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Small business owners threatened with closure say they have been largely ignored just weeks after the government announced a stimulus package intended to ensure their survival.
Ramsgate hairdresser Marcello Marino says he is still waiting for a response from his bank, HSBC, having been placed on hold for up to two hours a day.
The salon has been running for 30 years but Marcello fears it will not survive the impact of Covid-19 without a government loan.
He said: "I just can't believe it – I phoned them as soon as it was announced and I've waited on two phones, one on landline and one on mobile.
"I waited for two hours and it just went dead. After another two hours they said they would phone me back but they never did."
Marcello says he has still not received a response weeks later, adding: "It is not our fault – they told us to stop working. We need help now not in June or July."
It comes after new research was published suggesting almost one in five small and medium-sized enterprises could close if they fail to secure emergency cash needed to support them.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said last month that companies would be able to discuss Coronavirus Business Interruption loans with 40 lenders across the UK.
However, thousands of ailing firms have reported struggling to get through to their banks, which are now closed to the public, or are simply being told they are not eligible.
Other Kent-based companies have reported falling through the support net altogether.
One Maidstone contractor, which delivers services to schools in Dartford, Medway and Thanet, among others, said their small limited company had received "no support whatsoever".
They had hoped to qualify for the government's self employed income support scheme, which offers a taxable grant of up to 80% of an individual’s average monthly profit, but was told they were excluded.
This is because they have taken their income as a small salary and the rest as dividends.
A director said: "We just want parity with the self-employed. Our diary was full up until Christmas but we can't work but we can't work.
"We keep listening to the 5pm announcements – and just hoping they are going to do something to help us out."
Meanwhile the Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce has been working to make sure the government's advice to business is as clear as possible.
Its chief executive, Jo James, said: "It is a very worrying time. As of last week have had 800 calls from businesses concerned of the impact on them. It is going to be very difficult.
"The government has made these announcements but they now need to get them up and running. It is no good delaying it."
She said cash flow was likely to be the most pressing issue for small businesses, adding: "There is rates relief and you can furlough staff but how long are they going to survive without income."
Ms James said banks she had spoken to were trying "to be as flexible as possible" but it was clear they were understaffed in dealing with the volume of requests.
She also reported some small businesses were reluctant to apply to the scheme, despite the 12 month interest free period, as they was unsure how to pay back the loan long-term.
"Unlike the 2008 financial crisis this is different," she added. "It is a freeze on the economy – some businesses are not going to survive it."
Ms James said the chamber would be lobbying on behalf of those members, such as limited company directors, who had fallen through the cracks.
She urged any business concerned about their financial position or the support available to get in touch.
Responding to concerns about those not included in the UK Government’s Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, National Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Mike Cherry said: “While the government’s Self-Employed Income Support Scheme will help 3.8 million people, and is therefore welcome, there remain groups who are completely out of scope and feel left behind.
“These include directors of smaller limited companies who pay themselves through dividends or dividends and salary, many of whom have worked extremely hard to build up their businesses and now find themselves in financial peril. It also includes those who have more recently become self-employed, and those whose profits are above the cap of £50,000 a year.
“While some of those left out of the income support initiative might at least be able to benefit from other schemes, such as job retention, grants, emergency loans or universal credit, it is increasingly clear that there are some for whom those measures won’t be enough.
“We are urgently feeding into the government as many examples of this as we can, to highlight the plight of those who are falling between the cracks and are facing bleak financial situations. It’s important that we represent the full picture of our whole community with those in power.
“FSB had pushed the government hard for its self-employed scheme to be as generous as possible, to help as many as possible, and to start as soon as possible. We hope that ministers understand the many real-life examples of those left behind that we’re highlighting. It is also vital that the many other schemes already announced are rolled out as quickly and effectively as possible, and we are very willing to help the government in any way we can with that at this time of national emergency.”
He added help is available at selfemployed@fsb.org.uk.
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