Turnover is the whole thing (like with VAT), so it's your takings before expenses unlike the Self Employed grant next month which is calculated just on profit (so with that one if you have fixed costs like work flat rent, you're basically having to pay them again out of your profit).

I don't know how they decide on what constitutes an 'undertaking in difficulty' as it'll be based on criteria which we haven't been told, and it isn't clear how the simple online form they've promised will interact with the 'network of accredited lenders' mentioned, but it's something to try at leaat .

I don't have an accountant, I decided to do my accounts for myself.

From what I can find on the gov website, to get universal credit when self-employed, you have to  prove you are in 'Gainful self-employment' and prove that 'your work is organised, developed, regular and in expectation of profit'

Normally there will be an interview for you to prove this, I would assume they want to see documentary evidence of how you run your business. They have suspended these interviews for the duration of the COVID-19 distancing measures and will take your word for it that you are gainfully self-employed.

But I'm worried that when the time period is up, they will want us to attend meetings to show that evidence, and if I can't provide good enough evidence I would have to pay the money back, or worse, get prosecuted for benefit fraud?? Obviously I didn't write a business plan for my escorting career... and I would rather not show them invoices, accounts, marketing materials etc... plus don't know if they would suffice...

Has anybody else recently done a UC claim and have any thoughts on this?

The online tool for checking eligibility is now online here: https://www.tax.service.gov.uk/self-employment-support/enter-unique-taxpayer-reference

You will need your UTR/tax reference number (don't put it in with the letter on the end - I did and it doesn't work until you just use the digits ) and your National Insurance number. It will tell you right away whether you're eligible and that if so you can claim from the 13th of May.

You must have a Government Gateway account to claim this and they can take a few days to set up because they send a code in the post (or they used to) to activate it, so anybody who wants to claim and doesn't have one needs to crack on with that now.