During the current COVID-19 emergency the Council will be making use of its established Tendring4Growth e-bulletins to keep local businesses up to date with the latest information. You can register to receive e-bulletins here.
Useful Links and Contacts
- GOV.UK’s dedicated webpage for employers and businesses
- You can contact the government’s Business Support Helpline (England) for free advice. Telephone: 0300 456 3565, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm
- British Business Bank, which will administer the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).
- Updates from the BEST Growth Hub, business advice service working across Essex.
- Updates from the Department for Work & Pensions Helpful information from DWP for employers and employees.
- Essex County Council have created a form by which businesses looking to support their communities can volunteer their time/services.
- The Retail Trust is a charity that supports everyone working in retail and their families, and where you will find a wide range of advice and tips on managing you and your teams' wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Small Business Britain have created a survey where businesses can identify the support they need.
- Institute of Economic Development (IED) have created a graphic which may help you understand the support that is available to your business.
- GOV.UK have launched a new FAQ section on the business support website.
- Businesses and premises ordered to close this link has the full list (and exceptions) of business and premises closures due to COVID-19.
Government Grants for Businesses (25-03-20)
- You must already be registered with Tendring District Council as the Rate Payer, even if you are not paying rates at the moment (for example, you receive some or 100% small business rate relief).
- The council will be sending out letters to all those eligible for the grant. If you haven’t received a letter in approximately 7-10 days and think you may be eligible, please email business.rates@tendringdc.gov.uk.
- Businesses which as of 11 March were in liquidation or were dissolved, will not be eligible.
Government Support for the Self-Employed (27-03-20)
- Detailed information on support for the self-employed can be found by clicking here
- A list of FAQs has also been produced to guide the self-employed through the available support, which you can access by clicking here
- This scheme will allow you to claim a taxable grant worth 80% of your trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for the next 3 months. This may be extended if needed.
- You can apply if you’re a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership and you:
- have submitted your Income Tax Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19
- traded in the tax year 2019-20
- are trading when you apply, or would be except for COVID-19
- intend to continue to trade in the tax year 2020-21
- have lost trading/partnership trading profits due to COVID-19
- Your self-employed trading profits must also be less than £50,000 and more than half of your income come from self-employment.
Latest News
- Guidance to Employers and Businesses about COVID-19
- Support for businesses that pay business rates includes grants of up to £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with a rateable value of between £15,000 and £51,000.
- Support for businesses that pay little or no business rates grants of £10,000 for all businesses that pay little or no business rates.
- Business rates holiday businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors will not have to pay business rates for the 2020-21 tax year.
- Furloughed Workers if you are unable to cover your staffing costs due to COVID-19, you may be able to access support to continue paying staff part of their wages in order to avoid redundancies.
- Businesses that are renting premises no business will be evicted if they miss a rent payment in the next three months.
- Interest rate cut from the Bank of England and HMRC interest rates have been reduced significantly by the Bank of England, down to 0.1%. HMRC interest changes will come into effect on the 30th March 2020 and the 7th April 2020.
- Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme the temporary scheme supports SMEs with access to loans, overdrafts, invoice finance and asset finance of up to £5 million and for up to 6 years.
- Financial support for larger firms through the new ‘COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF)’, the Bank of England can buy short term debt to reduce the burden on larger companies.
- Time to Pay all businesses and self-employed people in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, may be eligible to receive support with their tax affairs through HMRC’s Time To Pay service.
- Statutory sick pay relief package for SMEs employing up to 250 staff, covering up to 2 weeks per eligible employee.
DWP Job Centre Sites
There have been a number of changes to the way people claim benefits. Any of your employees or Service users who may be considering making a claim for Universal Credit, Employment & Support Allowance or Jobseekers Allowance to make a claim online in the first instance, please DO NOT ask them to attend their local Jobcentre.
All face to face interviews for Universal Credit, Legacy and New Style Benefits have been temporarily suspended. We expect this measure will be in effect for the foreseeable future. If anyone is considering making a claim, they can do this online.