The scheme will allow you to claim a taxable grant of 80% of your average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering 3 months, and capped at £7,500 altogether. This is a temporary scheme, but it may be extended.
If you receive the grant you can continue to work, start a new trade or take on other employment including voluntary work, or duties as an armed forces reservist.
The grant will be subject to Income Tax and self-employed National Insurance.
There is other support available if you’re not eligible for the grant.
HMRC will work out if you’re eligible and how much grant you may get. But you can follow these steps to help you understand how we will do this and what you can do now.
Who can claim
You can claim if you’re a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership and:
- you traded in the tax year 2018 to 2019 and submitted your Self Assessment tax return on or before 23 April 2020 for that year
- you traded in the tax year 2019 to 2020
- you intend to continue to trade in the tax year 2020 to 2021
- you carry on a trade which has been adversely affected by coronavirus
Your business could be adversely affected by coronavirus if, for example:
You’re unable to work because you:
- are shielding
- are self-isolating
- are on sick leave because of coronavirus
- have caring responsibilities because of coronavirus
You’ve had to scale down or temporarily stop trading because:
- your supply chain has been interrupted
- you have fewer or no customers or clients
- your staff are unable to come in to work
You should not claim the grant if you’re above the state aid limits or operating a trade through a trust.
To work out your eligibility we will first look at your 2018 to 2019 Self Assessment tax return. Your trading profits must be no more than £50,000 and at least equal to your non-trading income.
If you’re not eligible based on the 2018 to 2019 Self Assessment tax return, we will then look at the tax years 2016 to 2017, 2017 to 2018, and 2018 to 2019.
Find out how we will work out your eligibility including if we have to use other years.
Grants under the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme are not counted as ‘access to public funds’, and you can claim the grant on all categories of work visa.
Your tax agent or adviser cannot make the claim for you. You must make the claim yourself. If you use an agent you should contact them if you need any help or support.
How different circumstances affect the scheme
Check if your circumstances affect your eligibility, for the following:
- if your return is late, amended or under enquiry
- if you’re a member of a partnership
- if you’re on or took parental leave
- if you have loans covered by the loan charge
- if you claim averaging relief
- if you’re non-resident or chose the remittance basis
- if you’re above the state aid limits
Check if you’re eligible to claim
You can use the HMRC online tool to find out if you’re eligible to make a claim. Your tax agent or adviser can also use the online tool on your behalf.
You’ll need your:
- Self Assessment Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) number – if you do not have this find out how to get your lost UTR number
- National Insurance number – if you do not have this find out how to get your lost National Insurance number
Online services may be slow during busy times. Check if there are any problems with this service.
If you’re eligible
We’ll tell you the date you’ll be able to make a claim from and ask you to add your contact details. We will use these to remind you when the online service will be available.
If you’re not eligible
If we’ve told you that you’re not eligible to make a claim, you can ask HMRC to review this after you’ve used the online tool. If you want to do this at a later time, you’ll be able to use the online tool more than once.
Find other help and support you can get.
How much you’ll get
You’ll get a taxable grant based on your average trading profit over the 3 tax years:
- 2016 to 2017
- 2017 to 2018
- 2018 to 2019
HMRC will work out your average trading profit by adding together your total trading profits or losses for the 3 tax years, then we will divide by 3.
The grant will be 80% of your average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering 3 months, and capped at £7,500 altogether. The online service will tell you how we’ve worked the grant out.
The grant amount HMRC work out for you will be paid directly into your bank account, in one instalment.
Find out how HMRC will work out your average trading profits including if you have not traded for all 3 years.
How to claim