Way back in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, we were outraged and hugely disheartened to see so many self employed people left behind without adequate financial support from the government.    A shocking proportion of full time freelancers who are PAYE and taxed at source, as well as all those who started freelancing in the 2019/2020 tax year, were deemed ineligible to receive SEISS. 

We’d like to thank all the freelancers and startups who came along to The Freelancer Club online Showcase Event!    An impressive 150 freelancers and startups came along, and we’re still buzzing from connecting with all you like-minded, talented folk. It was kind of like speed dating for freelancers and startups... And we loved it! 

As lockdown restrictions are finally easing, freelance models, photographers, stylists, hair and makeup artists are (understandably) eager to get back to working on shoots. However, the close contact required means that extra strategic planning is needed so that things can run as safely as possible.   I spoke to two Freelancer Club members to see how getting back to work has gone for them since lockdown.

Coronavirus has hit us hard. Not only has it wreaked havoc on our health, it’s rattled our economies and toyed with our livelihoods.

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” - This has long been a regrettable reality for freelancers seeking to develop their career.

There’s no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic has caused tremendous disruption and confusion. We all know this well by now. What’s more, the social and economic ramifications are continually developing and hard to predict. Whilst the UK has been in lockdown for what feels like a very long time, settling into “the new normal” still remains a struggle.

Social distancing, self isolation and empty shelves in supermarkets. Welcome to the new norm. As freelancers adapt to the changes in their lives, Freelancer Club is doing exactly the same. When I started Freelancer Club more than 5 years ago, we had one simple mission: to support creative freelancers and we remain committed to this mission now more than ever. We've been listening to you, brainstorming ideas and working hard to adapt to the corona crisis. Below is an outline of the changes we've made to Freelancer Club membership. 

IR35 has been postponed for 1 year. It's official. Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Steve Barclay, has announced that IR35 will be deferred until April 2021. This is very welcome news for freelancers who have already been directly and indirectly impacted by IR35.