#ThinkSelfEmployed

The FSB have launched a campaign to raise awareness of the issues facing people who are self-employed. It is a 6 month campaign leading up to the budget and having asks including the following 3 key ones.

• Two weeks of statutory paternity pay and an Adoption Allowance for the self-employed; amends to the Parental Bereavement Bill to ensure sole traders are included in the potential legislation.
• Reform of Universal Credit (UC) to protect sole traders from losing out due to fluctuating incomes; extension of the UC ‘start-up period’ to ensure claimants have at least two years to get firms off the ground.
  A Brexit deal that works for sole traders: one which allows them to cross European borders without administrative burdens and additional costs.
• It launched on Monday and the FSB are trying to get as many people as possible to do a selfie on twitter with a message about why you love being self employed.

They are asking people to use the hashtag #ThinkSelfEmployed in tweets (make sure to use capital T S and E in the hashtag) as well as tagging the @fsb_policy Twitter account in their photo (so they can re-tweet).

Please would you pass this on to other people who may want to do it – the only thing to remember is that we are only looking for people who do not employ any staff.

There will be other ways to support this campaign including short videos and MP roundtables – and any ideas you have would be great.

Want to find out more about the FSB? Please visit their website or get in touch with me and I can point you in the right direction.

I have been involved with the Kirklees Branch of the FSB for the past few years, holding the Secretary position when we had committees.  I am now the Kirklees Leader, as well as now being joint Leader for the West Yorkshire area.