The woman who runs music classes for  toddlers and says she’s had no financial support during lockdown has been backed by her local MP.

Hannah Ruddy, who is classified as a sole trader, runs Musicality Kids in Harrogate and says she is one of the many people who has “fallen through the gaps” for government funding. Since March she has not earned any money.

Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones has joined a cross-party group of MPs which aims to stand up for people like Hannah who have been excluded from coronavirus government support schemes.

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In 2018, Hannah decided to leave employment and set up on her own teaching music. She told The Stray Ferret:

“Many people have been excluded for many reasons but when you’ve worked the whole time, paid tax for 22 years and put your own money into building up a business, it’s very difficult to accept that you are not eligible for any help, despite being unable to carry out your business for several months.”

Before lockdown, Hannah Ruddy from Musicality Kids was teaching 120 children a week.

The cross-party group was formed by Lib Dem MP Jamie Stone. He told The Stray Ferret:

“I set up this All-Party Parliamentary Group after hearing the overwhelming and heart-breaking number of stories from the millions who have been excluded from government support during this global pandemic…I am so pleased to have Andrew Jones join the 222 other MPs who are supporting the excluded.”