Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, 11,900 people in East Cambridgeshire have benefited from the job retention scheme.

A further 3,700 people in the district are receiving financial support through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, following a successful national campaign by the Liberal Democrats.

These schemes have helped stem the tide of job losses, says Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey MP – and the Chancellor of the Exchequer must not threaten mass unemployment by ending them before it is safe to do so.

Liberal Democrats are also urging the Government to extend support to those who have so far been excluded. Three million self-employed workers across the country are still not covered by government support. Liberal Democrats are calling on the Chancellor to expand the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme to include:

• The 150,000+ people who became self-employed since April 2019.
• Those who are registered as limited companies.
• Freelancers who got more than 50% of their earnings through employment.

“Now is the time to extend support to those wrongly excluded and for Ministers to deliver a Green Recovery Plan that will create millions of jobs, keep people in work and tackle climate change,” says Ed Davey.

You can support their campaign here: https://www.libdems.org.uk/protect-jobs