Coronavirus: Help for West Berkshire's sole traders is 'limited – but welcome'

'The self-employed will have a sizeable gap to bridge between now and June'

THE Government’s package of of measures for self-employed people in West Berkshire is “limited but welcome,” a trade body has said.

The chairman of R3’s Southern and Thames Valley Committee, Garry Lee, was responding to the coronavirus crisis support measures for the self-employed announced by the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak.

He said: "Even without the current coronavirus outbreak, self-employed people and sole traders in Newbury often have unpredictable income levels, making it harder for many to save for a rainy day. The Government’s announcement is a welcome, if limited, step towards evening out the support available for workers across the economy.

“The limitations do stand out. The self-employed will have a sizeable gap to bridge between now and June when the help will actually be available. That could be too long to wait for those in Newbury with no safety net. There are quite a few gaps in the support: for people who have only recently started working for themselves or who pay themselves through dividends, there may be no help at all.”

Mr Lee added: “Anyone who is in financial difficulty or starting to see signs it may be around the corner should seek advice from a professional as soon as possible. The earlier you seek advice about your personal finances, the more considered a decision you can make, and the greater range of options you have for improving your situation.”