As countries began to offer financial support to those affected by the lockdown measures designed to slow the spread of covid-19, the freelance community were notable for their absence in initial measures.  The initial fears were sparked in large part to ongoing concerns that the social safety nets in many countries are ill suited to the various forms of work that have emerged in the last decade.

Despite governments attempting to fill any gaps in their support, a new paper from the University of Edinburgh and the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed highlights how many freelancers remain out in the cold.

The survey of around 1,400 highly skilled freelancers revealed that many were not supported by the financial schemes put in place by their government, and 20% might have to close their business as a result.

Among the respondents, some 74% had lost income, with the average fall being 76%.  Unsurprisingly, this meant that nearly 2 out of every 3 freelancers were suffering from cash flow issues as a result.  In the UK, the government’s Self-Employment Income Support Scheme was designed to help matters, but 91% of respondents said they were not able to access the scheme, with many revealing that this was due to their work being done via a limited company.  Understandably, this had resulted in a significant rise in stress levels among the British freelancer community.

“COVID-19 has brought in great economic consequences for the UK and freelance workers have been particularly hit by the pandemic. Not only have they seen work opportunities dry up as the country went into lockdown, but they have also suffered from a lack of financial support from government to ensure their survival,” the researchers say. “Our research clearly highlights these points and sheds some light into the dire situation this valuable working force is in at the moment, which is much worse that we had originally anticipated.”