If you are a Self Employed, this week HMRC will set a date between 13 May and 18 May to apply for a grant.
You should verify your eligibility first.
Who is eligible:
Self-employed individuals or a member of a partnership (as long as certain conditions are met, see below).
Eligibility criteria
Claims can be made by self-employed individuals or members of a partnership where the taxpayer:
• has submitted their self assessment tax return for the tax year 2018 to 2019;
• traded in the tax year 2019 to 2020;
• has lost trading profits due to coronavirus
• is trading when they apply, or would be except for coronavirus;
• and intends to continue to trade in the tax year 2020 to 2021;

The taxpayer will need to confirm to HMRC that their business has been adversely affected by coronavirus. HMRC will as usual use a risk based approach to compliance.
The taxpayers trading profits must also be no more than £50,000 and more than half of their total income for either:
• the tax year 2018 to 2019; or
• the average of the tax years 2016 to 2017, 2017 to 2018, and 2018 to 2019.

HMRC have started contacting self-employed they repute eligible customers since May 4th and are inviting customers to use the online checker to have a quick confirmation whether they are eligible or not.
Eligible Self Employed will receive a specific date from which they can make a claim.
The SEISS application portal will open to taxpayers on a staged basis between 13 and 18 May, with the portal opening on different days for different taxpayers.

As an agent we are welcome to help our clients by:
• ensuring they are aware they may be eligible
• helping them to find the details they need
• using the online eligibility checker on their behalf (or supporting them to use it themselves)
• requesting a review to HMRC who will look at their case from 18 May and will explain their eligibility by the end of May.

As an agent we won’t be able to make a claim on behalf of our clients
But we will help them to follow the online application for the given date, between 13 and 18 May, from which they can apply and
• Set their Government Gateway credentials (user ID and password)
• Check that their bank and contact details are up to date.

The application process
When the application process goes live on 13 May, we can continue to support you.
The application process will show how HMRC has calculated the grant you are due to receive. You can share this calculation with us.
And If you, or we wish to seek a review of this calculation, we can do so on behalf of our client.
We’d welcome you to ask us to support you in helping to understand if you meet the criteria for SEISS. Contact us if you wish.