It is often stated by MPs that small businesses are the backbone of the economy so we are today calling on the government to show their backbone and ensure that realistic financial support is available for ALL business owners. There is widespread evidence that there are millions of entrepreneurs excluded from the measures put in place so far and it was galling to hear the Chancellor of The Exchequer yesterday stick to his ridiculous claim that 95 percent of people are covered.
Prior to this crisis you regularly claimed that Britain had record levels of employment whereas, in reality, what we had was record levels of self employment. Our ‘jobs’ suited your needs then and this political expediency helped your success at the General Election where you once again positioned yourselves as the party of business. Now though, when this sector needs you most, you choose to ignore us.
We are not ‘Delboys’ or fraudsters or tax evaders nor do we choose to operate from tax havens. We pay our taxes under the rules set out by HMRC and do not deserve to be discriminated against. Therefore today we urge you to correct this wrong and make provision for the forgotten millions.
You’ve made great fanfare of the job retention scheme and have boasted about how you are helping furloughed employees get paid. How can it be fair that you can pay employees now while eligible self employed people have to wait until June? What’s more the double standard of this scheme sees even new employees getting paid whilst eligibility for the self employed is approximately 18 months standing and filed tax returns. All people registered as self employed MUST be included.
Similarly all directors of small limited companies must be treated equally. Your rules encourage them to pay themselves a small salary and then issue dividends. YOUR RULES not complex taxation arrangements employed by large companies. The needs of ordinary people need to be put above corporate greed. We pay corporation tax and tax on our dividends too so these need to be included in support. Also most directors cannot feasibly furlough themselves if they want their businesses to continue trading in the future so please take their ‘jobs’ into account.
With so many people excluded via this discrimination it is hardly surprising to see businesses opening again. You will call this irresponsible but it is the survival instinct coming to the fore. Without income how else do people feed their families? Please act now, level the playing field and prove you really are the party of business.