Information Coronavirus guidance for businesses, employers and employees
Content
Recovery
Follow advice and principles to stay safe outside including staying alert and ensuring social distancing. Read frequently asked questions on what you can and can’t do during the coronavirus outbreak.
Read the guidance to help people get safely back to work.
Read the guidance on NHS test and trace service for employers, businesses and workers.
Managing coronavirus
The Government issued guidance for businesses and employees in regards to the spread of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.
This published guidance:
- assists employers and businesses in providing advice to staff on COVID-19
- gives advice on how to prevent its spread
- advises on what to do if someone with suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 has been in a workplace setting
- offers advice to give to individuals who have travelled to specific areas
- advises for the certification of absence from work resulting from COVID-19.
Package of support for businesses
The government has set out a package of support for businesses through the period of disruption caused by COVID-19.
Measures to support businesses include:
-
Hospitality, accommodation and admission to certain attractions may have temporary reduction on the rate of VAT on supplies.
-
Restaurants and cafes can register for the 'eat out to help out' scheme from 13 July.
-
Enterprise Nation is giving small firms access to free, one-to-one advice with an expert adviser to help them through the coronavirus pandemic and to prepare for long-term recovery. Advice is offered on a range of topics including HR, legal, finance, digital and marketing.
-
Small and medium sized businesses can apply for Bounce Back Loans, borrowing between £2,000 and £50,000.
-
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Employers can claim cash grants worth up to 80% of wages, capped at £2,500 a month per worker through HMRC. Check if you can claim and how to make a claim. Read the step-by-step guide for employers.
UPDATE: The job retention scheme / furlough is changing. - deferring VAT and income tax payments
- statutory sick pay (SSP) relief package for SMEs.
You can now claim SSP for employees who are self-isolating because they’ve been notified by the NHS or public health bodies that they’ve come into contact with someone with coronavirus.
- Business Rate Relief for small businesses. We have contacted eligible businesses. There is no need to contact us
- claim small business grant funding for all businesses in receipt of Small Business Rates Relief (SBRR) and Rural Rates Relief
- a top-up fund for certain small businesses previously outside the scope of the
business grants scheme. Check if you are eligible for this fund in East Devon. You can read advice from Government to Local Authorities about the top-up fund. - Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme to support long-term viable businesses who may need to respond to cash-flow pressures by seeking additional finance
- Bank of England lending facility for larger firms
- HMRC Time to Pay scheme
- Commercial tenants unable to pay rent because of coronavirus will be protected from eviction
- A new coronavirus package to protect firms driving innovation in UK, including a new £500 million loan scheme for high-growth firms, called the Future Fund, and £750 million of targeted support for small and medium sized businesses focusing on research and development.
Information about all this support is available via the official GOV.UK website.
Business support
FREE tailored business support in East Devon
The Growth Support Programme offers FREE business support. Get a health check for your business and speak to an independent advisor at no cost to you to get advice specifically tailored to your individual needs. For more information call 0800 592 872 or email team@businessinfopoint.co.uk.
Heart of the South West Growth Hub
The Heart of the South West Growth Hub provides information to help businesses in Devon, Somerset, Plymouth and Torbay during the COVID-19 crisis. The Hub also offers information about various business support programmes operating in the area.
National support
Find coronavirus financial support for your business. The government has launched a business support finder to help businesses see what support is available to them. See www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder
A range of business support is available to businesses. Visit www.gov.uk/business-support to find out how to access the support that has been made available, who is eligible, when the schemes open and how to apply. Find out more.
Help for self-employed
Self-employed people who have been adversely affected will be able to access taxable grants. Government has updated the self-employed income support scheme. Those eligible for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme will be able to claim a second and final grant in August worth 70% of their average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering three months’ worth of profits, and capped at £6,570 in total. Check if you can claim.
The first grant is of 80% of average annual profits over the last 3 years, up to £2,500 per month. It will be open for a period of at least 3 months, backdated to 1 March 2020.
The scheme is targeted to those who have a trading profit of up to £50,000 per year and that make the majority of their income from self-employment. It is for people who are already self-employed and who have a tax return for 2018/19.
The scheme is administered by HMRC and it is expected that after making a claim, it will take 6 working days to reach bank accounts. Watch the webinar to help you apply.
Claim self-employed income support.
Self-employed people can also access business interruption loans and universal credit.
Income tax deferral
If you are self-employed, Income Tax payments due in July 2020 under the Self-Assessment system will be deferred to 31 January 2021.
Business continuity helpline set up by East Devon-based social enterprise
Cosmic are offering free help and a toolkit for local businesses and charities to help them set up remote working for staff. Phone the helpline on 0330 088 4421 between 9am-5pm, Monday-Friday.