Coronavirus news live: More than 1 million self-employed left without government support and UK records 6,634 new cases

When the current furlough scheme ends, the government will subsidise the pay of employees who are working fewer hours due to lower demand (Picture: Hollie Adams/Getty)

A further 6,634 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, bringing the overall number of cases – as of Thursday – to 416,353.

Meanwhile, there has been criticism that Rishi Sunak’s new Job Support Scheme does not do enough to help those who are self-employed.

From November until the end of January, many self-employed workers can claim back 20% of their average monthly trading profits, capped at a total of £1,875.

But the help misses out around 1.5 million people who have been given too little support through the crisis, said director of policy at the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) Andy Chamberlain.

He said: ‘Although it is right for the Chancellor to extend Seiss, the support announced today still excludes one in three self-employed people.

‘Limited company freelancers and the newly self-employed almost entirely missed out on support in the last lockdown and have faced bleak months of financial devastation.’

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• UK records 6,634 new coronavirus cases in highest daily rise since outbreak began
• Rishi Sunak announces new furlough scheme replacement
• BAME people not genetically more at-risk of dying from coronavirus, study says

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