Advice & Information

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In this unprecedented time of pressure and uncertainty for individuals and the Festivals sector, we hope all members of Birmingham Festivals are keeping safe and healthy.

Please find below some of the latest industry and government updates on financial support being made available to individuals and organisations during the Covid-19 crisis.

Arts Council England:

ACE have made £160 million Emergency Response Package of funding available for individuals and organisations who will need it during this crisis. 

This is made up of: £20 million available to individuals, £50 million to organisations outside of National Portfolio and £90 million to National Portfolio Organisations (NPOs).  

ACE is making £20 million available to individuals working in the cultural sector, including artists, creative practitioners and freelancers, who will be able to apply for grants of up to £2,500 if they have a track record in publicly funded culture.

Round one of applications will open on 09 April 2020 and close 16 April 2020.

Read The Guidance For Individuals Here   

Email for Coronavirus questions: coronavirus-queries@artscouncil.org.uk

£50 million will be available to Organisations with a track record in publicly funded culture (excludes NPOs). Organisations can apply for grants up to £35,000 to get back on their feet, or to continue making work in the future that will mean they can contribute to delivering ACE’s new strategy, Let’s Create. 

Round one of applications will open on 09 April 2020 and close 16 April 2020.

Read The Guidelines For Organisations Here

Information regarding the £90 million fund for National Portfolio Organisations will be released soon.

Email For Coronavirus questions: coronavirus-queries@artscouncil.org.uk

West Midlands Artists Coronavirus Impact Fund:

This Go Fund Me appeal to provide hardship funds for any artists, cultural workers, practitioners and creative freelancers that cannot work during this time or who have been affected by cancellations or other impacts  

Musicians Union Coronavirus Advice:

This page features the latest guidance from government on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak for members of the Musicians Union. Self-employed members of Musicians Union may find the below information on Hardship funds useful:

The following funds have been designed to provide emergency financial relief to musicians struggling due to the affects of the coronavirus outbreak. In all cases, these funds are limited and you are encouraged to only apply if you are in dire need.

Information If You Are Self Employed:

If you’re self-employed and filed a self-assessment tax return in 2018-19 and have trading profits under £50,000, the government will cover 80% of your average monthly trading profits (over the past 3 years), up to a cap of £2,500 per month, for at least three months.

  • You are self-employed
  • You filed a self-assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19 (if you are late filing, you will still be eligible if you submit your tax return within 4 weeks)
  • You have annual trading profits of up to £50,000 in 2018-19 OR an average trading profit of less than £50,000 from 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19.
  • More than 50% of your income in these periods came from self-employment.

If you are eligible, you will be contacted by HMRC and asked to fill out an online form.

The Chancellor announced that the reimbursements would be received no later than the beginning of June 2020. Cash grants will be received as a single lump sum covering the initial three-month period.

  • The Chancellor confirmed the self-employed are eligible for the Business Interruption Loan Scheme
  • The self-employed can defer their 31st July 2020 income tax payment and next VAT payment where applicable until 2021
  • The Chancellor confirmed that the self-employed can access the welfare support universal credit system.
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All businesses and self-employed people in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, may be eligible to receive support with their tax affairs through HMRC’s Time To Pay service. These arrangements are agreed on a case-by-case basis

Information If You Are An Employee:

If you are staying at home because of COVID-19 you can claim SSP. This includes individuals who are caring for people in the same household. The Government is legislating for SSP to be paid from day 1, rather than day 4, of your absence from work. This applies retrospectively from 13 March. If you have COVID-19 or are advised to stay at home, you can get an ‘isolation note’ by visiting NHS 111 online, rather than visiting a doctor.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme allows employees to remain employed and become classified as a furloughed worker. Employers can claim a grant of up to 80% of your wage, up to a cap of £2,500 per month. Your employer could choose to fund the differences between this payment and your salary but does not have to.

Both you and your employer must agree to put you on furlough – so speak to your employer about whether they can claim. You cannot apply for the scheme yourself. Once agreed your employer must write to you confirming you have been furloughed to be eligible to claim.

Any UK employer with a UK bank account will be able to claim, but you must have been on your employer’s PAYE payroll on 28 February 2020. You can be on any type of contract, including a zero-hour contract or a temporary contract.

This scheme does not apply if you are self-employed or to any income from self-employment.

If you’re on sick leave or self-isolating because of coronavirus (COVID-19), speak to your employer about whether you’re eligible – you should get Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) while you are on sick leave or self-isolating, but can be furloughed after this.

If you are shielding in line with public health guidance, then you should speak to your employer about whether they plan to place staff on furlough.

The grant will start on the day you were placed on furlough and this can be backdated to 1 March.

Benefits & Housing Support:

Universal Credit:

Whether you are currently in or out of work, if you are on a low income and affected by the economic impacts of COVID-19, you will be able to access the full range of the welfare system, including Universal Credit. From 6 April the Government will increase the standard allowance in Universal Credit and the basic element in Working Tax Credit for one year.

Housing Rental Payments:

Contact your landlord if you’re struggling to pay rent; they may be able to give a rent reduction or accept late payment. The Government announced on 18 March that landlords will not be able to apply to court to evict tenants for at least three months. 

Mortgage Payments:

Mortgage lenders have announced they won’t apply to court to repossess homeowners for 3 months starting from 19 March. They will also allow a three-month payment holiday for those struggling to cover their mortgage. Be aware that this option may mean your monthly mortgage payment goes up after the payment holiday ends. Check if you have insurance that will cover your mortgage payments instead.

Outdoor Arts Sector Support Fund:

This is a Benevolent Fund, created in response to the Coronavirus Emergency to support professional individuals and freelancers who work specifically in the Outdoor Arts sector, who have suffered a loss of earnings because of the crisis.

Arts Council England has made £160 million of emergency funding available for organisations and individuals who will need it during this crisis; of that funding, £20 million is dedicated to freelancers and individuals working in the cultural sector.

Looking at the impact the crisis is having on all parts of the cultural workforce, ACE has allocated £4 million to benevolent funds targeted at cultural workers, in partnership with Help Musicians UK, The Equity Charitable Trust, Dance Professionals Fund, The Theatrical Guild, the Royal Literary Fund, a-n (Artists Information Company) & OutdoorArtsUK.

ACE has asked OutdoorArtsUK to manage the distribution of £500,000, to ensure that financial assistance reaches people who work in Outdoor Arts in many different capacities, but who do not qualify for other funding streams.

Applications for the fund can be from £500 to £2,500, with an additional £500 for extra costs relating to a disability. We anticipate being able to support around 200-250 individuals.

Online applications will open on Thu 9 Apr; deadline: Thu 23 Apr. As the fund is managed directly by OAUK, you do not need to register with Grantium, ACE’s application portal.