Self-Employed HMRC update

[Snorkelface]

HMRC has added a few updates for the self employed grant scheme.

www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme

While HMRC will be contacting eligible claimants directly over the next couple of weeks with more specific details you can now see if you're eligible to claim and what date you'll be able to lodge your claim by using their on-line tool (about half way down their web page).

You'll need your UTR and NI number to do this and it will also give you the opportunity to set up your Gateway account if you don't already have one and to update your contact details. It's a good idea to set this up now as the website is likely to get very busy when it goes live on 13th May.

You can find both your UTR and NI number on your tax return. If you're setting up your Gateway at the same time you'll need to provide email/mobile details and you'll need to set up additional security measures to identify you using either security questions or drivers license details or your passport. The system can time out so it's a good idea to have all the details to hand.

Jelly - they couldn't identify me when I answered the questions first time, just try again, the site is a bit jumpy. I wouldn't leave it until the 14th, the site will get very busy from the 13th onwards.

Ahaa Snorkel, i'll try again tomorrow and see what happens!
The last bit of security questions seemed bizarre, and i got allocated a day to claim, but not a time..

Snorkelface thanks for that. Just wondering how I confirm that my business has been affected? If it's simply a case of ticking a box eg loss of customers I'll be fine but I can't suddenly produce three months of bank statements etc to prove it. Although, I'm guessing they won't have time to he scrutinizing stuff like that for small businesses and will be cracking down on large scale fraud

Yerroblemom1923 - I really wouldn't worry about it. It'll just be a tick box on the claim. I think it's just to make remind everyone this grant is there for a reason and it's income. And remember the grant is supposed to cover March April and May and is being given out before May's even finished so it's really not that specific or how would you know how much you'd been affected during whole of May! Also self employed people don't necessarily get paid on a regular basis so bank statements really don't mean anything - as long as you feel your business has suffered because of coronavirus then that's fine.

That's true, as you say it's simply covering what we would have made over the three months - it's not any extra money, and it will only be 80% and I'm thinking a lot less as it's not based on the 2019/2020 self assessment which for many could be their busiest year....OK let's see what Wednesday brings

Thankyou for this thread. We had given up on at as we hadn't heard anything and thought the advice was to wait until contacted. DP is eligible and we have to apply after midday on 15th may. Such a relief. He doesn't actually earn much so it won't be that much but it's looking like mortgage holiday is goung to be delayed as we were behind. We have brought it up to date but just keep getting texts saying to keep waiting/paying - err, what with??

Also we have started receiving universal credit, not a great deal but it helped will we have to repay that out of the grant?
Also does anyone know if UC counts as taxable income and also will they stop the tax from the grant payment or do we need to pay that in 2020/2021 tax return?

Flummoxed

LEM
UC counts as taxable income, as does the grant.
When you come to do your 20/21 tax return you'll fill out the SE pages (including the grant in your turnover)
and then the boxes in the main return about taxable benefits received
so basically you are quids up until January 2022

Thanks. Useful info x

I’ve had to appeal as it says more than 50% was in employment. Certainly last two years weren’t so hopefully it’s something missing somewhere.

Does anyone know how it works if someone works under the Construction Industry Scheme?

DH does some work under the scheme and in 2018/19 he did quite a bit or work which fell under it.

We believed that it would make no difference to getting the grant as, after all, he is not employed by the company but sub contracts to them.

Lynsey
CIS is still the Self employment pages.
The CIS is just tax deducted at source.
The figures for his Sunak Money are the taxable income from the SA302.

@ListeningQuietly so cannot work out why he has been told he is not eligible.

Does he have other income ?
PAYE, house rental, investments
as SA has to be 50% of your income to be eligible

@ListeningQuietly no other income, no PAYE, no house rental or investments.

We have both read the criteria over and over again and, let's be honest, it doesn't seem that difficult to understand and we both think he should be eligible.

We just assumed he would be until he went on line to be told he isn't. We have asked for it to be reviewed so there is a chance it's a mistake but just feel worried.

It seems quite a lot of people have been told they are not eligible when they were sure they were and have not been given a reason.

We were told HMRC won't get back to us until after 18th May so we just have to wait and see. If he is not eligible we want a reason why not

Go for review and KEEP FIGHTING

I think it’ll be ok. So many people have requested a review it has to be a glitch

Just checked mine and it says I'm not eligible.

Been SE since 2010, tax returns sent every year, on time.
Just realised it's because I also had a VERY part time job, employed, 2015-2019, and that paired with carers allowance took me just £300 over the 50% earnings from income other than self employed, argh!
Self employed income has been my only income since October 2019, and since lockdown I've been earning 20-30% of my usual income, wasn't worrying too much as I thought I'd get the grant. Poop! Guess I'll get nothing.

Just to clarify, took me £300 over 50%, over the whole year! Fab....

Apply for the bounce back
Loan ? Interest free for 12 months. Tide you over

Stupid question but when our date arrives where we can log on to make a claim, where do we log on to? Is it our Gateway account?

Mine is tomorrow at 8am, I want to be prepared!

I think so? Let us know how you get on? I can apply midday on Thursday.

Finally got through to HMRC and got my correct Gateway account number which is registered for my self employed status. I have 4 of them now! 😂

I will!
I'm really anxious about it. I've been fully self employed since March '19 but in previous years self employed and had a part time job so I'm wondering how/if that'll effect the outcome.
I'm also about to receive backdated maternity allowance and don't know if that changes anything either?
We shall see tomorrow

Washyourhands
I have so many gateway accounts (as an agent) its ridiculous.

Pollys
No idea but anything is better than nothing so go for it

Nothing from the Chancellor today. Of course, he's talking about the next phase when we're just about to get our first phase help

But I wonder if our one-off payment (which I will be extremely relieved to see in my account after this week!) will be just that – one-off? Leaving us to sink or swim in the lean months ahead.

I think it's possible there is work out there in my niche, but as long as I've got the kids at home it's very hard to devote enough time to getting out there and finding it, and then actually doing it!

I’m trading (online business... NOT MLM!) but things are down and I’m relying on customer’s goodwill. Some have been with me over 20 years.

@pollysproggle good luck tomorrow, keeping everything crossed for you.