During the pandemic check out our free materials for freelancers >
Like every other business, we’re being affected by restrictions brought in to tackle the spread of COVID-19/Coronavirus.
All our face to face training is on hold, and we’re expanding our webinar offer in consultation with key clients such as ScreenSkills, NUJ Training Wales and the Federation of Entertainment Unions.
We have also made the following changes:
READ MORE >Posted on 13 March 2020
What do you do when your music business is scuppered by Covid-19?
For Sussex-based jazz producer and musician Neal Richardson it was a case of thinking quickly and thinking laterally.
His music business, Splash Point Music, now broadcasts live on FaceBook and YouTube every week.
I asked Neal to explain how he’s managed to keep positive after all his gigs were cancelled in the space of one March day.
Find out more about Neal and Splash Point Music:
www.splashpointmusic.com >
Splash Point Jazz on FaceBook >
Splash Point Music’s YouTube channel >
Posted on 22 May 2020
A side effect of lockdown has been a growing familiarity with online socialising, whether it’s a Zoom pub quiz, a family gathering by WhatsApp video, or a jazz night live from Eastbourne via FaceBook Live.
As a trainer, I’ve also spent many hours running courses online using Zoom and ClickMeeting. And we’ve all been getting used to learning and networking while staring at a screen.
But as with real life, some people need to be reminded that you don’t behave exactly the same way when you’re socialising as you do in a ‘professional’ space. Even if you do both via Zoom.
Among the Zoom faux pas I have seen or heard about:
READ MORE >Posted on 03 May 2020
The government’s voluntary furloughing scheme for employers opened for business on Monday 20 April. Within a day the government reported 140,000 employers had logged on to reclaim money for furloughed staff.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme on gov.uk >
Any employer can apply to furlough employees, and that includes freelancers who run a company and take a salary from it using a PAYE scheme.
Posted on 23 April 2020
If you’re worried about your finances and wondering what support may be available to you, this page suggests a number of steps to take.
Before investigating any form of support it’s important to first assess your current situation, then estimate for the next few months any income/cash from any source (including savings) and compare that to all anticipated costs.
This will help you quantify the level of support you might need before you go looking for it.
And check out our advice and guidance on our Free Stuff page.
Directors of small limited companies typically take income from their company in two ways:
READ MORE >Posted on 14 April 2020
If you’re worried about your finances and wondering what support may be available to you, this page suggests a number of steps to take.
Before investigating any form of support it’s important to first assess your current situation, then estimate for the next few months any income/cash from any source (including savings) and compare that to all anticipated costs.
This will help you quantify the level of support you might need before you go looking for it.
And check out our advice and guidance on our Free Stuff page.
If you are registered as a sole trader, the government calls you ‘self-employed’.
READ MORE >Posted on 14 April 2020
If you’re worried about your finances and wondering what support may be available to you, this page suggests a number of steps to take.
Before investigating any form of support it’s important to first assess your current situation, then estimate for the next few months any income/cash from any source (including savings) and compare that to all anticipated costs.
This will help you quantify the level of support you might need before you go looking for it.
And check out our advice and guidance on our Free Stuff page.
If you are paid through a payroll system with tax and/or national insurance taken off by the employer, you are treated by the government as an employee.
READ MORE >Posted on 14 April 2020
The loan schemes are aimed at people who run businesses, where there is a problem with cashflow because of the pandemic.
This technically includes freelancers who are sole traders, in partnerships or run their own limited companies. All are types of business in the UK.
There are two main loan schemes:
Bounce Back Loans are more likely to be taken up by small businesses such as sole traders and limited company freelancers as the amounts are small and the government will stand behind 100% of the loan.
The schemes are meant to operate like this:
In practice, there are a number of reasons why loan schemes might not be attractive to freelancers:
READ MORE >Posted on 13 April 2020
If you have been receiving income through payroll systems, under PAYE, the new Job Retention Scheme might help you.
But there are a number of restrictions which means freelancers could miss out.
The scheme is supposed to work in the following way:
READ MORE >Posted on 13 April 2020
If you’re running a VAT registered business of any type, you’ll be aware that the government is allowing you to defer paying any VAT payment that was due between 20 March and 30 June 2020.
Here is a link to the scheme description on gov.uk:
Coronavirus VAT deferral scheme >
I have a couple of thoughts which might be helpful:
READ MORE >Posted on 28 March 2020
On 26 March 2020 the Chancellor announced his new scheme to help people who are self-employed and have no work or reduced income.
On 29 May he announced a second grant, available from August, modelled on the first, but at a lower rate.
He is helping sole traders only but with strict eligibility criteria:
READ MORE >Posted on 26 March 2020
Face to face training has been postponed as of 17 March 2020.
We've increased the number of webinars and online training sessions.
Check our range of free stuff - help sheets, downloads and advice for freelancers.