other benefits make it worthwhile.
JustInCaseCakeHappens · 04/03/2020 12:48
I am not being goady, what were you planning to do if you broke your leg or had a bad illness keeping you for a week or so in bed? It happens, what was your plan?
marshgame · 04/03/2020 12:49
There was no other work ! It wasn’t a choice as such it was the only option been looking all the time as well and no job offers so had to stay self employed
help1653 · 04/03/2020 12:49
You would usually have to visit the job centre to switch to UC yes. It might be worth you contacting CA or another charity to do a better off calculation and see if you would be better off on UC. If you are then you could switch now and then if your husband has to self isolate and loses money that week your UC would go up. Its not a good idea if he doesn't earn close to minimum wage out of his business though.
Doyoumind · 04/03/2020 12:49
I think you would potentially have to see what you could do about missing agreeing one missed payment of your bills or something like that and cutting back as far as possible from this point onwards.
marshgame · 04/03/2020 12:50
The only plan we had was keep getting money coming in to pay the bills and buy food been looking for actual employment all the time but nothing has come up so have had to stay SE
What will we do are there benefits that will be available either added to tax credits or a new UC claim ?
marshgame · 04/03/2020 12:55
Maybe we should try If we can to get a credit card for emergencies
marshgame · 04/03/2020 12:55
I’ll have to see if that’s a possibility otherwise he’s going to be working unless he’s bed bound I think
PointlessAddict · 04/03/2020 12:58
It’s rubbish op I really feel for you. Sadly a lot of the posters on your thread seem devoid of empathy and understanding that self employed work might be the only work people can get and that you only earn enough to live on. We’re not all in public sector jobs where you can sit on your arse and rake in a full salary 6 months for doing nothing
marshgame · 04/03/2020 13:00
I’m just worried too I don’t want dh to go in and spread it but what if has a cold are we meant to assume he has and needs to stay off but what if it is just a cold then he’s missed work and didn’t need to and lost money
marshgame · 04/03/2020 13:04
No was going to pay them in a lump which hasn’t been done this tax year yet
KaptenKrusty · 04/03/2020 13:09
it may not even happen - I wouldn't get overly worried tbh! By all means, get a credit card for emergencies if something bad does happen! I can't work from home either, need to be here 5 days a week! I'll cross the bridge IF it comes to it about what to do financially! Not much else I can do - I can't get any extra money from anywhere in the meantime so can't really plan/prep! And worrying and thinking about it won't help!
Just gonna keep going to work for now and the foreseeable future!
KaptenKrusty · 04/03/2020 13:11
Has your Husband been in China or north Italy?? does he need to self quarantine? or are you just asking what if?
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