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Original poster

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

54 replies

KingSheathBelle · 28/05/2020 02:24

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.

OP posts:
Francina670 · 28/05/2020 16:11

Don’t download the app. Then you can’t be contacted. Simple. If you get symptoms you isolate then.

porktangle · 28/05/2020 16:46

@Francina670 that's not going to stop all the children and parents coming and going notifying tracers of her placement and all the contacts within it.

SeasonFinale · 28/05/2020 16:50

CHildminders open again from Monday don't they? I suspect if you advertise your spaces will be snapped up.

highmarkingsnowbile · 28/05/2020 16:53

This is going to put a lot of childminders out of business, but like the government cares.

ListeningQuietly · 28/05/2020 16:59

highmarking
The rules will change.
2m was only ever a made up number.
Nurseries will go bust and Childminders will cash in.

stuckindoors77 · 28/05/2020 17:02

This is going to put a lot of childminders out of business, but like the government cares.

I really don't think it will, no. As pp have said people will be snapping up your spare places with schools so uncertain still. Plus, I really don't think you're going to be called on time after time to isolate. Worst case scenario is that it goes through your families but that would be one bout where you were all isolated. Keep in mind that if there are roughly 2000 new cases per day that's one in 33,000 which are pretty long odds when you think about it.

moimichme · 28/05/2020 20:24

Why don't people think we might need to self isolate more than once? Fever, cough, loss of smell and taste - those symptoms don't only arise due to this coronavirus, so unless the govt says only to look at the app data Hmm I'm not sure how we won't be expected to self isolate over and over again all winter, at least...

moimichme · 28/05/2020 20:26

Oh yeah I forgot, we can all get tested now and self isolate and wait for however long until the test results come back.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 28/05/2020 20:36

Well the worst bit is if you are required to isolate due to contact with a positive testing person, but never develop symptoms yourself so can’t get tested. And then more than once... end of business!

stuckindoors77 · 28/05/2020 20:41

Why don't people think we might need to self isolate more than once? Fever, cough, loss of smell and taste - those symptoms don't only arise due to this coronavirus, so unless the govt says only to look at the app data  I'm not sure how we won't be expected to self isolate over and over again all winter, at least...

I thought you only had to isolate if you were within 2M of a person for 15 minutes who then tested positive.

I can't imagine how they would enforce the isolation of every contact of a person who had a bit of a cough or sniffle.... it would be chaos. Testing is key here I'd think?

OhCrumbsWhereNow · 28/05/2020 21:07

It's a complete waste of time.

All of us commute into London for over an hour on a train each way, plus public transport when we get there, Y6 DD is due to start back at school so I'll be taking her, and DH has to get their office back up and running, we'll be mixing with thousands of random people all over London who have no idea who we are or what our contact details are.

One lot of two weeks might be doable, but if it's continual then absolutely not. Are we supposed to take DD out of school every time one of us is contacted for 14 days at a time?

I would say around 80% of the people I've spoken to about this have indicated that they won't be downloading any apps and they will be avoiding calls from unknown numbers.

ListeningQuietly · 28/05/2020 21:07

On my way to work I pass one of the mega expensive testing centres every day
set up for hundred of cars at a time initially thousands
I have NEVER seen more than three cars there

the whole testing thing is a despicable shambles

moimichme · 28/05/2020 21:13

God Listening that's awful. Testing has really been a shambles. Angry

I really can't see why the govt would change its advice re: self isolating if you do have symptoms, unless they stop caring at all if it spreads. Confused Current advice is here: www.gov.uk/coronavirus

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 28/05/2020 21:15

What do you mean they’ve change their advice @moimichme?

moimichme · 28/05/2020 21:36

Sorry Georgie, I'm saying the govt haven't changed the NHS advice re: needing to self isolate if you have symptoms. And that the symptoms are similar to other colds etc. so I do think it's likely we will have to self isolate more than once over the winter months. Especially with contact tracing, which will ask us to self isolate, too.

