Useful Information for Businesses – Update 21st April 2020

Within this daily 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:

HMRC has produced this step by step guidance on how to make a claim to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. There is also a calculator to help you work out your claim. Click here to make a claim.

The Chancellor has also announced a one month extension to the scheme, meaning it is open until the end of June, to reflect continuing lockdown measures.

HMRC is also holding live webinars providing an overview of the scheme to help employers and employees deal with the economic impacts of coronavirus. Register for a live webinar here.

The Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme, which has been expanded to cover all viable firms with a turnover of more than £45million, was also been launched today. It will be available through a series of accredited lenders, which will be listed on the British Business Bank website.

This complements existing support including the Covid Corporate Financing Facility and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme for small and medium sized businesses.

£1.25bn for the ‘innovation and enterprise’ the UK needs for post COVID-19 economic recovery LINK.

 

ADDITIONAL NEW GUIDANCE RELEASED 20 APRIL 2020

Women in Innovation 2020: new funding announced LINK
Competition rules temporarily relaxed to allow dairy industry to work together more during coronavirus crisis LINK
Financial support for education, early years and children’s social care LINK

Rules you need to follow if you’re exporting ‘non-harmonised goods’ to the UK LINK

Updated guidance for funeral directors LINK

Updates for companies wanting to get involved in developing smart meter-enabled electric vehicle charging points for on-street and workplace charging LINK

BUSINESS SUPPORT PACKAGES: LATEST INFORMATION & UPDATES

A new Coronavirus Business Support Hub is now available at gov.uk/business-support

The government has also launched a Coronavirus Information Service on WhatsApp which is now updated with business support advice. Text ‘hi’ to 07860064422 via Whatsapp and there are business support measures highlighted under option 5 with the relevant links to gov.uk pages.

Funding and support

• Financial support for businesses
• Claim for your employee’s wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
• Apply for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme
• Defer your VAT payments
• Prevent your business from being evicted

Support for the retail, hospitality, leisure and nursery sectors

• Grant funding of £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with property with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000
• 12-month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality, leisure and nursery businesses in England

Self-employed people and sole traders

• Claim a grant through the Self-employment Income Support Scheme
• Self-employment and Universal Credit
• If you cannot pay your tax bill on time
• Carry out work in people’s homes safely (tradespeople)
• Drivers’ hours rules relaxations
• Negotiate a mortgage payment holiday

Your responsibilities as an employer

• What you need to do and how to keep your employees safe
• Claim for your employee’s wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
• Statutory Sick Pay (SSP): employer guide
• Claim back Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
• Find out what to do if your employee needs time off to look after dependants
• Which expenses are taxable if your employees work from home
• Apprenticeships: how they can continue
• Guidance for Tier 2, 4 and 5 visa sponsors of people affected by coronavirus

Managing your business during coronavirus

• Cleaning your workplace safely
• Handwashing advice posters
• Rules that have been relaxed to help businesses during the coronavirus pandemic
• Construction sites and safe working
• Farmers, landowners and rural businesses
• Food businesses
• Freight transport businesses
• Medical and healthcare industry
• Shipping and sea ports businesses
• Supported accommodation, residential care and home care
• Transport businesses

Business closures

• Businesses that must close
• If you’re staying open for business: safe working guidance
• Closing holiday accommodation to temporary residents

CAN YOU, YOUR BUSINESS OR EMPLOYEES OFFER CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) SUPPORT?

Personal protective equipment (PPE) hub
A hub containing guidance on personal protective equipment (PPE), and infection prevention and control (IPC) is now available. The government welcomes  support from manufacturers who wish to offer their production facilities where they can meet the required specifications for use by the NHS and care sector. New offers can continue to be made via www.gov.uk/coronavirus-support-from-business.

Help the government increase coronavirus (COVID-19) testing capacity

There is also a hub for businesses seeking to help the government increase testing capacity in the UK as part of its strategy to protect the NHS and save lives. It includes a raft of information, including specification for the required antibody test and guidance about the criteria laboratories need to meet to partner with a local NHS trust. Businesses can provide support in a number of ways:

• Help supply materials and equipment
• Help supply complete testing methods
• Help provide laboratory capacity

Help provide new testing methods in 4 key areas

National Caterers Association (NCASS) have dedicated advice for caterers still operating or changing to delivery services here 

UK Sustain have dedicated advice and resources for community organisations and social enterprises helping to feed vulnerable groups here 

WEBINARS

Forthcoming Webinars

22 April 10am   White Label  Entrepreneurial Croydon – Advice for Directors and how to remain innovative.

Past Relevant Webinar Series

Series of Webinars run by Champ Consultants (Accountants)  Including advice for small businesses and self employed persons, latest updates and Government help

White Label Webinars are available on their YouTube Channel here.

Social Enterprise UK have a range of webinars for social entrepreneurs here

NCASS have started webinars for their members which would also be helpful for all food businesses here

Thank you to White Label Creative who have been invaluable in passing on relevant information to us on a daily basis and, together with Champ Consultants, an established, local accountancy company and the Federation of Small Businesses a membership organisation helping smaller businesses achieve their ambitions – we hope that in re-circulating the salient points, we can all work together to help as many businesses as possible.

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