[Bungle]

Got a horrible feeling about this. When have you ever known a Tory government splash the cash without thinking of the consequences? There seems to have been a lot of watering down of the speech on Monday night by Boris. Stay at home was the message. To me that read that we were in a soft lockdown. This week we have seen construction sites working normally, the town centres are ghost towns. Where does this leave us? Do we go to work if it’s deemed we are safe to do so? Will the customers want us at their home?

We could be doomed.

[Missing Link]

Stay at home was the message.

Ish, but not quite; agree government messaging has been bad on this issue.



https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others/full-guidance-on-staying-at-home-and-away-from-others

I'd still like some free money though.

[Missing Link]

Looks like there's plenty of others about to be shafted too:



https://twitter.com/labourleave/status/1243120401573711872

[G Griffin]

The Tories have never faced a pandemic like this before though.
If they don't act responsibly, they'd have blood on their hands, directly. They can't risk that. Just hang on.
Some will get shafted though, no doubt. I reckon those with money in the bank might have to use that.

[davids3511]

The Tories have never faced a pandemic like this before though.
If they don't act responsibly, they'd have blood on their hands, directly. They can't risk that. Just hang on.
Some will get shafted though, no doubt. I reckon those with money in the bank might have to use that.

We won't get help, they see us as very low risk being lone outside workers. They have many more self employed who really cant work, we are choosing not to. I can see some very difficult decisions for those who are not working on moral grounds. If infections stablise and level off for a few weeks before beginning to drop then they could be looking at 6-10 weeks of no income. Company owners like Soupy are really in  a hard place, they might have furlough employees (I know he hasn't) expecting the Gov to pick up 80% of their wage but with MS Sturgeon specifically saying windies should work they are stuffed. If they want to stay at home they will have to pay their staff out of their own pockets or make them redundant.

The flip side is if we do go back to work. I can see customers cancelling through either not liking the fact we seem to be flouting the 'stay at home' message or that they simply cant afford us right now. We could lose alot more than if we did get a month or so at 50% of our returns and went back when things are a bit calmer. I can see some google reviews coming from outraged curtain twitchers but can we survive 8-10 weeks with no income?

[P @ F]

I’m pretty much screwed as of Monday

[G Griffin]

If they don't help because they consider us as low risk, we'll be allowed to work. Responsibly.
Will they specify window cleaning as low risk? I'm not sure.

[G Griffin]

I’m pretty much screwed as of Monday

I feel for you, mate.
Hang in there and see what he comes up with.

[Granny]

Lost a few this morning. Lost our dentists and physio clinic and Ski Chalet tours office don't know where the axe is going to fall next.
On the other hand some of our customers are really behind us except for the odd tawt.
On the bright side we clean a funeral home

[TomCrowther]

The Tories have never faced a pandemic like this before though.
If they don't act responsibly, they'd have blood on their hands, directly. They can't risk that. Just hang on.
Some will get shafted though, no doubt. I reckon those with money in the bank might have to use that.

Jesus. It's not the Tories, it's everybody that hasn't faced this before. Stop bringing politics into it ffs.

[HampshireWindowCleaning]

Give it a couple of weeks and people are dropping like flys and we'll be in total lockdown for weeks if not months, it's happened in China, then Italy, then Spain. Surely then they will have to help everyone.

[NBwcs]

Best possible outcome as far as I'm concerned now is a total lock down with only exception being key workers. It's then taken out of our hands. The boffins are now pretty much all in agreement that lock downs are required, the more stringent the better the result. I'm working but uncomfortable with it, feel like I'm being judged  by people ignorant of the facts, people just see the "stay at home" message and don't look deeper. I can only see that perception  being worse after help is announce today for self employed  affected. Having said that, I've just been approached by a woman who saw me cleaning and she started by saying "so your allowed to work then are you?" I prepared to get all defensive but turns out she's just not happy with the fact her window cleaner is late! Damned if you do clean, damned if you don't. Cmon Borris, take it out of our hands.

[AuRavelling79]

How about they pay every self employed person £1000 a month tax free immediately - back dated to Tuesday just gone. To be reviewed in the third week of the month for the next month?

[Slacky]

Not really enough.

[p1w1]

Best possible outcome as far as I'm concerned now is a total lock down with only exception being key workers. It's then taken out of hands. The boffins are now pretty much all in agreement that lock downs are required, the more stringent the better the result. I'm working but uncomfortable with it, feel like I'm being judged  by people ignorant of the facts, people just see the "stay at home" message and don't look deeper. I can only see that perception  being worse after help is announce today for self employed  affected. Having said that, I've just been approached by a woman who saw me cleaning and she started by saying "so your allowed to work then are you?" I prepared to get all defensive but turns out she's just not happy with the fact her window cleaner is late! Damned if you do clean, damned if you don't. Cmon Borris, take it out of hands.

Then she's a selfish cow, cant she just ring him and find out

[G Griffin]

The Tories have never faced a pandemic like this before though.
If they don't act responsibly, they'd have blood on their hands, directly. They can't risk that. Just hang on.
Some will get shafted though, no doubt. I reckon those with money in the bank might have to use that.

