Nearly two-thirds of self-employed workers in Leeds benefit from second round of government grants

But the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed says businesses still “reeling” from the impact of Covid-19 need further support, as a second wave of the virus seems imminent.

HM Revenue and Customs figures show around 20,500 people in Leeds applied to the second round of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) between August 17 and the end of the month. That was 62 per cent of those in the area who were eligible to make a claim.

From May 13 to mid-July, eligible self-employed workers could claim a grant worth 80 per cent of their average monthly profits for a three-month period, limited to £7,500. The grant was extended in August, but lowered to 70 per cent of profits and capped at £6,570, with applications closing on October 19.

Claims made by people in Leeds amounted to £48 million, or £2,300 per person on average. In the first round of the scheme the average claim was worth £2,700. Construction workers made the largest number of claims across Yorkshire and the Humber (46,700) and the most common age group was 45-54 (40,300).

Andy Chamberlain, director of policy at IPSE, said: “As a second wave of coronavirus approaches, local lockdowns and individual quarantining measures are inevitable. Government must do more to support businesses that will be impacted by these restrictions.”

A Treasury spokesman said: “We’re committed to supporting the self-employed, and our Self Employment Income Support Scheme is one of the most generous in the world.”