26/03 at 5pm: Chancellor: Rishi Sunak announces Self-employment Income Support Scheme – SEISS
The main focus of the press conference was to announce measures that have been put in place to financially support the self-employed, those whose income has been negatively impacted by COVID-19 – the Self-employment Income Support Scheme.
Access to the scheme will be available no later than the beginning of June.
The Government will pay a taxable grant based on 80% of the average profits (not sales) over the past 3 years to a maximum of £2,500 per month which Mr Rishi said would cover 95% of the self-employed.
Grant payments will be back-dated and are expected to be made by the beginning of June.
Only those already in self-employment and who have submitted a tax return for 2019 will qualify for the scheme. However, those who have not yet submitted their 2019 tax return have been given 4 weeks from 26th March to submit those which must be filed by 23rd April.
Self-employed who have less that 3 years accounts, will be required to submit what they have but the system cannot operate for those who have only very recently become self-employed.
To be eligible for the scheme you must meet all the criteria below:
- Be self-employed or a member of partnership;
- Have lost trading/partnership trading profits due to COVID-19;
- File a tax return for 2018-19 as self-employed or a member of a trading partnership.
- Have traded in 2019-20; be currently trading at the point of application (or would be except for COVID 19) and intend to continue to trade in the tax year 2020 to 2021
- Have trading profits of less than £50,000 and more than half of your total income come from self-employment.
Full details can be found here: https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/self-employment-income-support-scheme/
Clapping for the NHS
It was fantastic to see so many people come out of their homes, keeping a safe social distance, to say a united thank you for our amazing NHS workers, thank you.
People across Stockport clapped and cheered – take a look at this video taken in the town centre by one of our Facebook friends and NHS supporters – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAfi3XsunV0
Claim for wage costs through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Guidance for employers on the coronavirus (COVID-19) Job Retention Scheme has now been published. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is a temporary scheme open to all UK employers for at least three months starting from 1 March 2020. We expect the scheme to be up and running by the end of April. It is designed to support employers whose operations have been severely affected by coronavirus (COVID-19).
Employers can use a portal to claim for 80% of furloughed employees’ (employees on a leave of absence) usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month, plus the associated Employer National Insurance contributions and minimum automatic enrolment employer pension contributions on that wage. Employers can use this scheme anytime during this period. The scheme is open to all UK employers that had created and started a PAYE payroll scheme on 28 February 2020.
New Updates and Guidance Deferral of VAT payments due to coronavirus
If you are a UK VAT registered business and have a VAT payment due between 20 March 2020 and 30 June 2020, you have the option to defer the payment until a later date or pay the VAT due as normal. Further guidance can be found here.
Check which expenses are taxable if your employee works from home due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
HMRC have produced guidance to help you find out what equipment, services or supplies are taxable if your employees are working from home due to coronavirus.
Updated guidance for staff in the transport sector
This guidance will assist transport settings in addressing coronavirus (COVID-19). This guidance may be updated in line with the changing situation.
MHRA guidance on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
New guidance on the Regulatory status of equipment being used to help prevent coronavirus
Specification for ventilators to be used in UK hospitals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
This guidance sets out the clinical requirements based on the consensus of what is ‘minimally acceptable’ performance in the opinion of the anaesthesia and intensive care medicine professionals and medical device regulators.
Covid-19: The Growth Company have published some stats: Economy – GC C19 Business Impact Survey, daily headlines:
o All (n=701 since 11 March). 73% impact yes. 18% not yet. 10% no.
o 5 main impacts: Sales. Cashflow. Business travel. Staff in Isolation. Minor supply chain disruption.
o GM only (n=593). 73.5% impact yes. 16.5% not yet. 10% no. 5 main impacts: As above.
Utilities: Don’t stress about gas / electricity.
Phone your supplier if you have a prepay meter, tell them you are self-isolating and they will send you out 2 weeks-worth of gas / electricity or if you have a smart meter they will top you up.
