Dealing with the Covid-19 outbreak as a freelancer

Last updated Tuesday 16th February 2021

Freelancers and small businesses everywhere are in the middle of contingency planning. We’ve decided to create a reference list of useful articles or resources that we spot across the freelance community below. We’ll keep it updated as we find recommendations for remote working, virtual delivery, wellbeing and financial uncertainty. If you’ve found something that works for you please feel free to share it using #MuseumFreelance, post on our LinkedIn group, or email Marge at [email protected]. And if you need direct support, consult NHS Coronavirus advice.

Government guidance and advice for the self-employed including financial support

  • Excluded UK are continuing to lobby for those who have fallen through the Government cracks, including those new to freelancing. You can also follow them on instagram, twitter, join their Facebook Group, or view their main Facebook page.

  • The latest HMRC SEISS round and eligibility checks can be found here.

  • HOME and Manchester City Council have announced £500,000 worth of hardship grants for freelancers in Manchester who have been ineligible for SEISS, with £1500 available for each individual. Opens 1st Feb 2021, first come first served.

  • The Welsh Government has launched a fund to support creative freelancers affected by Covid-19: Freelancers working within the cultural and creative sectors in Wales can apply for a £2,500 grant if they are eligible through the Eligibility Checker for the Cultural Recovery Fund.

  • Sheffield-based freelancers can apply for between £500 - £2000 of funding via Sheffield Culture Consortium to support or adapt their businesses and develop their creative practice. A total fund of £52,000 is available.

  • The Treasury outlines how the self-employed can access benefits as a result of Coronavirus here.

  • The Creative Industries Federation have pulled together a list of financial resources all in one place here.

  • Martin Lewis is regularly sharing updates for freelancers and the self-employed on his twitter account.

  • My Cake have produced a finance guide for freelancers and the self-employed here.

  • FSB have released guidance for small businesses here.

  • IPSE have provided a low-down from the Budget and explained how they are supporting freelancers here.

  • Dave Smyth of Work Notes is (still - Jan 2021) actively campaigning to support sole proprietors of limited companies. He’s also published a template for writing to your MP to lobby Government for more support for freelancers.

  • If you're self-employed and/or running your own business and aged 18-30 you might be eligible to apply for funding from The Prince's Trust and NatWest Enterprise Relief Fund.

Helpful tools for online and virtual delivery

  • Design and Climate have shared tools for virtual delivery, tips on what to consider, and case studies of real-life examples at this Google Document.

  • JISC have put together this useful guide to using Microsoft Teams.

  • Fred Deakin shares suggestions and tips on running a workshop online on his Medium blog. Thanks to Simon Seligman for the link.

  • Loom have cut their prices and removed limits for their screen recording services due to Coronavirus.

  • Empower have written this article about how to turn an offline event into an online one.

  • Claire Bown from Thinking Museum has written an excellent blog here about turning offline training into online training, including top tips on what to think about.

  • Dave Smyth covers a range of remote working tools in his Coronavirus Planning article on Work Notes.

  • Work in market research? Two articles about running online focus groups here and here. Thanks to Claire Adler for sharing.

  • Ideas for online facilitation tools including virtual whiteboards can be found here.

Freelancer communities

  • A Facebook group for freelancers and small businesses specifically addressing the impact of Covid-19 has been set up here.

  • Join one of MCN’s Special Interest Groups (SIG’s) if you are a museum tech enthusiast as they are free for non-members.

  • If you’re on Facebook, the Doing it for Kids community have a long thread here of various suggestions made by community members ranging from tools and tips for virtual presenting, to dealing with financial uncertainty.

  • And the Freelance Heroes group and Being Freelance group are also worth checking out.

  • The Arts Marketing Association has set up a support group on Facebook (you don’t have to be an AMA member to join).

  • Freelance Folk have a fantastic list of resources and support here.

The self-employed in the creative and cultural sectors

  • The Creative Industries Federation has released this document which includes guidance for the self-employed working within the creative sector.

Looking after your wellbeing

  • The New Economics Foundation (NEF) have re-imagined their five ways to wellbeing for social distancing. We’re a big fan of the 5 ways here at Museum Freelance as we think they can support mental and physical wellbeing including resilience as a freelancer - take a look at the article here.

  • The Government have produced advice on how to look after your mental health and wellbeing.

  • Charlotte Derry, a Museum Freelance community member and part-time yoga teacher, has set up a lovely initiative just for Museum Freelancers: every Wednesday morning at 8-8.45 you can join her online yoga class for £2.50, followed by an optional coffee chatroom from 9-9.30. For more details please head over to Charlotte's Facebook page.

  • The Mental Health Foundation has published guidance on looking after your mental health during the Coronovirus outbreak.

  • Mind has lots of resources on Coronavirus and your well-being here.

  • The Good News Movement has regular doses of good news and inspiration here.

  • Leapers have a range of support for freelancer health and wellbeing. They’ve also just shared this article about the delay of IR35 reforms to April 2021.

Coronavirus and children

  • This is a simple illustrated e-book to help you talk to younger children about Coronavirus, available free in several languages.

  • There are several Facebook groups popping up with ideas of activities to do with your children if you’re stuck at home.

  • University College of London (UCL), have compiled a huge list of free learning resources to help with home schooling and learning.

  • Lots of museums are busy putting together online resources for families to use at home, for example the Natural History Museum has a range of learning and interactive resources and downloadable resources on science topics for KS1 and KS2.

What next? Planning ahead

  • If you’re business planning or simply working out what to do next and don’t know where to start, this guide gives some initial pointers and questions to ask.

Keep checking back. We will do our best to continue posting latest information via our @museumfreelance twitter feed.

New to Museum Freelance? Join our mailing list here for regular news and support for freelancers working within museums, galleries, archives, libraries and heritage sites.

 

Marge Ainsley