Uncertainty over financial 'lifeline' for self-employed across region

  • Video report by ITV News Meridian's Penny Silvester

For many self-employed people and freelancers, there is huge uncertainty about where they will get their money from with so many businesses forced to close as a result of the pandemic.

The chancellor Rishi Sunak today conceded coming up with financial support for the self-employed, which is still being worked on due to "particular complexities".

It is expected that a support package will be announced tomorrow (Thursday).

Mark Beadman is a self-employed electrician from Bournemouth. Credit: ITV Meridian

Among those in the region is electrician Mark Beadman from Bournemouth, who has today delivered a cooker to a cancer nurse who works at Poole Hospital.

He says: "It's very tough. Some work has been cancelled for elderly and vulnerable patients understandably. At the moment I'm doing work for clients that have issues where it's important that things get replaced like ovens that need replacing and similar emergencies. I am concerned and I think the next two months will be very, very tough for all self-employed businesses. I'm worried for myself, and for my clients."

Sadie Hurley runs her own theatre company in Kent. Credit: ITV Meridian

Sadie Hurley set up her own theatre company, Jimjam Arts, in Folkestone in Kent and says the self-employed desperately need to hear they're going to get financial help.

She says: "It's going to be a really challenging few months and I just really hope that something gets put in place to help people get through this tough time. I know it's a lot more difficult with self-employed people, but I think if they can do it for the employed population then I really think they should try and have the same for the self-employed. It's going to be a real lifeline for people."

Sadie says she's now set up online workshops to still connect with people that she works with, including those that are vulnerable.

Boris Johnson warned that the self-employed may not be able to get through the coronavirus crisis "without any kind of hardship at all".

But the Prime Minister said he wanted to get "parity of support" so the self-employed could have similar levels of protection to waged workers.

Motorists have now been given a six month reprieve on their MOTs starting from the end of the month.

Vehicles will still need to be roadworthy, which means garages can stay open for essential repairs.

Mark Brett is a workshop director at Haynes Care Care Centre in Wallingford in Oxfordshire.

He says: "The only problems I can foresee is in being the routine maintenance. The MOT is checking the minimum on your vehicle, so the tyres have got to be on the minimum [of checks], so if the tyres are not being checked by an MOT inspector, that means there's lots of cars out there that could be unsafe for the road."

Mark Brett is a workshop director at a garage in Wallingford in Oxfordshire. Credit: ITV Meridian

Plasterers, decorators, builders and plumbers are among the trades that rely on the construction business.

However there have been renewed calls for the industry to be shut down in order to keep workers safe, but so far the Prime Minister has not bowed to that pressure.