"I've built a business over a decade and Rishi Sunak now decides I'm not viable"
24 September 2020, 21:47
"I've built a business over a decade and Rishi Sunak now decides I'm not viable"
This bereft caller told Iain Dale and Denise Headley how he has built a lucrative business over a decade and is "no longer considered viable" according to the Chancellor's Job Support Scheme.
Caller Asher normally works on rock and roll shows and stadium tours.
"I've had one gig since the beginning of March, so for six months I've had two days work," he said, "I was listening to the announcement today and [Rishi Sunak] has basically told me I'm not allowed to work because I'm now no longer considered a viable business.
"I've been building my career for over ten years now and through no fault of my own I have no work for six months and now I don't get any support because I'm not viable."
Denise Headley agreed, acknowledging that in the Chancellor's announcement not everyone will get support, "If you'd come to see me in my other work, I'd be doing a benefits calculation for you to find out where you could potentially go to get some support.
"The reality is you are going to be like many other people, having to apply for potentially a whole raft of benefits."
The caller said, "I've earned £600 in the last six months from doing my main job [but] it's a matter of pride that I don't want to."
Denise said, "Put that pride in a drawer...you need food."
The caller responded that he is currently doing manual labour and has gone from earning £300 a day to £60-70 a day for "throwing things in a skip"; he also said he is buying and selling lego and also making things and selling them on arts and crafts website Etsy.
"I'm finding things to do...I'm trying to make the best of a bad situation," Asher said.
Iain said that he should not feel too proud and should apply for benefits if need, but equally he admitted he did not apply for benefits when he was unemployed for six months.
"There would probably be people far worse than me," Asher said.
