LAST DAY: Self-employed workers have until TODAY to make first SEISS claim worth up to £7,500

Image credit: HM Treasury

Taxi drivers and other self-employed workers have just today left to apply for a Government grant of up to £7,500.

The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) has helped millions of self-employed workers to recover from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Workers eligible for the first grant have until 11.59pm today (13 July) to claim a taxable grant worth 80% of their average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering three months’ worth of profits, and capped at £7,500 in total. Those eligible have the money paid into their bank account within six working days of completing a claim and covering the impact of COVID-19 during the months of March, April and May.

Applications for the second grant will open on 17 August. This time individuals will be able to claim a second taxable grant worth 70% of their average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering three months’ worth of profits, and capped at £6,570 in total.

The second SEISS will only be payable if the claimant’s business has been affected by COVID-19 from 14 July.

In the latest figures released it shows 2.7 million claims worth more than £7.7 billion have been made so far. However, 800,000 people eligible for the first grant still hadn’t applied as of Monday, according to finance expert Martin Lewis.