Author Topic: Any thoughts  (Read 600 times)

xetog

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Any thoughts
« on: May 15, 2020, 04:24:54 PM »
A friend of ours, a lady author for about 3 years has been told by her publisher that due to the Coronavirus the bottom has dropped out of her book sales and that after the end of June there will be no more royalty cheques until things return to normal.  Add to that, her recently completed book will remain unpublished for a similar time.  She still has her overheads (her illustrator as they are children's books, mortgage, food, etc) and paying her illustrator friend will wipe her out financially but luckily her friend is has agreed to take the money in instalments, until the new book is published.

She is registered as self employed and has been advised by her bank to apply for the government scheme to protect the self employed.  She has done this and has been told that she qualifies and can apply from today.  Being very independent and still with 2 months royalties to come, she wonders if it is the right thing to do as she is not yet in need of assistance and if things return to some semblance of normal by July, she can survive.  She is also willing to get a job in say, a supermarket for the duration and so not need any assistance.

HMRC have a thing called a 'webnair' which is a robot answering questions, many like hers (people who are not yet in difficulties, but may become so) in the most obtuse manner, but threatens those who may apply fraudulently with legal action.  They also say, you can take a 2nd job and earn money whilst still on the scheme, which confuses the hell out of me.

Anyone out there who is self employed and thinking of applying for this scheme with any thoughts?

Mike.X

If you want to control peoples thoughts, first control their words.

Goingtoseed

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Re: Any thoughts
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2020, 04:54:39 PM »
Personally I would not even consider any type of loan. If it is a grant that's different - if the government want to hand out money with no strings attached, take it.

As for the DWP, they are swamped with applications for financial help - Universal Credit.

Diasi

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Re: Any Thoughts.
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2020, 10:12:10 PM »

HMRC have a thing called a 'webnair' which is a robot answering questions, many like hers (people who are not yet in difficulties, but may become so) in the most obtuse manner, but threatens those who may apply fraudulently with legal action.  They also say, you can take a 2nd job and earn money whilst still on the scheme, which confuses the hell out of me.

Anyone out there who is self employed and thinking of applying for this scheme with any thoughts?

Mike.X

As an ex-fraud investigator & latterly area fraud investigations manager, my advice to her would be to apply & make the fact known that she may get two months of Royalty payments after which she'll have no income.

If she does this she hasn't committed fraud.

HMRC will then, I hope, look at her case & have it logged ready for when she does need assistance.
Make every day count, each day is precious.
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal".  (Cassandra)

xetog

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Re: Any thoughts
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2020, 04:29:21 PM »
An update on this post.  I didn't realise that her publisher was abroad and whilst they had told her that she would be getting a cheque for long outstanding royalties and then no more, they emailed her on Monday to say that they find themselves awaiting payments so would be paying nothing further until they had were sure that they were going to survive.  This means that she now does need the money urgently, so she has applied.

It occurs to me that this is surely a foreign company using our bailouts to survive.  I am sure it was not intended for that.

Mike.X
If you want to control peoples thoughts, first control their words.

Diasi

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Re: Any thoughts
« Reply #4 on: May 20, 2020, 09:54:17 PM »
An update on this post.  I didn't realise that her publisher was abroad and whilst they had told her that she would be getting a cheque for long outstanding royalties and then no more, they emailed her on Monday to say that they find themselves awaiting payments so would be paying nothing further until they had were sure that they were going to survive.  This means that she now does need the money urgently, so she has applied.

It occurs to me that this is surely a foreign company using our bailouts to survive.  I am sure it was not intended for that.

Mike.X

From what you say she is self-employed, her publisher provides a service to publish her books, they don't employ her.

She needs to have claimed as a self-employed person under the Covid scheme & not applied for Universal Credit at this stage.

I've just done an application for someone & it's very quick & easy with an instant decision & the amount to which they're entitled, which doesn't have to be repaid but it does count as income in the tax year.

https://bit.ly/2Tr7Rcr
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GrannyMac

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Re: Any thoughts
« Reply #5 on: May 21, 2020, 06:31:32 AM »
An update on this post.  I didn't realise that her publisher was abroad and whilst they had told her that she would be getting a cheque for long outstanding royalties and then no more, they emailed her on Monday to say that they find themselves awaiting payments so would be paying nothing further until they had were sure that they were going to survive.  This means that she now does need the money urgently, so she has applied.

It occurs to me that this is surely a foreign company using our bailouts to survive.  I am sure it was not intended for that.

Mike.X


I wish her well Mike.  Self employment can be stressful at the best of times.  I also wish her luck in finding alternative work.   The pandemic has cost our close family nothing financially, everyone has had their usual income, we have been so fortunate! 
Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right.

R. Gervais

Michael Rolls

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Re: Any thoughts
« Reply #6 on: May 21, 2020, 07:57:12 AM »
Whilst I am OK (subject to what the Chancellor may dream up in the future) one s-i-l has had to close her dress shop down, and the nursey her two nieces ran has had to close - at least all the relevant husbands are either still in work - from home - or in receipt of a pension. These are all in Scotland, so the easing in England doesn't apply, although we are hoping for some sort of news a week today

Mike
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xetog

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Re: Any thoughts
« Reply #7 on: May 21, 2020, 08:58:10 AM »
Diasi.  She has applied to the self employed scheme and been told she is eligible, but had some reservations about integrity of taking Gov't funds whilst still getting cheques (albeit for past work).  Now she is not even getting that she has of course put in her claim, but it is a foreign company taking advantage.

Mike.X
If you want to control peoples thoughts, first control their words.

Diasi

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Re: Any thoughts
« Reply #8 on: May 21, 2020, 09:03:09 AM »
Diasi.  She has applied to the self employed scheme and been told she is eligible, but had some reservations about integrity of taking Gov't funds whilst still getting cheques (albeit for past work).  Now she is not even getting that she has of course put in her claim, but it is a foreign company taking advantage.

Mike.X

It wouldn't have mattered if the company was British, she's still self-employed & would have had to make the same claim, so it's not a foreign company taking advantage.
Make every day count, each day is precious.
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal".  (Cassandra)

xetog

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Re: Any thoughts
« Reply #9 on: May 21, 2020, 09:06:40 AM »
I don't agree.  She is relying on money paid out by our Government to replace cash a foreign company is keeping to bolster their bank account, ergo we are keeping a foreign company afloat.

Mike.X
If you want to control peoples thoughts, first control their words.

Diasi

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Re: Any thoughts
« Reply #10 on: May 21, 2020, 09:16:35 AM »
I don't agree.  She is relying on money paid out by our Government to replace cash a foreign company is keeping to bolster their bank account, ergo we are keeping a foreign company afloat.

Mike.X

You said that the company aren't paying her royalties because they haven't been paid for her books that they've sold so they can't withhold money they've never had.

The position would have been exactly the same if it was a British company.
Make every day count, each day is precious.
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal".  (Cassandra)

xetog

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Re: Any thoughts
« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2020, 09:46:49 AM »
Sorry if I have confused matters.  They originally claimed to be withholding royalties for books sold, but commissions not yet received.  Now they are withholding those they have received and said originally they would pay.  Not worth arguing about though.

Mike.X
If you want to control peoples thoughts, first control their words.

biglouis

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Re: Any thoughts
« Reply #12 on: May 21, 2020, 04:12:27 PM »
Sounds like a case for the small claims court to me.
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klondike

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Re: Any thoughts
« Reply #13 on: May 21, 2020, 04:24:32 PM »
Good luck with that - it's a foreign company.
So long and thanks for all the fish