Now help forgotten 5 million

Business groups and unions press Chancellor on self-employed bailout

- PIPPA CRERAR

RISHI Sunak is under pressure to speed up plans to bail out five million self-employed workers whose livelihoods could vanish “in the blink of an eye”.

Business groups and unions have urged the Chancellor to do more to help Britain’s freelancers, contractors, self-employed and creatives – who were offered just £94 a week.

Mr Sunak confirmed plans last week for at-risk employees to have up to 80% of their wages paid, up to a maximum of £2,500 a month.

He is now “actively considering” ways to plug the gaps in the support package amid claims he had “left behind” the self-employed.

British Chamber of Commerce director general Dr Adam Marshall warned that thousands of sole traders need immediate help to survive as their livelihoods “vanish”.

He said: “The government has taken massive steps to help businesses. Ministers must now ramp up support for the self-employed, many of whom have seen their livelihoods vanish in the blink of an eye.

“There are five million people who need help similar in scale and scope to that put in place for larger firms.”