
Guidance on the COVID-19 Self-Employment Income Support Scheme
Guidance on the latest updates to the Self-Employment Income Support scheme
This page provides information on the organisations and charities who have set up emergency funding to assist the music, creative and entertainment sectors.
This page will be updated when further advice or information is released. It was last updated on 11 January 2021.
Applications to the COVID-19 Support Fund are currently paused. Further information can be found on the AIM website.
Applications to the emergency funding package for individual is now closed. Further information about Arts Council England (ACE) can be found on the ACE website.
Further information about Arts Council of Northern Ireland funding can be found here.
Applications for funding to support individuals is now closed. Further information about Arts Council of Wales can be found here.
Creative Scotland's Hardship Fund for Creative Freelancers is still available.
The fund supports creative freelancers working in Scotland who are experiencing immediate financial hardship due to the loss of income caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. More information can be found on the Creative Scotland website.
To receive funding you must be a freelance creative professional working in the arts and creative sector in Scotland. And you must be able to demonstrate that you were working and making income before lockdown began in March 2020.
£5 million has been allocated to this fund and you can request bursaries of £500 to £2,000. If you have specific access needs, then you may request more than this.
Visit the Creative Scotland website to apply. At present there is no published deadline.
Creative Scotland launched three funding programmes designed to sustain the country’s freelance creative community during the COVID-19 outbreak. Open Fund: Sustaining Creative Development is still open.
Funding is available to individuals and organisations to help explore ways of working that will enable you to adapt and respond to the current changing circumstances.
More information can be found on the Creative Scotland website.
Freelance and self-employed artists and creative practitioners in Scotland can apply for funding to support the development of their practice. You may apply for funding to work with others if your practice is collaborative. You must have a UK bank account.
As an individual, you will be able to apply for a grant between £1,000 and £50,000.
It is expected that most applications will be up to £15,000. If you are requesting more than £15,000 you will need to provide additional information.
Funding is also available for organisations.
Applications opened on 3 April 2020. The fund is open all year round, with no deadlines and can support activity for up to 12 months.
Education support are offering a confidential grants service to those in the education sector. More information can be found here.
If you are working in or retired from the education sector and are suffering financial problems caused by unemployment, ill health, sudden life events, bereavement or a personal injury they may be able to offer support. You must be UK based and have taught or been employed by or in a UK school, college or university; this must be paid employment and you must have been employed for a minimum of one academic term.
Successful applicants will receive a grant, the sum is unspecified on their website.
You can apply for the grant directly on their website.
The Equity Charitable Trust has received funding from Arts Council England to disburse to professional performers.
Further information can be found on the Equity website.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, new applications for Education Grants are not being considered at this time. Previous applicants, who have already received an Education Grant, may apply for ongoing funding. You do not need to be an Equity member in order to apply. Other musicians are excluded from the scheme.
Successful applicants can receive a grant up to £2,500.
Download the Welfare Grants application form. Send the completed form together with a CV, via email, to [email protected].
Applications will be considered on a weekly basis.
The third phase of this funding is now open. Further information on support Help Musicians can offer can be found on the Help Musicians website.
You must be a self-employed or currently unemployed professional musician (to qualify as a professional musician you must usually earn 50% or more of your income from actively performing music, creating music or undertaking a role that requires a high level of musical skill). The full criteria can be found here.
Grant payments from the time your application is successful to March 2021 to top-up Universal Credit payments where relevant. If you do not qualify for Universal Credit , an assessment will be made based on your individual circumstances.
Visit Help Musicians to apply.
Further information on the fund is on the MU website.
The fund is open to any current MU member who is a full rate member, is a UK resident and is suffering genuine hardship from loss of work due to coronavirus.
You will only be able to apply to this hardship fund once.
Successful applicants will receive a one-off payment of £200. The money will be transferred to your bank account.
Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria should complete the online application form.
Applicants will be notified within 3 working days to confirm whether they have been successful or not with funds being released to successful applicants within a further 5 working days.
This fund is now closed. Further information can be found on the ORA singers website.
This fund is not currently accepting new applications. Further information about PRS can be found on the PRS website.
This fund is not currently accepting new applications. Further information can be found on the PRS Foundation website.
This fund is not currently accepting new applications. Further information can be found on the PRS Foundation website.
This fund is not currently accepting new applications. Further information can be found on the PRS Foundation website.
The Royal Society of Musicians (RSM) has donated £1,000,000 to the Help Musicians Coronavirus Hardship Fund. Requests for assistance in respect of coronavirus should be directed to Help Musicians. If you require assistance for anything else, contact the RSM office on [email protected] or by telephone 020 7629 6137.
RPS are offering a new fund to help classical music performers develop their skill set and devise new ways to showcase their talent, in light of the pandemic.
The fund is open to professional classical performers (instrumentalists, singers and conductors) based in the UK and Ireland. There is no age limit but it is not open to students. You can apply as an individual or as a chamber group.
This depends on the tier you apply to. The majority of grants will fall under the General tier, which offers grants for a sum up to £2,500. Additionally, for a small number of applicants, there is a Trailblazer tier, which offers a larger grant of up to £10,000.
Visit RPS Enterprise Fund to apply. The closing date is 21 February 2021.
This fund was paid in May and they do not appear to be accepting new applications. Check on the Scottish Government website for further updates.
The Welsh Government has launched a ‘Start Up Grant’ to support new businesses in Wales in dealing with the severe impact of Coronavirus who have not been eligible to benefit from the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme.
To be eligible for the grant businesses must have been set up between the 1 April 2019 and 1 March 2020 and not qualify for Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and have not received funding from the Economic Resilience Fund or the Non-Domestic Rates grant.
Businesses should have turnover less than £50,000 and will have experienced a drop of more than 50% income between April and June 2020.
A grant of £2,500.
The Start Up Grant is being administered by local authorities and accessed through the Economic Resilience Fund eligibility checker on the Business Wales website.
Applicants are required to submit a short application form and self-declaration that is supported by evidence. In addition, applicants will be required to sign up to Business Wales start-up support and advice and align with the ethos and principles of the economic contract that is part of the Welsh government’s economic action plan.
Applications to this fund are now closed. Further information about the The Film and TV Charity can be found here.
There are two strands of support available. The Fleabag Support Fund opens monthly to provide assistance with financial hardship. More information can be found on the TRTF website.
The Theatre Community Fund supports creativity and innovation and is currently due to start accepting applications again in late 2020 or early 2021. More information can be found on the Theatre Community Fund website.
The Van Morrison Official Rhythm and Blues Foundation offers the Lockdown Financial Hardship Fund. Phase one of the fund is closed but they plan to open phase 2 in early 2021. Visit their website for more information.
A third phase of the Freelancer Fund will open on 23 November which will make a further £3.5m available to freelancers across the creative industries. Further details are yet to be announced
The Royal Variety Charity
The Incorporated Association of Organists Benevolent Fund
You can find out more about benefits that may be available to you through Turn2Us and Citizens Advice.
You can also get information on how each devolved nation organises its crisis and community care funds in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In England, this kind of fund is administrated by local councils. Search online for the name of your council and 'Local Welfare Fund' or find out more on emergency help in England.
In England, if you are required to self-isolate, are unable to work as a result and are on a low income, you may be eligible for the £500 Test and Trace Support Payment. Contact your local authority for more details.
There are some grants and benefit loans are available through the Social Fund.
Guidance on the latest updates to the Self-Employment Income Support scheme
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