Self employment income support scheme question & returning to massage therapy work

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yoshilee

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May 19, 2018
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Location
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Hi, I've spent the morning looking on the GOV.UK website but can't find the information I am looking for, can anyone help please?

I understand that they can pay 80% of your average profit from the last 3 tax years. I have a home based salon which I started in June 2017.

I have no tax return for 2016 to 2017. So they will average over 2 tax years, that bit I understand.

For my first year of trading, the tax year 2017 to 2018 I only traded for 10 months and barely made a profit as I had start up expenses to pay for. My profit was less than £1000 for the 10 months. Does the fact it was only for 10 months and was my start up year get taken into account at all? This is the bit I can't find any information on. (I have a feeling the answer is no!)

I'm so disappointed that my third trading year 2019-2020 doesn't count as this is my strongest year after building up a good client base.

I have a horrible feeling it will be an average of 2016 to 2017 and 2017 to 2018. Working this out it's about 20% of my monthly profit. So no where near the 80%.
After almost 20 years of PAYE I feel so let down. I re-trained as a Massage Therapist and love what I do now and after 3 years am finally at a place where I get lots of referrals. I specialise in Pregnancy Massage and I am worried if my business and clients will ever come back. I can't claim any other help as I used to work in banking and got a payout when I took redundancy which I have put into savings for my kids for university or emergencies.

Sorry I've waffled on a bit. I think I know the answer but after lots of sleepless nights I thought it might help to ask on this forum as I don't really have any other friends to talk to. They are mainly furloughed on 80% and doing DIY and gardening. I am trying to remain positive but I am really worried if I will ever be able to go back to work, how do you social distance with massage? Especially when the majority of my clients come for Pregnancy Massage and they are in the 'shield' group. I feel anxious every time I think about it. Are there any other massage therapists out there? How do you feel about our possible return to work?

Think I have completely digressed from my question, thanks for listening :) xxx
 
I don't think anyone in here can answer your questions, we're all fumbling our way through too. I got a text saying i may be entitled to a payment and to register on-line, I did and I've been given a slot from 8am on Wednesday. I'll find out more then I guess.

The Chancellor has admitted he can't guarantee everyone will get a payment, and you san see how there are so many variables it's a monumental task. I hope there will be some form of appeals facility, but I don't know
 
Hi, there are massage therapists now operating in Germany now so a little light at the end of the tunnel.

You will know exactly how you stand with the HMRC soon. You are allowed to get another job if self employed so could you work part time in a supermarket or something to ease the financial strain but also give you people to talk to ? It could be a lovely way to see your dream of opening your massage business in July rather than being distressed about saving one. This mindset is keeping me positive and full of ideas for the future ⭐
I am volunteering at a food bank, it truly isn’t the end for our industry and honestly we are all in the same boat but I think in this big ocean I see some boats that are really not as great as ours. It’s been a humbling experience.
 
I don't think anyone in here can answer your questions, we're all fumbling our way through too. I got a text saying i may be entitled to a payment and to register on-line, I did and I've been given a slot from 8am on Wednesday. I'll find out more then I guess.

The Chancellor has admitted he can't guarantee everyone will get a payment, and you san see how there are so many variables it's a monumental task. I hope there will be some form of appeals facility, but I don't know

Yes, there is a way to appeal if when you go on the site it says you are not eligible. Like it ha done to myself, even though I have been elf employed since 2007, paying tax for every year. On the checker page there are a few links underneath, 1 is for disputing the checker and getting HMRC to manually check your eligibility. I got an auto response immediately telling me someone would check my Tax Account and get in touch via email or phone between 18th and end of May.

I usually get my accountant to deal with HMRC, but with this we have to do it ourselves. My accountant has said that I am eligible for this and gave me a link to Martin Lewis who was asking for those who should be, but are not eligible to contact him.
 
Hi,
I’m in the same boat as you.
i was previously working from home part time around my 3 children and my earnings had been low
I’m not entitled to the 80%.
i bought a salon last November and now I’m panicking that I’m not going to be busy enough with the self distancing to make it work.
I paid my rent in March for the quarter up until June and haven’t been able to work any of it.
Although I got the £10,000, that has enabled me to live a little, pay staff and pay my business loan.
It’s such an unknown time and now I don’t know if I want to risk working and bringing Covid home to my family etc.
 
What are other people’s thoughts on returning back to salon life?
 
I personally think that salons should get a little extra help especially as we aren’t allowed to open and will be one of the last
 
I have found the system fairly easy to use. Haven’t received a payment yet, but it should be coming in the next 6 days.

With regard to returning to salon life, I found myself feeling quite down yesterday, sitting in my treatment room on my own. I have spent 10 years building it up and after 28 years in the industry, and one of my concerns is that my insurance company might ask for specific conditions in which I would have to work, which I might not be able to do. I thought of a Perspex screen for my manicure table and then read that it won’t necessarily help, as the filed bits of nails would be in the air and quite likely to spread infection. It’s not possible to do a facial on someone wearing a mask! There are so many aspects to this and I do feel for people whose livelihoods rely on their business. My husband can work from home so I am quite lucky. But I want to go back and some clients have messaged me to say that they want to book in as soon as they can. Anyway, must stop wallowing and appreciate the fact that I should have a job to go back to and my family and I are all pretty healthy. I wish everyone good luck and keep smiling. It will get better ... x. Hope it don’t sound too grumpy - I am back on my HRT so that should help. Xxx
 
I do other treatments as well as massage. I won’t be accepting massage treatments as soon as I reopen, but I’m not worried about losing clients.

I’d suggest looking into advanced training with Jing in Brighton. They have a jing hub page on Facebook which they’ve opened to all massage therapists not just Jing trainees. They have some excellent online courses and free resources on their website.

Clients will return if you are recommended. Reach out to NHS workers, they’ll need some TLC and a little discreet marketing never hurts.

Side lying client massage will be safer as you stand behind your client’s head. If you put your couch down low you can still reach. Start practising lunges as you’ll need to get down to breast height to the couch to save your back.

You can also use hot stones and lava shells even on pregnant clients (if you’ve trained in these techniques for pregnant ladies of course). Don’t forget that pregnant women will be receiving care during pregnancy so they might be more open to the idea of being touched than you think, as long as you seem very clued up about hygiene.

Stay positive and start thinking about what you can do to make your treatmebt space safer.
 

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