Government support for the self-employed hit by the coronavirus pandemic has been hailed as an “historic lifeline” – but concerns have been raised that some are in danger of missing out.

The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) said the package announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak would provide “essential support” to the majority of the self-employed.

But it also vowed to keep pushing the Government to extend the support to all freelancers facing dire financial straits due to the virus crisis.

Under the package, self-employed workers with trading profits of up to £50,000 can claim 80 per cent of their average monthly profits, up to a total of 2,500 a month.

The scheme will be available “no later” than June, confirmed Mr Sunak, and will only be open to those who have a tax return for 2019 – on which the level of support will be based.

The measures – which cover 95 per cent of self-employed workers – have received a cautious welcome in Cumbria.

Derek Cribb, chief executive of IPSE, said: “We welcome the fact that the Government has heeded our calls and actively worked with IPSE in designing a historic lifeline of financial aid for the self-employed.

“We understand this is an immense and complex undertaking and urge the Government to get this vital support to freelancers as soon as practically possible.

“While this assistance is practical and wide-ranging it does not, however, cover all self-employed people. We will keep working to fill in these gaps and stop those in need from being left behind.”

Concerns emerged shortly after the support package was announced, with many self-employed workers stressing they needed to look closer at the detail.

For many June could prove too long to wait, while those who have set up in business recently want are crying foul over support they are unable to draw on.