|
LRSG (Closed) Addendum & Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) Required to Close - Update
The Government announced continued business support on 22 February 2021 with allocation due to Local Authorities early March, this will be under the familiar LRSG (Closed) Addendum scheme. This will be a 44 day payment up until the 31 March 2021, payment will be made automatically to businesses that were successful for the previous LRSG CA schemes. Payments will be made 5 March 2021.
For information the LRSG (Closed) Addendum is to support businesses who are on the ratings list who have been forced to close during the national lockdown in November and the current lockdown. Businesses that have already applied to this grant are not required to apply again, if you feel that you are eligible, have read the original policy here and have not been in receipt of a grant please email grants@n-kesteven.gov.uk providing your business name, nature of business and rates number. Should you be successful following the application process you will then automatically receive the LRSG Closed Addendum and the Closed Businesses Lockdown Payment (CBLP).
At this time we are not aware of support post 31 March.
Future Additional Restriction Grant (ARG) Required to Close Support
The Grants Team are delighted to announce that we are looking to re-open the ARG (Required to Close) scheme, this was originally launched in mid-January, however we are looking to open this up to new applications between 1 March to 19 March 2021 for businesses that have been required to close but are not on the business ratings list. We will communicate further information on this through our website early next week. Please be aware that if you have already successfully applied under this scheme, we are looking to make an automatic payment to the account details we have on record, covering businesses for the 44 days they are still required to close. Businesses that have already applied to this grant are not required to apply again.
Boris Johnson has announced the government’s roadmap to cautiously ease lockdown restrictions in England.
- Government publishes four-step roadmap to ease restrictions across England and provide a route back to a more normal way of life.
- Each step to be assessed against four tests before restrictions ease, starting with the return of schools on 8 March.
- PM is clear that the decision on each stage will be based on data not dates, and government will move cautiously to keep infection rates under control.
Further information can be found here, and you can view the PM's statement to the House of Commons here.
The Department for International Trade has launched its new European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) for eligible East Midlands businesses. Match-funded grants of between £1,000 and £9,000 will be available for future activity (subject to eligibility and availability).
To secure a grant, you will need to fund a proportion of your costs yourself. This varies according to where your business is based and will be either 40 or 50% of the total cost.
The fund can be used to support areas including (but not exclusively limited to):
- Market research
- IP advice
- Translation services
- International social media/SEO
- Trade fairs (where no TAP funding is available)
- Independent market visits
- Consultancy and other international commercial services
The National Workplace Testing programme will identify more positive cases of Covid-19 and ensure the isolation of those who are infected, protecting key workers and our vital services.
The programme is aimed at individuals without symptoms and who cannot work from home during lockdown. Companies in England with over 50 employees can register on gov.uk to order coronavirus tests for their workforces.
There is a new offence under the self-isolation regulations for an employer to knowingly allow an employee who should be self-isolating to attend work with a fine of up to £10k per individual breach.
Local authorities have the power to investigate these breaches, and the Covid-19 taskforce is working with NHS and Test & Trace to ensure the exchange of necessary data to support a prosecution following a pro-active investigation. Read the specific employer requirement under paragraph 7, and enforcement under paragraph 11 here.
HMRC has produced a playlist of videos that outline the new trading processes and requirements that were introduced on 1 January 2021.
BEIS has launched a series of on-demand videos to help UK businesses understand the new rules for doing business with Europe. The videos cover 18 topic areas with additional information for different sectors. Go here to register for immediate access to the videos.
Quick-response virus tests are available for anyone whose work currently requires them to work away from home or in a public-facing role. It allows critical workers to quickly identify whether they are fit and safe to work or whether they are carrying the virus asymptomatically.
This means that factory workers, health care workers, shop staff within essential retail, the self-employed, tradespeople and people who work in public-facing roles, alongside others or in other people's homes can get a free test to avoid the spread of the virus.
The Sleaford site is at Better Gym on East Road, NG34 7EH. It is open from 8am-8pm daily including weekends on a walk-up basis. Anyone who tests positive or has been in close contact with a positive case is require to self-isolate for ten days. For more information please see the section entitled Key Worker Testing Sites here.
|
