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,
I hope you're keeping well. We are covering a lot of ground today so please refer to the index below to find the section that is of interest.
Support Schemes
- Restart Grants
- SEISS 4th grant
- February CJRS claims
- Sustainable Farming Incentive national PILOT SCHEME
- Return to Play Fund
- Help to Grow Scheme
Tax changes
- Finance Bill 2021 Overview
- Reduced VAT for hospitality, holiday accommodation and attractions
- Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) nil rate extension
- Super Deduction
- Restoring plant or machinery leases to pre-COVID-19 treatment
- COVID-19 antigen tests Tax Exemption
Policy Updates
- Commercial Landlord Eviction Moratorium Extension
- Sports Roadmap
- Weddings update
- New timeline for border control processes on import of goods
- Post-Brexit changes
Support Schemes
Restart Grants
North Lincs Council is currently awaiting further gov guidance on this. Note that this grant will only be in place after 1st April. More information can be found here.
SEISS 4th grant
- As it stands the government is due to open the application portal for the 4th SEISS grant from mid-April until the end of May. Details here.
- I know that the significant time gap may cause cash flow issues for some and I have raised this with the Treasury.
- My understanding is that this is due to the extended eligibility criteria for those previously unable to claim SEISS.
- Meanwhile, if you are facing significant personal financial hardship please get in touch with me directly.
February CJRS claims
- The deadline for February claims was 15th March 2021.
- Check if you or your employees are eligible here.
- If you have a reasonable excuse, you can still make a late claim here.
- Make sure you keep records that support your application for CJRS grants.
Sustainable Farming Incentive national PILOT SCHEME
- Defra is looking to pilot its Sustainable Farming Incentive, which aims to encourage improved land management and sustainability.
- This pilot scheme will be accepting expressions of interest from 15th March 2021.
- More information can be found here.
VAT New Payment Scheme (NPS)
- Businesses that deferred VAT payments from March to June 2020, would be required to pay by 31st March 2021.
- NPS allows businesses to spread these payments over up to 11 monthly payments, interest-free.
- The deadline for joining is the end of June 2021.
- More information can be found here.
Return to Play Fund
- £16.5 million fund to help sport and activity organisations affected by coronavirus restrictions.
- Grants between £300 and £10,000.
- Aimed at previously run activities or previous projects. This is not aimed at new projects at this time.
- More information and how to apply can be found here
- Please share this info with any local community/ sports group you know of.
Help to Grow Scheme
Management:
- 12-week programme delivered by leading business schools across the UK.
- Covering financial management, innovation and digital adoption.
- 1:1 support from a business mentor.
- 30,000 places available over 3 years, starting June 2021.
- £750 charge. (£7,500 cost, 90% subsidised by the Government).
- Eligibility, applying and more information can be found here.
Digital:
- Free impartial advice is accessible to all businesses.
- Covering building customer relationships, increasing sales and managing accounts and finances digitally.
- 50% off approved software, up to £5,000 discount for some businesses.
- Due to start Autumn 2021.
- Eligibility, applying and more information can be found here.
Tax changes
Finance Bill 2021 Overview
The Finance Bill 2021 can be found here.
Reduced VAT for hospitality, holiday accommodation and attractions
- 5% reduced rate extended until 30th September 2021.
- From 1st October 2021, VAT will be 12.5% until 31st March 2022.
- More Information can be found here.
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) nil rate extension
- Stamp duty nil rate increase (to £500,000) has been extended until 30th June 2021.
- From 1st July 2021, the nil rate will be £250,000, until 30th September 2021.
- From 1st October 2021, the nil rate will return to £125,000.
- More information can be found here.
Super Deduction
- Applicable from 1st April 2021 to 31st March 2023.
- 130% super-deduction capital allowance on qualifying plant and machinery investments.
- a 50% first-year allowance for qualifying special rate assets.
- More information can be found here.
Restoring plant or machinery leases to pre-COVID-19 treatment
- Measures to turns off capital allowances anti-avoidance legislation when the extension to the lease term is related to COVID-19.
- More information can be found here.
COVID-19 antigen tests Tax Exemption
- For the 2 tax years, (2020-2021 and 2021-2022), there is an income tax exemption for coronavirus antigen tests.
- This applies to employer-provided and employer-reimbursed tests.
- More information can be found here
Policy Updates
Commercial Landlord Eviction Moratorium Extension
- The suspension of eviction due to non-payment of rent on commercial properties has been extended for 3 months until 30th June 2021.
- More information can be found here.
- The code of practice can be found here.
Sports Roadmap
- The Sports Minister has provided more details on the timelines for the reopening of sports.
- You can read his letter to MPs here, and the overall roadmap here.
Weddings update
- You can find the Minister's response to my enquiry regarding the reopening of the wedding sector here.
- I have subsequently written back to the Minister asking for more clarity regarding rehearsals and show arounds which was not provided in her response. I have also asked for more guidelines for receptions.
New timeline for border control processes on import of goods
· There has been an extension to the current import rules until 1st January 2022.
· Full border control processes will begin on 1st January 2022.
· More information can be found here.
Post-Brexit changes
- Use the Brexit checker tool to find out what you and your business need to do to keep trading or visiting the EU.
- You can sign up for webinars about trading with the EU here.
- Information on applying for the EU Settlement Scheme can be found here.
- Help and information on applying for an EORI number can be found here.
- Tool to assist with applying to continue to live in the UK can be found here.
- Travel requirements for visiting Europe from 01 January 2021 can be found here.
I hope you have found today's "mega-update" helpful. On top of the budget announcement, you may have heard of the additional £75 million investment in ABLE Marine Energy park at North Killingholme, which will put our area at the forefront of the "Green Industrial Revolution" and will no doubt create further opportunities for local businesses.
I'm also pleased to say that we have managed to secure an additional £912,232 for our local on-demand bus service JustGo. NLC plans to use these funds to provide additional services on Friday and Saturday nights from April to boost the local hospitality sector as we reopen.
As ever please do not hesitate to get back to me if you have any further questions or feedback.
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
-
Special Business update - Budget overview - COVID-19 Business update 03/03/2021
- Lockdown grants update, Important Furlough and Self-Employed Income Support Scheme deadlines - COVID-19 Business update 08/01/2021
- 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