BRITISH GAS 0333 202 9802
EDF 0333 200 5100
EON 0345 052 000
N POWER 0800 073 3000
SCOTTISH POWER 0800 027 0072
SSE 0345 026 2658
Apprenticeships:
The Government has issued guidance regarding flexibilities to make it easier for apprentices to continue as an apprentice, by enabling them to take a break from their learning or do their learning or assessment in a different way to that originally planned.
As well as ensuring that employers will still have the skills they need for the future, it means that they can temporarily redeploy apprentices without ending their apprenticeship.
The full government latest guidance can be found here – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-apprenticeship-programme-response
Stockport Jobs Match
As a result of the Coronavirus outbreak, some sectors have seen a huge surge in demand for their goods and services leaving them with an immediate shortage of staff.
Stockport Council has launched a FREE job matching website to help support employers with vacancies and individuals across the Stockport borough who are looking for work.
The service, Stockport Jobs Match, will help to connect employers who have urgent temporary or permanent vacancies with applicants who are immediately available and in need of employment.
There is also a call for temporary staff to cover priority functions due to sickness.
The Stockport Jobs Match service is a free to use resource for both individuals and businesses. The website will also help signpost individuals to available support services and information.
Tell us how you are getting on
If you are a business owner, Totally Stockport and Stockport Council are also keen to find out what your needs are at this difficult time so they can provide the most appropriate advice and support.
To help them understand more, visit www.bidsurvey.com and help them to help you.
Food: What you need to know about coronavirus and food Update from Public Health England: It is very unlikely that you can catch coronavirus from food.
COVID-19 is a respiratory illness. It is not known to be transmitted by exposure to food or food packaging.
Any food handler who is unwell should not be at work. If they have symptoms, they should follow government advice and stay at home.
Although it is very unlikely that coronavirus is transmitted through food, as a matter of good hygiene practice anyone handling food should wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This should be done as a matter of routine, before and after handling food, and especially after being in a public place, blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing.
Food business operators should continue to follow the Food Standard Agency’s guidance on good hygiene practices in food preparation and their Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) processes.
Update: Closure of Businesses and Premises
The government has updated its information on guidance on the closure of businesses and premises and for those that are currently allowed to remain open.
The current given clear guidance on self-isolation, staying at home and away from others, and asked that schools only remain open for those children who absolutely need to attend.
Takeaway and delivery services may remain open and operational in line with guidance. Online retail is still open and encouraged and postal and delivery service will run as normal.
Employers who have people in their offices or onsite should ensure that employees are able to follow Public Health England guidelines including, where possible, maintaining a 2 metre distance from others, and washing their hands with soap and water often, for at least 20 seconds (or using hand sanitiser gel if soap and water is not available).
Parks will remain open but only for individuals and households to exercise once a day. Communal spaces within parks such as playgrounds and football pitches will be closed.
Businesses and premises that must remain closed and exceptions:
Coronavirus in UK: How many confirmed cases are there in your area?
The latest stats are available to view on the BBC
Help us reach businesses to urgently raise awareness of available support We need your help to reach businesses across the UK to urgently raise awareness of the new coronavirus government Business Support campaign and the assistance available. A new toolkit includes content and messaging for you to share on your social media, websites, internal channels and newsletters to amplify campaign messages. The toolkit will help ensure all businesses have the best and most up to date information on the support that is available to them in a fast-moving situation. |
Useful links:
Government – Business Support: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19
Government – Financial Support:
Bank of England – Financial Support:
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/news/2020/march/the-covid-corporate-financing-facility
Stockport Council Grant scheme:
https://www.stockport.gov.uk/business-rates-support-measures
Gov.uk: Maintaining Educational Provision:
UK Lockdown – Further businesses to close and exceptions:
Business Growth Hub:
www.businessgrowthhub.com/coronavirus
Food & Drink – advice and guidance:
Health – updates from NHS
https://www.england.nhs.uk/news/
Health – Shielding the most vulnerable
Travel:
https://media.northernrailway.co.uk/news/coronavirus-travel-information
Recruitment: – DWP and Universal Credit
Health – updates from NHS
https://www.england.nhs.uk/news/
Health – Shielding the most vulnerable
Travel:
https://media.northernrailway.co.uk/news/coronavirus-travel-information
Recruitment: – DWP and Universal Credit