The Government has launched a new ‘support finder’ tool to help businesses and self-employed people across the UK to determine what financial support is available: https://www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder
The government has set out a package of temporary and targeted measures to support people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19, including:
- a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
- deferring VAT and Income Tax payments
- a Self-Employment Income Support Scheme
- a Statutory Sick Pay relief package for small and medium sized businesses (SMEs)
- a 12-month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality, leisure and nursery businesses in England
- small business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief
- grant funding of £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with property with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000
- the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to £5 million for SMEs through the British Business Bank
- The Bounce Back Loans scheme, for loans up to £50,000
- the HMRC Time To Pay Scheme for outstanding tax liabilities
- ban on eviction for commercial tenants who miss rent payments
Information and guidance for employees, employers and businesses: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19
Business FAQs: https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/faqs/
BEIS Business Support Helpline: 0300 456 3565
HMRC Helpline: 0800 024 1222
Business Hampshire: https://businesshampshire.co.uk/support/covid-19-support/
Local Enterprise Partnership: https://www.enterprisem3.org.uk/covid-19-and-em3
NFU: https://www.nfuonline.com/news/coronavirus-updates-and-advice/coronavir…
East Hampshire District Council: www.easthants.gov.uk/covid-19-business-support
Some key measures for individuals:
- Making Statutory Sick Pay available for people with coronavirus or who are self-isolating, and a doctor’s note can be obtained via NHS 111
- Suspending the minimum income floor for Universal Credit for twelve months – meaning self-employed people can now access, in full, at a rate that is equivalent to Statutory Sick Pay for employees
- increasing Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit by £1,000 a year
- Those on contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) will be able to claim from day 1, instead of day 8. And everything can be done by phone or online
- Local Housing Allowance will cover at least 30 per cent of market rents in local areas.
- emergency legislation to protect renters, so that no one gets evicted if they cannot pay their rent
- a three month mortgage holiday for those in difficulty due to coronavirus, including landlords whose tenants are experiencing financial difficulty due to coronavirus
- emergency measures with the energy industry to keep gas and electricity supplied to vulnerable customers
East Hampshire District Council:
https://www.easthants.gov.uk/coronavirus
Central government provides council tax support to those on a low income and with savings less than £16,000, and this will be additionally supplemented by up to a maximum of £150 for the coming year as a result of coronavirus. To Find out how to apply for council tax support.