Northern Ireland Economy Minister announces new COVID-19 support scheme for the newly self-employed

New scheme to provide one-off taxable grant of £3,500 to eligible applicants who started trading as self-employed between 6 April 2019 and 5 April 2020

Northern Ireland Economy Minister Diane Dodds has announced a new COVID-19 support scheme for the newly self-employed.

Setting out details of the £10 million Newly Self-Employed Support Scheme (NSESS) which opens at 6.00pm today, Ms Dodds said -

'I am pleased to be able to announce this new support scheme which will help thousands more businesses in need across Northern Ireland.

It will provide financial support to newly self-employed individuals (sole traders and those in partnerships) whose business is adversely impacted by COVID and who have not been able to access support from the UK government’s Self-Employed Income Support Scheme.'

Under the NSESS, newly self-employed individuals (sole traders and those in partnerships) will be eligible for a one-off taxable grant of £3,500 if -

• they commenced trading as self-employed between 6 April 2019 and 5 April 2020;
• their business has been adversely impacted by COVID-19; and
• their trading profits for 2019/2020 are below £50,000, and over 50 per cent of their income is from self-employment. 

NB - the scheme will close for applications at 6.00pm on 7 January 2021.

For more information, see Dodds announces new support scheme for newly self-employed from ni.gov.uk