Freelance? How to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic

By Rebecca Hastings

^{Photo credit: Vicko Mozara}

There’s no getting around it: this is not an easy time for freelancers. Yes, you’re probably generally more used to working in isolation than others – but, given that we’re in the throes of a global pandemic right now, there’s considerably less work out there to actually do. 

Things will get better, but until then, here are a few ways you can get a handle on your financial situation.

 

Claim your benefits

First of all, it’s time to find out exactly what kind of money you’re entitled to from the government. You can check whether or not you’re eligible for the self-employment support scheme here.

The grant pays up to 80 percent of your usual profits, covering three months, and is capped at £7,500. As a general rule, in order for you to be eligible, your annual income needs to be under £50,000 and you need to make most of your money from sole trading. You’ll need to have paid your self-assessment tax for 2018/19, too. Not eligible for the grant? You could also try applying for Universal Credit to help you stay afloat.

 

Try something new

Now is the perfect time to explore areas of work you wouldn’t normally dabble in, using the skills you already have. For example, if you’re a journalist, you could take on some copywriting gigs – these tend to be better paid, with more opportunities readily available. It doesn’t need to be something you do forever, but it could really help during this tricky time.

If you really want to diversify your skill set and maximise your chances of getting work, why not take a professional course? Remember, if you pay for any training to do with your freelance career, you can offset the cost against your tax bill. There are plenty of free learning resources out there, too – try Skillshare or LinkedIn Learning.

 

Reach out

Don’t be afraid to reach out to previous clients who know and trust you, explain that you have a lot more free time than usual at the moment, and ask if they need anything from you. Companies are always likely to work with freelancers they’ve used before, and many will be glad to offer you gigs if they know you’re struggling.

You could also ask fellow freelancer friends to recommend you if they’re offered any work they can’t do. It’s all about those connections.

 

Make use of the downtime

Inevitably, there will be some quieter periods for freelancers while the world reckons with this new normal, so use this time to pitch to new clients and apply for opportunities you might not have had a spare minute to think about otherwise. Scour job boards, newsletters and Twitter for openings – work is out there, it’s just a little trickier to find at the moment.

Plus, free time doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing – it’s a good opportunity to deal with the admin side of your freelancing business, so that you can hit the ground running when things start to look more fruitful on the work front. Update your website, create an invoice template or make a list of coffee shops you’re going to work from when all this is over. If you’re feeling super-industrious, you could even file your 2019/2020 tax return early (but we really, really won’t judge you if you don’t).

 

rebeccahastings.co.uk
@rebz_hastings