ListeningQuietly · 28/05/2020 21:41

But they will make those who have antibodies isolate too Hmm
AND
they will not offer testing
to see if people actually need to isolate

but Deloitte get paid even when they fuck up Angry

dancinfeet · 28/05/2020 21:49

OP, I completely understand, I'm in the same position. My business cannot open under the current lockdown rules (dance school) and although I received the government grant as I have business premises, it is disappearing really fast just paying the rent on the premises whilst they stand empty. I can't even return to do one to one sessions at the moment, and with the SEISS payment only being for 3 months until the end of may, I don't know what I am supposed to live off after that (cannot use any of the grant for my own expenses, they are needed for the rent for the premises).

YourHandInMyHand · 28/05/2020 22:05

I'm also a childminder and wondering the same. I've not slept well since lockdown going to zero income overnight.

Can't claim UC due to DP's very modest wage. We both work as we need to, out outgoings need two wages.

My self employed grant came to less than I'd have earned in one month not 3 months. So while I was grateful tor receive it, it was nowhere near what I'd have actually earned.

If I have to close I'm on zero income / fees. Even before this global pandemic parents would often dose up their kids to hide temps. Doing that now could put my finances and my families health at risk.

I can't go out and work out of the house as I have an older child with special needs.

Families aren't wanting to use childcare or school I'm finding. Many have been laid off or had hours cut etc. Many don't want to pay for various reasons. I've asked my parents what their thoughts are for 1st June opening. One hasnt even replied.

There will be childcare settings closing left, right and centre but also there will be lots of parents being made redundant as well.

It's all a mess. :-(

Original poster
KingSheathBelle · 28/05/2020 23:06

If I have symptoms of course I will self isolate but only then.

I am sorry for everybody in the same boat. Sad, particularly those that can't even open up as they aren't allowed yet. If they extend the support in some way I can comply as I won't be so worried about money.

I do drop off and pick up to the local school and had started another self employed venture which didn't even get off the ground. I don't even have all the families back as not all the school years are back.

If the Gov want this to work they have to consider how self employed people can support themselves when many cannot work yet and what they will do when forced to stay home again.

OP posts:
ToothFairyNemesis · 28/05/2020 23:14

@KingSheathBelle I have symptoms of course I will self isolate but only then am I understanding this right , if you are told to isolate because you have had contact with a confirmed person with Covid19 you will ignore it and continue look after children?
Please tell me I have misunderstood.

Wewearpinkonwednesdays · 28/05/2020 23:16

I'm a childminder too OP, in Scotland and we have been advised we can reopen as of next Wednesday. Where are you?

user1487194234 · 29/05/2020 03:19

Am self employed
No help from the government
Very concerned about financial position and can't see how I could manage with taking 2 weeks off
The help for the self employed should be same as for employed
Ok for the government who are on their big guaranteed salaries

stuckindoors77 · 29/05/2020 08:59

If I have symptoms of course I will self isolate but only then.

I do drop off and pick up to the local school

So, you're going to have close contact for more than 15 minutes with a person who tests positive for covid then knowingly go to the local school and spread it there?

I sympathise with the financial aspect of this and I really hope that it gets sorted out but please reconsider your stance on this. If we want to keep people safe then it's important that we all try to play our part.

Lumene · 30/05/2020 10:52

I agree the Government needs to offer financial support for this to work.

I have a lot of sympathy with the predicament you are in OP.

But I do think you would need to tell families whose children are being looked after by you if you are track and traced. Not doing so is knowingly putting their families at risk of a deadly disease while hiding it from them.

Can you include a clause saying you must be paid in these circumstances?

JacobReesMogadishu · 30/05/2020 11:12

Sadly I suspect a lot of self employed people won’t isolate if they get a phone call saying they’ve been in contact with a case. People will cross their fingers and hope they’re ok.

So will people on zero hours contracts or those working somewhere with a strict sickness Policy.

The nhs are still using their usual 3 strike annual sickness policy and if you need to isolate due to symptoms then this is counted as a period of sickness! Nhs employees won’t isolate because they’ll be worried about losing their job if they’re absent 3x in a year.