Issue Number 10: Latest Updates

Issue Number 10: Latest Updates

If you are a Business Membership Organisation, please forward this widely amongst your member companies and networks.

Tell us about the impact on your business

Covid-19: support for businesses – updated 6 April 2020

Government updating GOV.UK site regularly with business guidance

The Government is moving its business support information to its gov.uk site which is updated regularly.
Visit https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support to get the latest advice including clear steps on what you can do now

Sector-specific social distancing guidelines for employers

The Government has published advice for businesses in different sectors on social distancing. The sectors range from construction and tradespeople, to delivery services, retail, transport and logistics, manufacturing and processing, waste and farming.

To view the advice, click here.

Guidance hub for those travelling

A new hub on gov.uk brings together Information for people using transport or working in the transport sector during the Coronavirus outbreak. This includes information on:

COVID-19 Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme update
HMRC has published new online guidance on the SSP scheme which includes information about who can use the scheme and the records employers must keep.
HMRC is working urgently to set up a system for reimbursement. Existing systems are not set up to facilitate payments to employers. Details about when the new SSP scheme can be accessed and when employers can make a claim will be announced as soon as possible. HMRC will continue to update employers and the new GOV.UK guidance when these details are available.
This scheme allows small and medium sized employers, with fewer than 250 employees, to apply to HMRC to recover SSP paid to employees due to coronavirus, including if they are off sick or self-isolating.
HMRC COVID-19 webinars

HMRC are delivering a programme of webinars on the measures to support employers, people and self-employed individuals through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19.

You can watch a video of the recorded webinar on the HMRC YouTube channel Coronavirus (COVID-19): helping employers to support employees. You can also register to attend a free webinar to learn more about the support available to help you deal with the economic impacts of coronavirus by registering here.
Guidance for employers of apprentices
Updated Government advice has been published for apprentices, employers, training providers and assessment organisations in response to the impact of Coronavirus. It can be viewed here.
Temporary relaxation of the enforcement of the drivers’ hours rules: all sectors carriage of goods by road
Anyone driving under the EU drivers’ hours rules or the GB drivers’ hours rules and undertaking carriage of goods by road can use the relevant relaxation where necessary. The relaxations are not limited to specific sectors or journeys. These two temporary relaxations will run until 23:59 on Tuesday 21 April 2020

email.

Business Support Helpline 0300 456 3565

FREE ACAS Webinar ‘Coronavirus – an advisory webinar for employers’. Find out more. 

Read here for the latest public information and public health advice about COVID-19 

Read Mayor James Palmer’s business blog here.