Freelancers during this crisis and the Self Employment Income Support Scheme

[Petcha]

Is anybody else here freelance and kind of bricking it?

I don't really mind about IR35 as I go through an umbrella, but a lot of people I know are trying to get their head around that which was bad enough for most, but the virus. Hmmm... Are we screwed? Nobody's booking right, or is just me?

 

[keybored]

It is seeming a wee bit quiet for me, nothing cancelled yet but not much else on the horizon either. However I'm really tardy with invoicing (for which everyone I know tells me I'm an idiot) so I'll spend the time off catching up with that and hoping at least some of my customers are able to square up.

 

[pesh]

everythings fucked.
i have found screaming Theres no future and Englands dreaming while washing my hands quite comforting, so shout out to whoever's idea that was.

 

[frogwoman]

Well there's no choice but to carry on. We're all online talking about work and what time should we get up tomorrow

 

[Saul Goodman]

I've found life as a freelance worrier is worrying.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Seasonal freelance here with more agency work over winter. It's quite worrying, especially as my partner is in a similar boat.

Have been doing some reading to try and work out what help, if any is available. None of it good. Apparently agency can claim SSP. For freelance it's UC, something I've just got no knowledge off.

 

[miss direct]

I am screwed. Everything closed or cancelled in the last few weeks and I now have no income at all.
I've managed to pick up some online teaching, which will start on Thursday.

 

[Oula]

All my work will be cancelled as a photographer - non-essential face to face service.
Luckily Mr Oula had a proper job that should keep paying him through all of this and we have another passive income stream that I hope will also continue but may be slimmed down.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I work as a freelance editor and often wondered why working from home never became an option for some. I just finished work with one company and started with another yesterday, and both are scrambling to get people set up at home.
I currently have quite a bit of work coming up, and possibly more if I don't take my holiday to Crete in four weeks.
I turned down a straight run of 16 weeks as I simply didn't want to do a TV show for that long without a break. . . but to be honest, if they set me up at home, 16 weeks in my garden office, it sounds like a sweet deal.

 

[Manter]

I was a freelancer for 5 years, just gone perm again, delighted with myself that I had found security and so on.... and been made redundant. So I need to find work perm of freelance. Which is unsettling.
TN is employed but I’m the one whose salary pays the bulk of the bills etc. Eek

 

[Reno]

I work as a freelance editor and often wondered why working from home never became an option for some. I just finished work with one company and started with another yesterday, and both are scrambling to get people set up at home.
I currently have quite a bit of work coming up, and possibly more if I don't take my holiday to Crete in four weeks.
I turned down a straight run of 16 weeks as I simply didn't want to do a TV show for that long without a break. . . but to be honest, if they set me up at home, 16 weeks in my garden office, it sounds like a sweet deal.

I was a 3D animator for most of my adult life and I also always wondered that. I thought by now we'd all be working from home. Usually the director looks at your work once a day and gives comments otherwise you are on your own. That can all easily be done via skype, never understood why production companies made us come in. We have to produce a certain amount of work a week, so there is no slacking anyway, you could just divide your time better and save a commute.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I was a 3D animator for most of my adult life and I also always wondered that and always thought by now we'd all be working from home. Usually the director looks at your work once a day and gives comments otherwise you are on your own. That can all easily be done via skype, never understood why production companies made us come in. We have to produce a certain amount of work a week, so there is no slacking anyway, you could just divide your time better and save a commute.

I thought this would have all kicked off as soon as we went digital but it never did. This could actually be a turning point. Dubbing and graphics seem legitimate 'home' freelance jobs. . . Why not editing? They would need to provide me with all the kit though. . . Maybe that's why.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

This could actually be a turning point.

Lot of that sentiment where I work as well (online travel) - that this could be the proof that remote working is just as productive and effective as requiring everyone to travel to the same building every day (where we all sit at our desks wearing headphones and communicating via online chat anyway).

 

[Petcha]

IR35 stopped for a year. Doesn't affect me as I'm umbrella (because im so useless with accounts etc( but every other colleague whos limited is quite pleased

IR35 reforms to be delayed for a year due to coronavirus

Controversial IR35 tax reforms will be pushed back by one year from their April 2020 rollout date, less than a week after being confirmed in the Budget.

www.cityam.com

 

[Nivag]

Tomorrow is my last day of work, then all my work has been cancelled for the foreseeable future.

 

[Supine]

I work in pharma so I'm turning work away. I'm going to start struggling to do any though as people I need to work with have started going down with symptoms.

 

[Chilli.s]

My work seems to have fallen off a cliff too.

 

[cupid_stunt]

I've had clients that account for 50% of income cancel on me in the last week, it's grim.

All those clients have been hit badly, some are ceasing trading for now, not sure how some will bounce back.

