Fryad Najdat is a self-employed hairdresser and when I interviewed him around this time last year, he was very upbeat about his business prospects. Here’s how it looked back in the days before coronavirus hit home:
Recently I went back to re-interview Fryad, who explained that even though the Treasury has agreed to support the self-employed financially, he is desperately unsure of what the future holds.
How has shutting down your business affected you?
“Well, you know, it’s extremely hard for me. I have bills to pay, essentials to buy, and at this rate I don’t know how to pay anything off. The government did say that support would be available for self-employed people, but the scheme is not yet available, which makes it even harder. What do they expect me to do? Sit around whilst I have zero income?
I get the whole idea of self-isolation, but how can I sit around knowing I have bills to pay?
“My landlord emailed me asking for £2000 rent, which I found extremely stressful. What can I do? Everyone is living off their savings for the time being. Well, until we get some proper support from the government.”
How are you finding quarantine? Is it hard for you in any way?
“Where do I even start? This whole thing has affected my mood, my sleeping routine, I hate the idea of being in a flat seven days a week. It’s all nice and that when it’s two to three days off, but after that you just get so bored. Before the virus broke out, I’d work seven days a week straight, so for me this is horrible, I hate being stuck indoors. I stay up playing PlayStation or end up watching Netflix till 5am, then I wake up at 2-3pm. I find it difficult not having a routine like I usually would. Nowadays, whenever I wake up, the first thought that goes through my mind is the amount of debt I have to pay off”.
How are you dealing with financial pressure?
“I can’t complain, I have food on the table and money in my pocket, but not for long. I don’t want to sound selfish because there are people who have nothing. But the other day I went out and did a food shop and even that I spent over £70, everything is so over priced! I had some savings in my account, but that’s already running out.
“I really don’t know whether my business will be the same again, even when I re-open. The shut down has lost me customers, money and a healthy, normal lifestyle. I just want to get back into work, and make money, that’s all I’m asking for. But no one knows when lock down will be over”.
