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Consultation launched aimed at giving Small Business Commissioner more power to support businesses and resolve late payment issues
- Government proposals to give more powers to the Small Business Commissioner (SBC) to help small firms with late payment
- Proposed new powers include ordering businesses to pay in good time and issuing fines if they do not, ordering companies to share information on payment practices and the power to launch investigations
- £23.4 billion worth of late payments currently owed to small businesses in the UK, impacting on cash flow and threatening the survival of small firms during the COVID-19 pandemic
Further details here.
Introducing Debbie Boon, who is the Enterprise Coordinator for North and South Kesteven and Rutland, and a member of the Greater Lincolnshire LEP team. Debbie coordinates the Career and Enterprise Company's Enterprise Adviser Network in our area, working with secondary schools and colleges to help them improve their careers programmes to prepare and inspire young people for the fast changing world of work.
Engaging with schools is a wonderful opportunity not only to support your local community and meet your corporate social responsibilities, but also for you to tap into the local workforce of the future, to help shape education so that it reflects the needs of your sector and to promote your business and work sector more widely.
The Enterprise Adviser Network supports this with two initiatives. Firstly, by inviting senior managers and leaders from business to buddy up with one secondary school to bring the local world of work perspective into the school and to act as a critical friend to the career leader. This is a really rewarding role, and currently there are around 3000 Enterprise Advisers across the UK, and more are needed to help our young people get the careers guidance they deserve.
Another way you can be involved is through the Give and Hour campaign. This is for anyone in an organisation, at any level and in any role, who would be happy to talk to young people about what they do. Anything from a short talk, offering a mock interview, helping with a project or virtual tour – to bridge the gap between education and employment, and to link the subjects they are learning to the world of work. Signing up to the Give an Hour register does not commit you to anything but simply registers that you are happy to be contacted. You can register at giveanhour.co.uk
If you would like to have an informal chat about the different opportunities for your businesses to engage with schools and colleges, you can contact Debbie directly at Debbie.boon@lincolnshire.gov.uk
Jobcentre Plus (DWP) is providing support and advice to employers and employees in redundancy situations through its Rapid Response Service. Support includes:
- Helping people facing redundancy to write CVs and find jobs
- Providing general information about benefits
- Helping people to find the right training and learn new skills
- Helping with costs like travel to work expenses
DWP delivers some support and training directly, and works with other local organisations such as National Careers Advice and ESF training schemes, to signpost in the most appropriate way.
Advice is available to all employers regardless of how many staff are at risk of redundancy. Employers should email this dedicated address to find out what redundancy support is available at.
A restriction on the supply of plastic straws, stirrers and cotton-buds came into force on 1 October 2020. Businesses must not supply or sell single-use plastic:
- Straws and cotton buds to end-users in England (you can continue to supply single-use plastic straws and cotton buds to other businesses)
- Drink stirrers to end-users and businesses in England
The ban applies to all businesses that supply these products, including manufacturers and retailers. If you do not stop selling or supplying these items, you could be fined. For more information see here.
Further information has been published on how businesses can claim the government’s Job Retention Bonus, with millions set to benefit from the £9 billion package.
- The Job Retention Bonus, worth up to £9 billion is set to support millions of employers who have kept on furloughed workers
- The bonus will work alongside newly announced Job Support Scheme and could be worth more than 60% of average wages of workers who have been furloughed – and are kept on until the start of February 2021
- Businesses can claim for the Bonus from 15 February until the end of March
Further details here.
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