So you're probably still reeling from the 'help' the Government tried to provide with its older, more useless schemes, but there's more aid on the horizon.
Things may be looking up for freelancers and umbrella company contractors, as plans to relax certain regulations may make it easier to use contract workers.
If small and medium sized businesses are expected to expand, grow, and aid in economic recovery efforts by using more contract workers, they'll need more money.
Every cloud has a silver lining so they say, and for IT contractors that cloud could come in the form of data security issues and the software necessary to solve them.
The National Loan Guarantee Scheme may be just the thing to help small businesses access cheaper finance and create more opportunities for umbrella company contractors.
SMEs are becoming increasingly pessimistic about their long-term future, according to a recent report by an associate professor of enterprise from Warwick Business School.
Umbrella company contractors who had been hoping to benefit from more government contracts are disappointed that major corporations are still getting the bulk of the work.
An extensive study spanning the last two decades has discovered that small companies in deprived areas that receive a grant of at least £5,000 are more likely to create new jobs than their larger counterparts.