Crew information regarding COVID-19
Date Posted: March 16, 2020
***please click here to visit our dedicated coronavirus page with more up-to-date information***
The coronavirus pandemic has had a particularly severe impact on freelancers working in the screen industry across the UK. A support package has been announced by the UK government.
UK Government support
The UK government has announced the following to support freelancers impacted by coronavirus:
- “those affected by coronavirus will be able to apply for Universal Credit and can receive up to a month’s advance up front without physically attending a jobcentre”. You can apply for the Universal Credit online using the following link – https://www.universal-credit.service.gov.uk/postcode-checker
- “the 7 waiting days for ESA for new claimants will not apply if they are suffering from coronavirus or are required to stay at home – so it will be payable from day one”
The amount that you will receive will vary based on your circumstances, and more details can be found here – https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/what-youll-get
Union support
If you worked on a production that was covered by a BECTU agreement and are a BECTU member then you should check with BECTU what additional support is available:
Phone: 020 7346 0900
Email: [email protected]
Bectu members can also contact their local union representative directly for more information.
