Sussex wrote:
Or more importantly, to me, why haven't 250 applied.
Interesting question, and I'd have guessed that more would apply in Aberdeen than in other areas, because I think the trade tends to be more full-time and less part-time/casual there, although I could be wrong.
The questions were pretty standard across the board, or at least at the councils I looked at. I think the Scottish Government must have specified which boxes required ticking, although each council seemed to present the questions slightly differently.
Can't recall whether I looked at Aberdeen City in any detail. Some of the councils you could access all the questions, while others required a badge number, name and address or whatever to get started on the process, so it was impossible to see all the questions.
But all seemed to require an NI number, so that might have put off a few.
Of course, some in Aberdeen may have not suffered a 50% drop in turnover, so that could be a factor, although I doubt that would affect many.
Not sure if Aberdeen City drivers just had to self-certify the 50% drop, as seemed to be the norm with other councils, but at least one (Aberdeenshire) wanted three months of bank statements from both 2019 and 2020 showing the turnover drop and the overhead expenses that had to be incurred
That stuff at the start about whether the grant might just mean reduced UC or other benefits might have also put a few off. It was then decided that it wouldn't affect UC, but I suspect there are still some who were worried it might affect other grants or benefits receivable
I suppose small numbers might have been affected by the other criteria, such as dual-badge holders who claimed from another council, some who might have breached the Covid regs/received an FPN, or even those connected to a tax haven
Doubt those would account for other than a tiny number, though.
Of course, the 1,200 eligible figure assumes the council have calculated that figure correctly. Wouldn't be surprised if it was wrong.
A related issue could be that some with a three-year badge might have given the job up, but the council wouldn't know. One question was that the driver had to be working or available for work between October 2020 and January 2021. So if someone has given up the job, and if they're honest, then obviously they wouldn't apply
I suppose a small number might not even know about the grant, for whatever reason.
And no doubt some would just think they don't need the money
And no doubt a few other oddball scenarios would account for the rest.
There's nowt as queer as folk
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