MPs have said the Chancellor has “effectively drawn a line” under helping more than a million people excluded by Government support packages in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

The chair of the Treasury Committee, Mel Stride, issued the warning after Rishi Sunak defended the parameters of the current financial support.

Last week, the committee published its interim report into gaps in state support to firms and workers affected by the virus.

It stressed that more than a million people have not received support from the Government and called on it to “do whatever it takes” to protect people and businesses.

However, the Chancellor has now defended the current system of business loans and job retention schemes after reading the committee’s initial findings.

In a letter, Mr Sunak admitted to MPs on the committee that it “is correct that some people have not been eligible” for furlough or self-employment scheme funding, while others, such as PAYE freelancers, do not have a specific scheme.

However, he said that these “were the right policies for the first phase of the crisis”.

Mr Sunak also stressed that the Treasury was unable to allow returns for the 2019-20 tax year to be used by people to secure self-employment support as that would create an opportunity for an “organised criminal gang to file fake or misleading returns to claim the grant”.

In response, Mel Stride said: “The Chancellor has effectively drawn a line under helping the million-plus people who have been excluded from support for four months.

“Despite stating that he will not pick winners and losers when it comes to sectors and businesses that need support, the Chancellor has done this when it comes to households and individuals.

“The Chancellor said that the schemes were designed to be open and accessible to as many people as possible, but the committee remains to be convinced that more people could not have been helped.

“The Chancellor initially told those at risk of losing their livelihoods that they would not be forgotten.

“While the Government is clear that it is moving on to the next phase of its recovery plan, it cannot just turn its back on those who are suffering.

Support if your business has been affected

As much as the Government has initiated new schemes to support businesses through the pandemic, there are schemes that are already in place that can also help businesses facing financial difficulties. The R&D Tax Credit scheme has been available to SMEs since 2000 and large enterprises since 2002, rewarding innovating businesses for the development of new, or improvement of existing products and processes. At MPA, we have helped businesses who are innovating in various ways across all sectors, access this vital funding which has proven crucial to their short and long-term business plans.

Now more than ever it is important for businesses to ensure that they are accessing all funding that is available to them and we can help. Speak to one of our team of advisors who can provide a free over the phone consultation to help you understand which funding your business could be eligible for.

Have a look at some of the business we have helped over the years.