UPDATED: Fashion x COVID-19 Our Letter To The UK Government

Please use this letter to your MP as a cut and paste email to ask for support for the many freelancers and self employed in the UK fashion and textiles economy.

Dear (Insert the name of your MP here),

The UK fashion and textiles industry are a national success story, with a world leading global reputation. We generate over 57,000 industry related SMEs and nearly 1m in the fashion and textiles workforce, generating almost £33bn for the UK economy in a sector growing 11% year on year. We call the Government to support those that cannot travel for work and do not have employment rights safeguards. Already there are many cases where fashion industry workers are having contracts cancelled, with no governmental support and as these are primarily freelance or self employed, no statutory support to cover loss of earnings, as well as pay their rent or mortgage and utility bills, other than Universal Credit. This is unsustainable. 100% of the sector who were surveyed this week by Fashion Roundtable have asked for a deferral on all mortgage and rent bills and according to a BECTU survey a massive 97% of creative sector freelancers have lost confidence in the UK Government. This is clearly a crisis and requires clear guidance, support and understanding from our leaders.

We urge the Government to encompass support to compensate all freelancers, self-employed as well as small businesses whose income is affected by loss in work and lost business due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Referring to measures taken in France and Italy, we need new measures for utilities bills relief, hiatus on rent, mortgage bills, as well as wages support and sick pay. 

If freelancers and the self employed received 80% of their earnings based on last year's tax return and a stop on their rent and mortgage payments, plus utility bills, there would be a huge surge in confidence and a massive sense of relief. All of the sector are worried. They need to be included in the next phase of plans as a matter of urgency. Many in the creative and tech industries are not PAYE, they are freelance contractors, who now have no work, no cancellation fees, nothing. These are not low income UK residents, they are high achieving tax payers and they are the backbone of the UK economy. Universal Credit is less than many of them earn in a day for a month: that is not going to cover their bills and it will not help us to help you grow the economy after this huge shock.

Ultimately, we believe this is the key attitude to maintain a healthy and prosperous society in the long run.  

Fashion Roundtable have supported the UK Government with an initiative to help fashion and textiles businesses support the medical profession with the making of much needed COVID 19 medical garments, they have maintained calm and clear guidance to the sector and we have started weekly webinars to help the industry understand the key supports and issues with clarity. Now we need your help in helping the sector stay financially afloat, before it is too late.

Best wishes,

(Insert Your Name Here).