ISM writes to Rishi Sunak calling for more financial support for musicians

Among the ISM's suggestions for financial support are: 

• Maintaining the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grant at the 80% level until the end of this crisis, and expanding its eligibility criteria or creating a suitable alternative for the three million excluded freelancers
• Providing further cultural recovery funding, with more support for individuals ahead of organisations and venues until musicians can safely resume work
• Supporting venues to reopen under social distancing, covering losses from reduced audiences.
• Offering an alternative to Universal Credit for musicians or improve the process.
• Extending the 5% VAT rate on tickets for the next three years.
• Creating a government-backed reinsurance scheme that allows performance to resume safely later this year.
• Introducing new tax relief measures for live music, touring and new compositions in line with the regulatory elements of the Theatre Tax Relief.

Read the full letter here.