We know that the pandemic has had an acute impact on the creative industries, with many creators experiencing a dramatic drop in their income. While we appreciate the financial support schemes the Government has so far put in place to try to offset the effects of the pandemic, many people remain ineligible for them, and so have fallen through the gaps of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) or the Job Retention Scheme (JRS).

We would like to hear from you, our members, in order to gather personal stories which demonstrate the impact COVID-19 is having on people’s livelihood. We are particularly interested in your views on the following:

• If you have had access to Government support, has it sufficiently matched your income pre-pandemic? What has the process of applying for support been like?
• Have you been ineligible for Government support or grant schemes? If so, why?
• If you have become a parent during the pandemic, what has your access to support been like?
• Which alternative streams of income have you considered or taken up to compensate for your loss in earnings through writing?

We plan to use your testimonials both in correspondence with MPs, and in submissions to Government departments or Parliamentary committees. We request that your responses should be a maximum of two sides of A4.

Please email your testimonials to allpartywritersgroup@alcs.co.uk along with any questions you may have.