A8.101 Self-employment income support scheme (SEISS)

Division A8.1     Coronavirus (COVID-19) and business

For updates affecting this Division please see Part A0 Updates

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and self-employment

A8.101 Self-employment income support scheme (SEISS)

For the latest New Development, see ND.2138.

During the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, self-employed individuals and members of partnerships were able to claim taxable grants under the self-employed income scheme (SEISS). There have been five grants in total with the fifth SEISS closing on 30 September 2021. The fourth and fifth grants take into account 2019/20 tax returns, so those who became self-employed in 2019/20, who were excluded from the previous grants as they were based on average trading profits for 2016/17, 2017/18 and 2018/19, were eligible to claim these grants. The level of the fifth SEISS grant was determined by a turnover test, see more details below under 'Amount of the fifth grant'.

In summary, the grants were as follows:

1.  

   •     first grant for an initial period of three months, subject to a maximum amount of £7,500 in total, closed on 13 July 2020

2.  

   •     second grant, which could be claimed from 17 August 2020, for a maximum of £6,570, and which closed on 19 October 2020

3.  

   •     third grant, which covered November 2020 to January 2021, it was capped at £7,500 and closed on 29 January 2021

4.  

   •     fourth grant, which covered February 2021 to April 2021, which was capped at £7,500