This email is part of a regular update I send out to businesses in Scunthorpe. If you have not received this email directly from me please click here to subscribe to my COVID-19 Business newsletter.
Good morning,
Update on Closed Business Grant ie Lockdown/ Local Restriction Grant for businesses forced to close
- If you have previously applied for Tier 3/ November Lockdown grant you do not have to re-apply
- This grant is based on your business a. having rateable values and, b. being forced to close due to lockdown restrictions. If you have not applied for this previously you can apply here
- If you do not have rateable values or are currently allowed to operate, please refer to the Lockdown Discretionary Grant below.
Lockdown Discretionary Grant to open next week
- NLC will be reopening their discretionary grant for those who did not apply for the November lockdown grant next week for a two week period
- As with all discretionary grants you will have to prove that you have been "significantly impacted" by the lockdown and are not eligible for the Closed business grant
- The form will be released on their website, and I will keep an eye out for it as well.
- If you have received discretionary grant payment in November you will NOT need to re-apply
- Grants are a maximum of £2,100 per 28 day period.
More info on both from NLC's website
NLC's Business Team is currently working extremely hard to get the grants out as soon as possible, and I know that they are performing well compared to other Councils.
So far they have had to quickly adapt to changes in rules/restrictions and new grant announcements, these are unprecedented times, I know that it is difficult for you, but please be patient - they are doing their best for all of us.
HMRC update: CJRS and SEISS- upcoming DEADLINES and what you need to do know
CJRS/ Furlough Scheme
The UK Government will pay 80% of employees’ usual wages for the hours not worked, up to a cap of £2,500 per month until April 2021.
Employers and employees do not need to have benefited from the scheme before to make a claim if they meet the eligibility criteria. Employers can check if they can claim for their employees’ wages on GOV.UK.
It’s very important that any business that decides to use CJRS for December submits their claim by 14 January 2021.
If employers have already submitted their claim for December, but now need to make a change because they didn’t claim enough, they can increase the amount of their claim for December up until Thursday 28 January. Further details for this can be found on GOV.UK.
Furloughing due to caring responsibilities
As some childcare providers are now closed or only open to children of key workers and vulnerable children, HMRC has issued a reminder that people can be furloughed because they have caring responsibilities resulting from COVID-19.
SEISS - Support for the Self Employed
You can check whether if you are eligible for SEISS here.
The third SEISS grant is open for claims until midnight on Friday 29 January. You will have to claim before this date through this portal.
Eligibility for the third SEISS grant is limited to people whose business has faced reduced demand or has been temporarily unable to trade due to COVID-19 since 1 November 2020, for example, due to Government restrictions.
The third SEISS grant and other government schemes
You do not have to consider any other coronavirus scheme support payments you have already received when deciding whether they reasonably believe that you will suffer a significant reduction in trading profits. This reduction needs to be due to reduced activity, capacity, demand or inability to trade due to COVID-19 during 1 November 2020 to 29 January 2021.
SEISS grants and Self Assessment tax returns
As with the first and second SEISS grants, the third SEISS grant will be subject to Income Tax and self-employed National Insurance. No SEISS grants should be included in the 2019/20 Self Assessment tax return due to be filed by 31 January 2021.
Alongside the first and second grants, the third grant should be reported on your 2020/21 Self-Assessment tax returns (filing deadline 31 January 2022).
Further support
There’s a list of CJRS monthly claims deadlines and a helpful step-by-step guide on GOV.UK, summarising the latest information on CJRS and the steps employers need to take to make a claim.
Other recent gov.uk updates
- For those that can operate during the Lockdown, the Working Safely During Coronavirus portal has been updated to include relevant information and more per-industry clarity.
- HMRC has released a guide on How to treat certain expenses and benefits provided to employees during coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Further clarification regarding "Critical Worker" status for those in the Private Security Industry. Also helfpul FAQ for those in that industry.
