AQW 12496/17-22 Written question to the Minister for the Economy
To ask the Minister for the Economy whether she is considering providing COVID-19 financial support to individuals who became self-employed in the 2020/21 financial year.
Asked by Stewart Dickson MLA on 12 January 2021
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 12 January 2021
- Answer due by
- 27 January 2021
- Answered
- 19 January 20217 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for the Economy
- Priority question
- No
Answer
The UK Government’s Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) was launched in March 2020, and many thousands of people throughout Northern Ireland have availed of this support. However, it excluded those who started trading in 2019/20.
Therefore, on 3 December 2020, the Minister for the Economy launched the Newly Self-Employed Support Scheme (NSESS), which is specifically targeted at this population.
However, there is a £10 million funding envelope for the scheme and the eligibility criteria was designed within this funding envelope. The utilisation of any underspend from this scheme as well as any wider funding support will be a decision for the Executive to make collectively.
I along with my Executive colleagues continue to consider all options to provide support to as wide a range of businesses as possible during this pandemic.