Jesus. It's not the Tories, it's everybody that hasn't faced this before. Stop bringing politics into it ffs.

I didn't, the OP did. And he mentioned that the Tories were less likely to splash the cash.

[G Griffin]

Not really enough.

More than enough if you're on a ventilator.

[Splash & dash]

I’m pretty much screwed as of Monday

How’s the heater sales going ?.. maybe concentrate on building a load of them and get a stock  by you Ime sure they will sell in there droves .

[Slacky]

Not really enough.

More than enough if you're on a ventilator.

I don’t think that’s who it would be aimed at and it certainly wasn’t what my comment was regarding. But you know that. You’re just being obtuse Griff.

[Missing Link]

The boffins are now pretty much all in agreement that lock downs are required, the more stringent the better the result.

The 'boffins' in the shape of the Chief Medical Adviser and the Chief Scientific Officer don't say that at all.

They say the modelling has been done to take into account people still going to work.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000h4zl/briefings-downing-street-coronavirus-news-conference-25032020

[High-Tower]

If they don't help because they consider us as low risk, we'll be allowed to work. Responsibly.
Will they specify window cleaning as low risk? I'm not sure.

Doesn’t matter how low risk we are.
My income is down 70% for the foreseeable future because shops/offices/hotels/pubs are shut due to the virus. Just the same as any other self employed or freelancer who has lost work due to it - high risk or not.

[P @ F]

I’m pretty much screwed as of Monday

How’s the heater sales going ?.. maybe concentrate on building a load of them and get a stock  by you Ime sure they will sell in there droves .

I’m doing one at the moment but am short of a few bits which I can’t now get !
The heat exchanger is also stuck at the fabricators , no answer on the phone so they are probably locked down !

[johnny bravo]

id rather go back to work.     If the government let public know  who CAN work  without getting any backlash off the general public

[G Griffin]

If they don't help because they consider us as low risk, we'll be allowed to work. Responsibly.
Will they specify window cleaning as low risk? I'm not sure.

Doesn’t matter how low risk we are.
My income is down 70% for the foreseeable future because shops/offices/hotels/pubs are shut due to the virus. Just the same as any other self employed or freelancer who has lost work due to it - high risk or not.

That wasn't my point. My point was you would still be able to work and I am sympathetic to the fact that your income is well done. It's not good .

[NWH]

I wouldn’t get backlash my stuff is out in the back and beyond,I’ve had a couple more texts please come if you are able 👍

[G Griffin]

Not really enough.

More than enough if you're on a ventilator.

I don’t think that’s who it would be aimed at and it certainly wasn’t what my comment was regarding. But you know that. You’re just being obtuse Griff.

I'm not.
But it's a balancing act between containing the virus and damaging the economy. There's nothing to stop a self employed person getting the government help and the virus.
This virus doesn't just affect those that are not self employed.

[NWH]

As far as those ventilators go I would tell Dyson to stick em up his arse,moves all his manufacturing to a place where all this started and then beg him to make these things lol.
I wouldn’t give him a pile of dust.

[Richard Groves]

I don't think it's worth guessing. We'll know in a matter of hours. If they rule out window cleaners and other sole traders working outside and alone as being eligible for whatever assistance they announce then that's surely a green flag and thumbs up to resume or carry on. The public and customers will also know for sure and so no backlash. I hope that is the case for us. Otherwise I'm going to end up an alcoholic with charges for domestic violence. 😭😬 ( that was me joking, but she is doing my head in and its only been 4 days lol)

[Bungle]

I don't think it's worth guessing. We'll know in a matter of hours. If they rule out window cleaners and other sole traders working outside and alone as being eligible for whatever assistance they announce then that's surely a green flag and thumbs up to resume or carry on. The public and customers will also know for sure and so no backlash. I hope that is the case for us. Otherwise I'm going to end up an alcoholic with charges for domestic violence. 😭😬 ( that was me joking, but she is doing my head in and its only been 4 days lol)

My fear is the customers won’t want us if we’re given the go ahead to resume. A lot of us will go to the wall.

If they don’t look after us the least they can do is they can start paying paid holidays and sick pay for us.

[Missing Link]

Sounds pretty good to me 80% pay for three months, longer if necessary, if your business has been affected by covid-19.

Look forward to the small print though.

[deeege]

Sounds pretty good to me 80% pay for three months, longer if necessary, if your business has been affected by covid-19.

Look forward to the small print though.

Exactly.

Seems pretty comprehensive but there was a few worrying lines in there.

[Bungle]

Sounds pretty good to me 80% pay for three months, longer if necessary, if your business has been affected by covid-19.

Look forward to the small print though.

Agreed. He said 90% will be looked after. No mention of safe working methods. Not told to stop work as of now. Capped at £50k. I suppose the 90% come into the earning up to £50k. I’m staying off but it could be a couple of months before we get any money.

[davids3511]

Sounds pretty good to me 80% pay for three months, longer if necessary, if your business has been affected by covid-19.

Look forward to the small print though.

Exactly.

Seems pretty comprehensive but there was a few worrying lines in there.

The NI savings by being limited are going to go. They tried to a few years ago but there was uproar

[AuRavelling79]

Thread locked.