New £1m COVID-19 grant fund for small businesses in NK to open Following the Government’s announcement of a new top up grant to support those affected by Covid-19. North Kesteven District Council has received £1,035,000 to support local businesses. Grants will be awarded in payments under £10k or in some exceptions £10k or £25k. Council Leader, Councillor Richard Wright said: “We understand how difficult it has been for businesses in the district during this time, so to be able to offer this further support of funding is a welcome relief. Our economy is part of the back bone that makes this district thrive, and anything we can do to support it further we will. We urge those eligible businesses to apply as soon as they are able.” The fund will target small and micro businesses not eligible for support under the existing grant funds; the Small Business Grant Fund (SBGF) and the Retail Hospitality and Leisure Grant (RHLG). Businesses which have already taken advantage of the Government ‘furlough scheme’ or ‘bounce back’ loans can apply for support from this fund. Eligible businesses must have: Significant ongoing property costs And/or Suffered a significant drop in income due to Covid -19 Evidence will be required for either of these key determining factors. Have been trading on 11th March 2020. A plan to continue trading when circumstances allow. Applications will open from 9am on Monday 1st June and remain open for an initial two week period before closing to allow the Council to evaluate demand. Final decisions will not be made until Wednesday 1st July. The Grant Team will contact businesses directly should further information be required during this period. For further information on eligibility and how to apply head to https://www.n-kesteven.gov.uk/business/discretionary-fund-covid-19/. Please note applications will not be open until 9am on Monday 1st June.

UK Government sets out a timeline for retail to reopen in June

Government announced on Monday 25 May 2020, a roadmap for reopening a broader range of shops starting from next month.  From 1 June 2020, it intends to allow outdoor markets to reopen, subject to all premises being made COVID-secure, as well as car showrooms, which often have significant outdoor space and where it is generally easier to apply social distancing.

From 15 June 2020, UK Government intends to allow all other retailers, ranging from shops selling clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, books, and electronics, plus tailors, auction houses, photography studios, and indoor markets, if the Government’s five tests are met and they follow the COVID-19 secure guidelines. You can read the full statement here.

Updated guidance for the retail sector has been published alongside this announcement, detailing the measures retailers should take to meet the necessary social distancing and hygiene standards. You can find the guidance here.

£40m grant funding confirmed for business projects tackling post COVID-19 global impact

Innovate UK has confirmed that over 800 companies will share grant funding of £40 million. Double the amount first planned, to develop new projects and services designed to boost economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19.  For more information on the grant funding please see here.

Help and support if your business is affected by coronavirus (COVID-19)

UK government has produced guidance on the help and support available if your business has been affected by coronavirus.

You can watch videos or register for the free webinars to learn more about the support available to help you deal with the economic impacts of coronavirus here.

Working safely during coronavirus business webinars – find out how to make your workplace COVID-secure

The UK Government, in consultation with industry, has produced guidance to help ensure workplaces in England are as safe as possible during the coronavirus pandemic. Join a free webinar, hosted by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to find out more about how to make your workplace COVID-secure.  

The webinars cover a range of different types of workplace settings which are allowed to be open. Many businesses operate more than one type of workplace, such as an office, factory and fleet of vehicles. You may need to use more than one of the guides/webinars as you think through what you need to do to keep people safe. 

• Monday 1 June, 11am: Construction and other outdoor work - Guidance for people who run outdoor working environments. 
• Monday 1 June, 3pm: Labs and research facilities - Guidance for people who run indoor labs and research facilities and similar environments 
• Tuesday 2 June, 11am: Offices and contact centres - Guidance for people who run offices, contact centres and similar indoor environments
• Tuesday 2 June, 3pm: Homes– Guidance for people working in, visiting or delivering to home environments as well as their employers 

Business Finance Support Options

Details on government measures to support public services, people and businesses through the disruption of COVID-19 can be found on the Government’s Business Support website.

In addition, the British Business Bank and The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) have created new content to help businesses that are facing financial and operational challenges as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. You can view this regularly updated guidance at the Business Finance Guide website.

Apply for the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Following HM Treasury’s announcement on 19^th May, several changes to the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) take effect from Tuesday 26^th May.

The scheme facilitates access to finance for mid-sized and larger businesses with a group turnover of more than £45m affected by the coronavirus outbreak. The maximum amount available through CLBILS to a borrower and its group has now increased from £50m to £200m.

For further information on the changes introduced, including new provisions on seniority of CLBILS facilities, can be found on the CLBILS page on the British Business Bank website. 

NHS Test and Trace

The government announced the launch of the new NHS Test and Trace service yesterday (Thursday 28th May) across England. 

Anyone who tests positive for coronavirus will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and will need to share information about their recent interactions. This could include household members, people with whom they have been in direct contact, or within 2 metres for more than 15 minutes.

To support this announcement the Department for Health & Social Care has developed workplace guidance on the NHS test and trace service for employers, businesses and workers.

Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme is now live

The UK Government’s Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme is now live on GOV.UK. Employers with fewer than 250 employees can now claim for Coronavirus-related Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

The repayment will cover up to two weeks of the applicable rate of SSP. For more information on eligibility and how to make a claim please visit GOV.UK

For more information about this Coronavirus support measure, you can also sign-up to HMRC’s Statutory Sick Pay Scheme Webinar.