THE newly self-employed can now gain access to money from the Scottish Government during the coronavirus lockdown.

The Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund, launched today (May 1), is available to those who set up in business on or after April 6, 2019.

The fund, offering one-off grants of £2,000, will be delivered to the self-employed in the Borders by Scottish Borders Council (SBC).

SBC chief executive Tracey Logan said: “We are aiming to process applications and payments as quickly as possible as we recognise how challenging a time this is for businesses.”

The online application form and more information can be found at this site.

To be eligible for support, businesses must:

* Have more than 50 per cent of individual income from self-employment

* Have trading profits below £50,000 in the financial year 2019-20

* Have lost business due to coronavirus and experience personal financial hardship as a result

* Be ineligible for other COVID-19-related business support

* Not receive working age benefit payments

* Trade as self-employed, not as a limited company or partnership

* Not have access to sufficient savings or other sources of income to meet basic needs

Ms Logan added: “Further business support will be available from next week and we’ll be making information on that available early next week on our website too.”

Details of support for businesses is also available from www.businesssupport.gov.uk and www.findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/coronavirus-advice

A Borders helpline is available on 01835 825600, and a national helpline for Scottish businesses concerned about the impact of COVID-19 is on 0300 303 0660.