28 March (Part 1) - COVID-19 for business
Behind the scenes at Bexley Council some people are working their socks
off trying to support businesses. I have obtained from them via a circuitous
route the following guidance and links which may be of use to local businesses.
Message 1 from Bexley Council’s Economic Development Department
The Government has announced an extension to the business categories which
are now to be included in the business rates holiday for Retail, Leisure and Hospitality sectors. This now includes:
• Employment Agencies
• Estate Agents
• Betting Shops
• Wellness Centres
• Spas
• Massage Parlours
• Casinos and Gambling Clubs
• Bingo Halls
For further information please visit:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/covid-19-estate-agents-lettings-agencies-and-bingo-halls-to-pay-no-business-rates-this-coming-financial-year
Companies House has recently announced that it would be giving Companies
more time to file accounts due to the disruption caused by Covid19:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/companies-to-receive-3-month-extension-period-to-file-accounts-during-covid-19
In order to help provide up to date information alerts on all aspects of the
Covid19 outbreak (not just business support) and to counter misinformation
circulating online, the government has launched a coronavirus information
service on WhatsApp. Further details of this service and how to sign up are here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-coronavirus-information-service-on-whatsapp
There is a new guidance page specifically created to assist charitable
organisations during the coronavirus outbreak which may be of interest to some of your local contacts:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-charity-sector
Finally don’t forget to keep checking our Bexley for Business Covid-19
support pages –
www.bexleyforbusiness.co.uk/covid-19-faqs. We are reviewing and updating these constantly.
Message 2 from Bexley Council’s Economic Development Department
Here are some of today’s key updates in relation to business support:
Bexley’s Covid19 grant scheme is still in preparation – but we expect it to
go live early next week. As soon as we have the full information and
the web links for the scheme we will circulate to all.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer yesterday evening
announced a new measure to support self-employed people who have been
impacted by the Covid19 virus. The details of the scheme are set out here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme
Note that the scheme will be administered by HMRC who will be contacting
people who they identify as being eligible. Payments, based on
80% of a self-employed persons profits (averaged out over 3 years where
applicable) will be paid as a single grant in June. In the meantime
the government has made it easier for self-employed people to access
financial support through the Universal Credit programme (further details
here).
The Learning and Enterprise College (LECB) – the adult learning and skills
arm of Bexley Council – has launched an online jobs board to help local
people who may have lost their job due to Covid19 to access opportunities.
The job boards (for local and national opportunities) are available on the
LECB website: https://www.lecb.ac.uk/
Employers who are sadly needing to lay off staff during this crisis are
encouraged to direct affected staff to this website. Local employers
with vacancies can find out about how to advertise opportunities here:
https://www.lecb.ac.uk/recruitment
Don’t forget to encourage your local business contacts to sign up to
the Bexley for Business newsletter via this link.