Useful Information for Businesses – Update 1 June 2020

Within this blog we aim to give you top-line, up-to-date information at a glance with links to relevant sites that explain in more detail relevant news, support, and financial help that we hope will make a difference to your business during the Covid19 Crisis and beyond. 

Changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme introduced LINK

INNOVATION GRANT FUNDING

£1m new funding for Defence Innovation

£1million of Defence Innovation funding has been set aside for civil sector support for the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) innovation priorities.

Industry and academia are being urged to submit their ideas to help MOD with its most pressing problems to face future threats.

The Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) will oversee the Innovation Focus Areas and is particularly keen to hear from those who’ve never before worked with Defence.

Suppliers can bid for funding by submitting their ideas through the Open Call for Innovation. If you have an idea and aren’t sure if it fits the bill, DASA’s Innovation Partners are on hand to advise.

Innovators encouraged to bid for funding to help security assurance of consumer smart devices
The government has launched a £400,000 funding pot for innovators to design schemes to boost the security of internet-connected products.

The programme aims to support the development of the market of assurance schemes for consumer smart products, known as the Internet of Things (IoT).

Assurance schemes demonstrate that a device has undergone independent testing or a robust and accredited self-assessment process. These schemes are vital in enabling consumers to make security-conscious purchasing decisions. Application packs are available here.

Find out about all the current funding opportunities at Innovate UK here.

ADDITIONAL UPDATES AND GUIDANCE

Government to publish code of practice with commercial sector in boost to high street

A working group has been established by the government with the commercial rental sector to develop a code which encourages fair and transparent discussions between landlords and tenants over rental payments during the coronavirus pandemic, guidance on rent arrear payments and treatment of sub-letter and suppliers.

Information for Help to Buy: Equity Loan customers during coronavirus

Updated guidance and FAQs on what coronavirus means for Help to Buy: Equity Loan customers.

Action taken to halt sales of fingerprick coronavirus antibody testing kits

Anyone supplying these types of tests should temporarily stop this service. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has recently updated its guidance on home antibody testing kits, to ensure that the public and industry have the latest information on the reliability of test results and what they mean.

Coronavirus support from Business Representative Organisations and Trade Associations
Business Representative Organisations and Trade Associations are providing coronavirus related support for specific sectors. Updated with support from Made in Britain and the Federation of Master Builders.

WEBINARS

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS SUPPORT

Thank you to White Label Creative who have been invaluable in passing on relevant information to us on a daily basis and Croydon Council Economic Development Team – we hope that in re-circulating the salient points, we can all work together to help as many businesses as possible.