Question reference: S5W-34552
- Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 13 January 2021
-
Current status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 27 January 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what financial assistance is available to self-employed sports and fitness coaches whose livelihoods have been impacted by the COVID-19 restrictions.
Answer
In November 2020, the UK Government extended the Self Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) for a further six months. The grant is available to self-employed individuals who were eligible for previous funding under the scheme, although they do not need to have claimed the previous grants. The Scottish Government has set aside funding of £15 million for a second iteration of the Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund that we introduced in April 2020 in order to mitigate the financial challenges for those who are unable to access the SEISS. We are working to finalise the delivery mechanism and criteria for this fund and will publish more detail shortly.