Dame Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said: "The government has rightly taken bold action to support the millions of self-employed people who could otherwise struggle to keep their heads above water during this national emergency.
"This scheme will understandably take some time to set up, so the focus should now be on cushioning people from an immediate financial shock.
"With the benefits system under immense pressure, bill holidays and a pause on debt collections could help to ease the strain on family incomes. We look forward to working with the government to make sure no one falls into unmanageable debt as a result of this public health crisis."