Government must help businesses and people excluded from support schemes

  Responding to the news that 8.9m jobs have been furloughed & 2.6m claims submitted to the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats Ed Davey said:

“The furlough scheme and income support for self-employed people, which the Liberal Democrats fought hard to get, are providing a lifeline for millions of families.

“However, far too many people are still excluded from this support, including those who recently became self-employed and those who operate as limited companies. The Chancellor must expand the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme to cover these people.

“The Government must not leave behind people and businesses without the support they need when these schemes come to an end. Many parts of our economy, such as tourism and hospitality, will simply not be back up to speed by October.

“The Government must bring forward bespoke packages of support for these industries to save jobs and prevent mass unemployment.”