- Mandatory COVID-19 testing introduced to bolster border measures
You may have heard from the PM's announcement yesterday that the military is getting involved to facilitate the vaccine rollout. Frankly this can't come soon enough, the vaccine is now key to unlocking the situation we are in.
Locally you may have heard that we are due to get the new Oxford vaccine in our area this week. This will hopefully speed up deployment and I will be pushing the Health Secretary on this when Parliament resumes next week.
As ever please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any further questions or issues you would want to raise.
Take care,
Holly
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PREVIOUS UPDATES
- COVID-19 SUPPORT DIRECTORY FOR INDIVIDUALS AND BUSINESSES
- useful local mental health support contacts
- Funding Opportunities for Scunthorpe Charities and NFPs/ New Business Grants
- Lockdown Grant Details - COVID-19 Business Update 05/01/2021
- Discretionary grant update, notes from Weddings meeting, lower self-isolation period- COVID-19 Business Update 14/12/2020
- Tier 3 Grant open, Tier reviews, outbreak control support and wet pubs grant- COVID-19 Business Update 4/12/20Tier 3 restrictions, new SEISS up - COVID-19 Business Update 26/11/2020
-
COVID Winter plan, furlough changes, self-isolation payment - COVID-19 Business Update 24/11/2020
- Discretionary grant released - COVID-19 Business Update 13/11/2020
- Chancellor's announcement updates, Discretionary Grant confirmed, industry guidelines - COVID-19 Business Update 06/11/2020
- Lockdown support and grants - COVID-19 Business Update 04/11/2020
- COVID-19 Business Update 23/10/2020- Chancellor’s IMPROVED Winter Support Package
- Coronavirus Business Update 22.09.20- Chancellor's Winter Support Package
- Coronavirus Business Update 22/09/20- Today's updates and key guidances
- COVID-19 Business Update 08/09/2020- Feedback from hospitality industry needed, job creation schemes available for your business
- COVID-19 Business Update 09/07/2020- Further reopening of businesses, eat out scheme details, green homes grants
- Important update: Chancellor's statement and what it means for you - 08/07/2020
- Quick update - full list of businesses, guidance available - 24/06/2020
- Further opening of key sectors, self-employed support - COVID-19 Business update 23/06/2020
- NLC Discretionary Business Grants now open for application - COVID-19 Business update 01/06/2020
- COVID-19 Business update 29/05/2020 -Important update on furlough, Self-Employed income support scheme EXTENDED
- COVID-19 Business update 26/05/2020- Retail update, tax clarifications, claim for SSP
- COVID-19 Business update 14/05/2020- Major housing update, holiday entitlement guidance, guidance for discretionary council grant released - COVID-19 Business update
- COVID-19 Business update 13/05/2020- Furlough scheme extended, health and safety priority
- COVID-19 Business Update 11/05/20- Details on today's announcements, how to make your workplace "Covid-Safe"
- COVID-19 Business update 04/05/2020- Bounce back loans available NOW, Council to get discretion for grants, further info for employees
- COVID-19 Business update 27/04/2020- New 100% backed loans for small businesses, Furlough scheme feedback
- COVID-19 Business update 15/04/2020- Date set for furlough scheme (get ready!), more info for the self-employed
- COVID-19 Business update 03/04/2020- Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans, Industry updates
- COVID-19 Business update 27/03/2020- Important update for employers: more details on "furlough"/ "80% scheme"
- COVID-19 Business update 26/03/2020- Self-employed details, letter to Chancellor and Business Secretary
- COVID-19 Business update 24/03/2020- Important guidelines and updates
- COVID-19 Business update 23/03/2020- Lockdown and further information
- COVID-19 Business update 22/03/2020- Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, my pledge to the self-employed
- COVID-19 Business update 20/03/2020- URGENT UPDATE
- COVID-19 Business update 18/03/2020- Business Interruption Loan Scheme, Business Rates Holiday, Small Business Grants