We know that musicians are struggling financially at this time and that many do not have access to the Government schemes. Photo credit: Shutterstock
As well as regular conversations with MPs and civil servants, the MU – as part of the Federation of Entertainment Unions (FEU) – has sent a letter to the Chancellor Rishi Sunak asking for urgent extra assistance for musicians and performers.
Together, we are calling for support to be extended to:
- Parents and carers
- Self-employed people who fall below the 50% income threshold
- Newly self-employed people
- Limited companies, and others.
Add your voice to our call by writing to your MP, asking them to put pressure on Government to make sure no musician is left behind.
One piece of welcome news is that we have had it confirmed that the Coronavirus Self-Employment Income Support Scheme is available to migrants who are self-employed and have no recourse to public funds.
MU General Secretary Horace Trubridge and Head of Government Relations Isabelle Gutierrez will attend an online meeting of the TUC General Council tomorrow at which the new Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer, will also be present. We will take the opportunity to ask him to press the Government to provide financial support for musicians.
Parliament is now back from recess, albeit in a largely digital format. We have already been in touch with MPs to ask them to question the Government on our behalf. Kevin Brennan MP has placed a question asking what support the Government envisages for musicians and music venues.
The MU will also be submitting evidence this week to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee inquiry on the impact of COVID-19.
Help us represent you
We know that musicians are struggling financially at this time and that many do not have access to the Government schemes, but we need as much evidence of this as possible to present to parliament.
If you have not already, please fill in this brief survey to highlight the number of musicians currently falling through the gaps.
This is the second survey of this type that we have set up with more specific questions about the proposed assistance, so please do still fill it in even if you previously responded to our more general impact survey.