 

[Petcha]

I have absolutely no idea what im going to do. My current gig is up on friday and then that's it. Nobody else is booking. I'm getting very scared.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I still have four weeks that I am currently on until I get sent home. The other jobs I have this year have called to say they have all been pushed back and the future is uncertain.

 

[StoneRoad]

Not actually freelance as I run a small and specialised business, but I'm not sleeping too well. I'm worrying about my staff and getting supplies such as timber delivered. I can't pay wages or even SSP to staff without the business having some incoming funds ... it is a vicious circle.

 

[cupid_stunt]

Not actually freelance as I run a small and specialised business, but I'm not sleeping too well. I'm worrying about my staff and getting supplies such as timber delivered. I can't pay wages or even SSP to staff without the business having some incoming funds ... it is a vicious circle.

Same here, we took a big hit last year because of all the uncertainly, my own income halved & I broke into my small savings to avoid letting any of my small team go, we were bouncing back nicely, just had the best 3 months in over a year, then this exploded.

Just been speaking to a mate that has a small printing business, he's just placed a £200k+ order for a new press, and has had loads of print jobs cancelled in the last few days, like me, he hasn't clue what to do.

 

[Proper Tidy]

Is anybody else here freelance and kind of bricking it?

I don't really mind about IR35 as I go through an umbrella, but a lot of people I know are trying to get their head around that which was bad enough for most, but the virus. Hmmm... Are we screwed? Nobody's booking right, or is just me?

IR35 changes got shelved for another year last night... Makes no difference to me, I'm a sole trader not a contractor and tbh for those that are, switching to an umbrella then back again will surely flag something with hmrc so would be wary anyway. That's if there is any point cos who's hiring.

Modern labour market is shit isn't it, 'self employment' has completely undermined the benefits and safety net won over decades for a huge chunk of workers.

 

[trashpony]

I had one client that was trying to get me to sign a new contract on payroll but I guess that's not going to happen now (I have a limited company). I still have work for the next few months but, while I've been asked if I'm available to cover during sick leave etc (and I work from home), my work is all about new business and I don't think any new business is going to come in. No one is going to start a new project in the current market.

Luckily, I'll be okay for the timebeing as I have had a really busy year, so I've earned a lot more than I've spent. I basically assume I'll only work for 6 months of the year and spend accordingly.

 

[MickiQ]

Currently working from home by diktat rather than choice (happy to do so since it is saving me commuting costs), My current contract runs out end of June, don't think it likely they will cancel it early but don't think it likely they will extend it either so I could be looking for work again just as the epidemic and its associated economic downturn are in full swing so this could be my last contract for a while. If the dry spell lasts too long, given my age I could find myself in the position where retirement is pretty much forced on me whether I want it or not.
Even so I'm luckier than most people, I have more than enough set aside to carry me through months of not working, Mrs Q has a good job, mortgage is paid off and thanks to my 25 years at Evil American Megacorp, my pension will be enough to live in reasonable comfort.

 

[pieandmashfirm]

Freelance, finished project dec 20th 2019 was due to start something jan 13th 2020 but was put back re budget issues was due to start long run of work 9th march that got cancelled and my plan B a start in april fell apart monday,Ringing around yesterday loads of jobs/studios closing down everything on hold ,uncertain times ahead

 

[spitfire]

Not actually freelance as I run a small and specialised business, but I'm not sleeping too well. I'm worrying about my staff and getting supplies such as timber delivered. I can't pay wages or even SSP to staff without the business having some incoming funds ... it is a vicious circle.

Same. Me and 1 other, both on PAYE and we are literally lasting one month to the next. Got rent to pay at the end of the month so will be hitting up the govt. for the 10k at the very least. However I'm interested to see what happens in the next few days. Things are moving very quickly.

We do e-commerce so will be interesting to see how that pans out once we get the next batch ready to go.

 

[Petcha]

Even the freelance recruitment consultants in my field are being told to prepare to be sacked

 

[spitfire]

Same. Me and 1 other, both on PAYE and we are literally lasting one month to the next. Got rent to pay at the end of the month so will be hitting up the govt. for the 10k at the very least. However I'm interested to see what happens in the next few days. Things are moving very quickly.

We do e-commerce so will be interesting to see how that pans out once we get the next batch ready to go.

Also we pay rent to a company that we sublet from. They separate arches into small kitchens and then rent to us and Deliveroo kitchens. If they get a rates cut surely that should be passed on to us? Will have to ask.

edit: I was thinking of starting a thread like this for small businesses and freelancers but then saw this one so figured it would be appropriate to jump in. Any objections?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

OK looks like I'm all facetimed up and will be setting myself up with an edit suite in the garden office for the next three weeks. I'm sure something is going to go tits up.