Independent Musician Stephen Fox,50, from Leeds toured with Bucks Fizz back in 2014, but due to restrictions of Covid19 he is now financially struggling to make ends meet.
But with no live entertainment or access to studio facilities, Stephen Fox and other artists have been left with no work or any clear entitlements of support from the government.
Mr Fox said: “The way it has affected me, it has effectively destroyed my income."
Mr Fox makes a living from booked gigs throughout the year, but now he is only making a fraction of his income through universal credit.
Many music venues are taking bookings from musicians hoping to do live performances, but in guidance with Boris Johnson's roadmap scheme many must wait until 21 June.
Despite working in this industry for at least 10 years now, Mr Fox said he “wouldn’t want to do anything else” but feels let down by the system.
Mr Fox witnessed his last gig back in 2019 alongside Thereza Bazar at the 229 Club in London before lockdown was enforced in March 2020.
And he also used his Calm CD featuring Suzanna Dee where the original profits went to helping homeless shelters, now has been used to make a living from.
Besides working with Suzanna Dee who is known for starring on BBC One’s All Together Now and Channel 5’s Jane McDonald and Friends, he has also worked alongside Bucks Fizz and being the lead vocalist for the band Mixtape.
Apart from that, Mr Fox has produced his own film, The Last Days of Edgar Harding back in 2010 under his own company called Digital Ghost Productions.
Bucks Fizz, Cheryl Baker also faces financial struggles
Eurovision singer Cheryl Baker, member of Bucks Fizz, faced criticism and online abuse after an interview with Ok Magazine was blown out of proportion for saying she was “totally broke”.
Not only does all her family work in the entertainment industry, but it also means little work available to provide any source of income due to Covid19.
However, people still have a misconception towards musicians, Mr Fox said:“If you work in music, certainly if you’re a famous musician as they are then people think that you have enough money, and that you have got nothing to worry about.
“That really isn’t true, they get their money from gigs.You go out you do a gig, and you get paid for the Fizz they do it slightly differently through the use of full tours."
Rishi Sunak's budget plan
Last year, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said, musicians and people in the creative arts “should retrain and find other jobs” this statement caused outrage.
This sparked an immediate demand for help among the music industry with the #LetTheMusicPlay campaign.
To encourage the government to take action to prevent the downfall of the entertainment industry.
However, on March 3, Rishi Sunak announced a £65 billion three-point plan to help businesses and jobs through the rest of the pandemic.
Apart of this provided £700m to support UK's arts, culture, and sporting institutes when they reopened in June.
Yet many working in the arts is still demanding support for being deemed as an excluded majority under the government’s plans.
Help Musicians
A charity called Help Musicians provides financial support through their Financial Hardship Fund.
This helps self-employed or unemployed musicians' not deemed qualified enough for the Self-Employment Income to receive some support during a time of crisis.
And they also issue support through their Do it differently Fund and their Transmission Fund.
Both give music creators opportunities, skills, and training to sustain a career within the creative arts.
Above all many in the arts are eagerly wanting to get back to work, with it being only a matter of time until music festivals, venues, and clubs are back open.
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