IPIA general manager Brendan Perring said that grassroots action would help reinforce the message in the recent joint letter from 15 industry associations sent to chancellor Rishi Sunak.

The Graphics & Print Media Alliance (GPMA) warned that thousands of printing industry businesses could go bust if the government does not bring in targeted relief.

Perring said the number of calls from members whose businesses were in distress had “ramped back up again” after the most recent restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic were announced, and with the Job Retention Scheme coming to an end this month.

“Business owners are telling me that they’ve taken out government-backed loans, they’ve got staff furloughed, but they’ve got no or next to no income coming in and they can’t afford to bring staff back. They don’t know how they’re going to pay their rent or their click charges,” he said.

“BEIS advised that it’s a good strategy for MPs to become involved and support the industry’s cause, and they can only do that if printers get involved.

“Policy can’t be created in a vacuum. It needs information and for grassroots to make a stand.”

Perring said that 35 IPIA members had already written to their MPs.

The IPIA has created a letter template for firms and individuals to adapt, and urged people to send the letter to their MP by both post and email if possible.

The letter can be downloaded here. 

The UK Parliament website has a directory of MPs and their contact details.