Last month (October 2020) a large gathering of musicians staged a protest outside of parliament over the lack of help and funding from the government as they had previously had let the entertainment and creative industries go under the carpet and forgot about them. It wasn’t helped by comments made by Rishi Sunak telling musicians and other creatives to retrain rather than help them more like other industries and schemes like the furlough scheme.

It was reported earlier in the week here at mxdwn UK that the government will continue the SEISS for the creative industries and although that was great for a lot of self-employed and freelancers to hear it still hasn’t helped to properly fund them through lockdown and the pandemic. It also isn’t helped by the fact that the earliest that people can apply to claim the SEISS is at the end of November on the 30th meaning that they will go almost the whole of the second lockdown without any help.

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The extension of #furlough and #SEISS is fantastic news for many of our members, and we’re delighted that the Chancellor @RishiSunakMP listened to our campaign and lobbying calls. Now it’s time to close the gaps in support that 38% musicians and 3 million #ExcludedUK fall through. Take action now! Write to your MP Find out how at the link in bio. [Image description: carousel of four photographs from the Let Music Live demo in Parlimant Square on Tuesday 6 October 2020. Photo 1: rows of musicians in red masks hold their positions during a two minute silence Photo 2: a young percussionist holds still with his timpani mallets in the air during the two minute silence Photo 3: rows of musicians in red masks hold their positions during a two minute silence Photo 4: a woman in a black face mask and black clothes looking to camera. Behind her are musicians and videographers. She is holding a home made sign that says: arts and culture contribute ten point eight billion a year to the economy #WeAreViable #LetMusicLive Photo 5: Chair of the Musicians’ Union Executive Committee and horn player Dave Lee tunes up. A man in a black suit and mask is photobombing over Dave’s shoulder. In the background hundreds of musicians in socially distant rows get ready for the performance] #MusicDeservesBetter #LetTheMusicPlay #ExcludedUK #ForgottenFreelancers #ForgottedLTD #WeMakeEvents #WeAreViable #DIYMusician #FreelanceMusician #Covid19UK #CoronavirusUK #OrchestralMusician #FreelanceLife #Activist #TradeUnion #KeepMusicLive #BehindEveryMusician

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As it stands the musicians union and other creative industries unions are initially happy with the government’s U-turn on wanting to help the creative industries. However, it hasn’t hit the mark that is the difference between survival and certain individual’s potential hitting hard times. With some potentially having to use food banks others are concern with being able to pay bills and supporting families.

Many MPs have spoken about the neglect shown to the creative arts throughout both lockdowns and the pandemic. As reported on the BBC “Labour MP Chris Elmore told the House of Commons there were “growing numbers of freelancers, musicians, performance artists who are excluded” from support.” Despite the help that has been given there is a stark difference between and the furlough scheme and SEISS.

Where the furlough scheme helps businesses pay 80% of workers wages the SEISS works differently and base it on the average of what a self-employed freelancer makes in a given time frame and gives a percentage. Bear in mind that a lot of self-employed and freelancers work more than one job even taking on more than one in one day to make ends meet.

It has also been reported by The Equity performers’ union that around 40% of its members have been deemed ineligible for the SEISS. It is obvious that no one can truly be prepared for a pandemic however, it gets to a point where freelancers and the self-employed have been neglected and lead some to really lose faith in the government and even think that it is deliberate (given the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s comments)

After the Sunday announcement from Downing Street with Boris Johnson saying that a second lockdown was coming in the next week, Johnson also mentioned the extension to the furlough scheme that has been set in place since the first lockdown in Mach. This led to a lot of self-employed workers (from all industries as well as the music industry) what will happen to them.

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UPDATE [2 Nov, 7pm] Government announced details of the nationwide lockdown in England, and extensions to the Government’s SEISS and furlough schemes UK-wide. SEISS is going up to 80% for November – but it is nowhere near parity with employed people as it goes back down to 40% in December. And there’s still no word on closing gaps in support that 38% musicians and 3m #ExcludedUK fall through Read our full #Lockdown2UK update at the link in bio. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ This morning @rishisunakmp said #SEISS will be expanded. This is critical. 70% musicians are unable to undertake more than a quarter of their usual work, and 36% do not have any work at all. Our members and all self employed people should receive an equal level of support as #furlough And the gaps that 38% musicians and 3m #ExcludedUK fall through must be closed. https://musiciansunion.org.uk/Home/News/2020/Nov/England-to-Go-Under-Nationwide-Lockdown [Image description: carousel of two slides. Slide 1: a screengrab of a tweet from BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. Text says: Rishi Sunak says the PM will unveil more help for self employed: “what we have done, typically… is adjust the value of the grants, as we have adjusted the value of the support to those who are employed… you can expect us to do the same again” #R4Today Slide 2: a quote from MU General Secretary Horace Trubridge. Text says: Our members are creative, pioneering, entrepreneurial people who have invested a huge amount of time and money in honing their talent. They should be receiving an equal level of support as people on PAYE.] #MusiciansUnion #MusiciansLife #SelfEmployed #SelfEmployedLife #SelfEmployedMusician #FreelanceLife #LockdownUK #Covid19 #Covid19UK #Coronavirus #CoronavirusUK #FreelanceMusician #FreelancceMusicians #DIYMusician #DIYMusicians #FreelancersOfInstagram #MusiciansOfInstagram #LetMusicLive #LetTheMusicPlay #WeMakeEvents #MusicIsLife #KeepMusicLive #BehindEveryMusician

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The furlough scheme is set in place to pay for up to 80% of workers’ wages in the event that they are out of work and cant work from home when their workplace is closed. Originally this was going to be cut as we exited the lockdown but has now been extended with the new lockdown quickly approaching. But this comes back to what will happen for those who are self-employed. Will they get equal treatment or like last time will they get forgotten for a large part of this lockdown.

In the first UK Lockdown, it was only after a couple of months that self-employed workers were able to apply for the ‘Self-Employed Income Support Scheme’ (SEISS) allowing them to receive payments for a percentage of what they would have earned. However, this didn’t help them fully with some still seeking Universal Credit benefits. The major problem is that the furlough scheme will help workers longterm and past the lockdown (until reduced) whereas the SEISS will not help the self-employed past Decembers end of the lockdown (2nd of December 2020)

This has to be a joke? Right? pic.twitter.com/hVpxOhkvf7

— Matthew Bourne (@SirMattBourne) October 12, 2020

This comes after the still fresh bitter feud between those in the creative industries and Rishi Sunak the Chancellor of the Exchequer after Sunak showed disregard for many of the creative workers telling them to “Retrain” even going as far as to have a promotional picture of a ballet dance saying she will retrain. This left a lot of creative workers feeling neglected and abandoned by the government after all the hard work they put out before the pandemic.

It should be noted that a large part of the government as well as the media branded these comments and posters as “Crass” and “not appropriate“. With the music industry and all creative industries being such a large part of everyone’s life and the lifeblood for a lot of self-employed workers we sincerely hope that the government won’t forget about all self-employed workers. Creative industries do more than a lot of people can imagine and their work deserves to be appreciated and cared for.