Budget 2021: Nick Ferrari challenges Rishi Sunak over 2.4 million still excluded
4 March 2021, 12:27 | Updated: 4 March 2021, 12:29
Nick Ferrari questions Chancellor on 2.4m still excluded
Nick Ferrari has put Chancellor Rishi Sunak on the spot over the 2.4 million people excluded under his Budget.
The exchange comes after Mr Sunak announced that 600,000 people who were newly self-employed in 2019-20 will now be able to benefit from the Self Employed Income Support Scheme.
Referring to the 2.4 million people still excluded from help in the Chancellor's Budget, Nick asked: "Did you ignore them again?"
The Chancellor replied: "No. Look, I was glad that we could make an improvement to the system.
Caller £10 over threshold for help 'gutted' she is still excluded
"And last year I was frustrated those who were newly self-employed weren't able to get the grants because we didn't have all the returns in.
"But now that the tax return deadline has passed, we're able to bring in over 600,000 more people into the system. They'll benefit from the grant."
He then argued that the Government has offered "one of the most comprehensive support packages for those who are self-employed anywhere in the world".
Starmer: Government have to do something about the excluded
Earlier in his show, Nick spoke to a caller who said she was "absolutely gutted" that the Chancellor's Budget still left her excluded.
"I was excluded for a £10 difference between my employment income and my self-employment income," she said.
She told Nick that she had managed to receive a £1500 since the start of the pandemic and described her business now as completely "decimated."
Read more: Excluded UK co-founder says budget is "only a teeny tiny concession" to self-employed
