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I have many concerns about this government but the one thing I will support is the Chancellor's financial support packages. I know some are complaining about the lack of money being handed out and the restrictions but the reality is this will be a long winter for us all. The latest support for the self employed is better than nothing but rest assured all of us will be paying more tax to pay back the grants we have received plus the money the government have borrowed. Covid 19 have impacted on us all in one way or another and the financial fallout will be felt for a number of years. I am doing my bit to help local suppliers and I have placed an order for a new Honda mower.
I watched a programme on TV last night about the effects of the lockdown on jobs.
They started the programme with an electrician and his wife who had both been furloughed then made redundant. They finished the programme in a private training school saying the way forward is to train an an electrician or some other trade. That to me doesn’t quite add up!
What there is likely to be is a lot more people becoming self employed, not through choice but because they cannot get a job on an employed basis. The redundant electrician in last nights TV show has “started picking up a few jobs” or words to that effect, I cannot remember precisely how they worded it.
I spoke to an odd job guy this morning, he has had to get someone to help him on a full time basis, having been trading for fifteen years he is busier than ever. But he is concerned that when the redundancies really start kicking in he will have a lot more competition.
So my prediction is more redundancies, then more self employed people with many trying to do home and garden maintenance. A lot will fail, because they don’t know what they are doing, but they will still disrupt the marketplace.
Andy.
I agree Andy. I have seen an increase in the number of gardening and tree surgeons businesses in my area. As you say some will fall by the way side but it will mean competition and that could impact on what you can charge.
Personally I became self employed in 1981 when Maggie created the recession that killed 20% of UK manufacturering companies.
I worked for my dad and spent a fortnight pricing half a dozen house extensions without winning any of them, I sorted out enough work for my dad and another guy who worked for them then got some work subbing for myself, it was only ever supposed to be temporary, but never went back.
Several firms that “won” the jobs we didn’t get went bust without finishing them, which proved I hadn’t overpriced the jobs, but they had still taken the work off us.
Generally nobody wins when people underestimate the cost of work, unless they commit a bit of fraud as well. One of our competitors was divorced by his wife partly as a result of the financial mess he got them into.
The early 80’s were pretty sh#t some people never worked again after that recession and whole communities were devastated.
True I remember that era well also and the mining communities never recovered , devastating .
Enterprise allowance and satuarated markets , I worked at the bench in a jewellers but this trade went from strength to strength for obvious reasons precious metal is currency so i stayed in work .
I think the word now is multi skilled , tradespeople who can do a bit of everything except gas unless they are registered . in some ways its a logical progression for people who have some natural ability and todays tools make the job easier and its convenient for the consumer to have it all under one roof but it does create a satuarated market place .
Now also alot of insurance companies can sort out a locksmith or plumber etc or for a very small annual fee the water authority can provide 24 hour emergency household cover its already competitive .
Every gardener i know made a career change , forced upon them or by choice as i did myself , competition is the nature of the beast but also its a complex area there is more to it than doing the work cheap people are prepared to pay for integtity , experience and efficiency .
A few days ago i visited a lady who i could sense was still healing from a terrible experience bandits ripped her off charging £1500 for 15 miniutes work but different to someone starting up and charging a fair price who needs to put food on the table i have absolutley no issue with this its survival our most basic instinct .
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2012/dec/07/britain-recessions...