Wedding photographer’s son begs Rishi Sunak for help after dad is excluded from government support

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A wedding photographer’s 13-year-old son has begged Chancellor Rishi Sunak for support because their ‘savings are running out’ with no government support.  

Yesterday, the Chancellor confirmed the furlough scheme will be extended across the UK until the end of March, but as the director of a small limited company, Jon Mank, from Lincoln, has been excluded from government support schemes. 

After struggling for last eight months, his son James uploaded a video to social media, asking what he and his father have ‘done wrong’, and revealed they’ve had to rely on borrowing money from his grandparents in their 70s during the pandemic. 

Appearing on This Morning today, Jon claimed that as a perceived ‘large business’, he’s been ‘discriminated against’ during the pandemic, and that he feels let down by a party he’s voted for his ‘entire life’. 

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced yesterday that 80 per cent furlough is being extended to the end of March, after England was plunged into a new national lockdown, and limited company directors can technically furlough themselves, but many have found their income drop substantially if they paid themselves through dividends.

After struggling for last eight months, his son James uploaded a video to social media, asking what he and his father have ‘done wrong’ not to receive government support 

The video shows James holding up cards with messages to the Chancellor written on them, reading: ‘Mr Sunak why is my dad still excluded from support.

‘What has he, what have we done wrong? He’s a wedding photographer, he has a small limited company, you say he’s complicated. 

Who is eligible for government support? 

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced yesterday that 80 per cent furlough is being extended to the end of March, after England was plunged into a new national lockdown.

A separate scheme for the self-employed will also hand out grants of 80 per cent of previous profits between this month and January – double the level previously on offer.

However, a sizeable chunk of those who are self-employed, ranging from those who have earned more than £50,000 to freelancers and first-time entrepreneurs, are not elligible.

Limited company directors who employ themselves through their own firm – something often demanded by clients – are also not covered.

Whilst it is a grey area if limited company directors are technically self-employed, they have made up an increasing element of the UK’s self-employed workforce in recent years.

Some have been able to furlough themselves but have found their income drop substantially as they paid themselves through dividends – a tax move that is legally allowed.

‘He’s not complicated when you want his taxes though.

‘You say he’s a fraud risk, we’re using our savings but they’ve almost gone. Our grandparents in their 70s are helping. Three million excluded.’ 

Jon had no idea his son was planning on uploading the video, calling the gesture ‘incredibly moving to watch’. 

‘My wife and James had an idea,’ he explained. ‘James was particularly worried, we seemed to be excluded and perceived as tax dodgers. 

‘We’re [perceived as] some form of large business that seems to be vindicated. He wanted to speak out and it was incredibly moving to watch that.’ 

He added: ‘It’s taken a 13-year-old boy, in a very innocent way, to make a statement – not just on behalf of myself, because I’m only one voice of three million people, that have been excluded by the government, through no fault of our own.’ 

Jon went on to say that after introducing the furlough scheme in March, the government had no choice but to ‘do one brush sweep for all’, but after eight months, there’s no excuse for not fine tuning the support schemes. 

 

Wedding photographer Jon Mank (pictured), from Lincoln, has been excluded from government support schemes and appeared on This Morning today

Wedding photographer Jon Mank (pictured), from Lincoln, has been excluded from government support schemes and appeared on This Morning today

The video shows James holding up cards with messages to the Chancellor written on them, reading: 'You say he's a fraud risk, we're using our savings but they've almost gone'

The video shows James holding up cards with messages to the Chancellor written on them, reading: ‘You say he’s a fraud risk, we’re using our savings but they’ve almost gone’

‘We’re hard-working people, we pay our taxes, do everything legally, and yet for some reason, the government has decided to discriminate against us – deeming us as far too complicated to work out a system.’

He went on: ‘When Mr Sunak said the furlough scheme was first adopted back in March, they had no time to put systems in place. 

‘They had to do one brush sweep for all and unfortunately three million people have been left behind. We are now eight months later, surely there is time to [fine tune it]’. 

Jon told hosts Eammon Holmes and Ruth Langsford (both pictured) had no idea his son was planning on uploading the video, calling the gesture 'incredibly moving to watch'

Jon told hosts Eammon Holmes and Ruth Langsford (both pictured) had no idea his son was planning on uploading the video, calling the gesture ‘incredibly moving to watch’

Jon added that the situation is even more disappointing becauase he believed the government was ‘behind small business’, and that before the pandemic he’d backed a Conservative government his entire life. 

He said: ‘The situation for me personally, I’ve voted Conservative my entire life, i’ve always thought the government was behind small business, wanting to back entrepreneurs. 

‘The problem is there are three million people being excluded, there are people being denied Furlough, there are small business, there are freelancers, people who have changed jobs and are now getting no support.’