Coronavirus (COVID-19) Businesses and Employers Bulletin - 16 April 2020

[Nigel Burtt]

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Businesses and Employers Bulletin - 16 April 2020 This bulletin is issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and provides the latest information for employers and businesses on coronavirus (COVID-19). All coronavirus business support information can be found at gov.uk/business-support Continuation of Social Distancing Measures Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – extended eligibility New Updates and Guidance Requests for Business Intelligence and Assistance   Continuation of Social Distancing Measures The Government announced today that the current social distancing measures will remain in place for at least the next 3 weeks until 7 May. The advice from SAGE is that relaxing any of the measures currently in place would risk damage to both public health and our economy. See the statement in full here. The slides and datasets used during today’s press conference can be found here. A reminder on the guidance on the closure of certain businesses and venues a part of social distancing can be found here.   Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – extended eligibility An important change has been made to the scheme extending employee eligibility: Employers can now claim for employees that were employed and on their PAYE payroll on or before 19 March 2020. This means that the employee must have been notified to HMRC through an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before 19 March 2020. Employees that were employed as of 28 February 2020 and on payroll and were made redundant or stopped working for you after that, and prior to 19 March 2020, can also qualify for the scheme if you re-employ them and put them on furlough. Further guidance is available here.   New Updates and Guidance New  New case studies and advice have been added to the business support web pages You can find an update from HMRC’s CEO on what furloughed workers need to know, and how Hawksmoor Restaurant plans to take advantage of the Job Retention Scheme. You can find further case studies here. Companies House support for businesses hit by COVID-19 Changes announced today will help businesses avoid being struck off the Companies House register as they deal with the impact of the coronavirus outbreak. Find out more here. Guidance on coronavirus testing for critical workers Guidance is available on coronavirus testing for critical workers who are self-isolating. As part of the key worker testing programme NHS and social care critical workers who are self-isolating because of coronavirus symptoms are currently being tested. This list will be updated as testing becomes more widely available. If you are not covered in this list, you should continue to follow the government guidance for self-isolating. Social care guidance Information for the social care sector on responding to the coronavirus pandemic. Councils given greater financial relief against cash flow pressures Councils will be allowed to defer £2.6 billion in business rates payments to central government, and £850 million in social care grants will be paid up front this month. Find out more here. NATS eligible for funding of up to £92 million to maintain services £1.1 billion support package for air navigation service providers across Europe affected by COVID-19 events. Find out more here. Updates Specification for ventilators to be used in UK hospitals This guidance sets out the clinical requirements based on the consensus of what is ‘minimally acceptable’ performance in the opinion of the anaesthesia and intensive care medicine professionals and medical device regulators. An updated version of the specification has been published.          Retail Sector – social distancing and business in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales Guidance on social distancing and business in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales has been added to the letter thanking all those who are working in retail. COVID-19 Defra Update Updated page with requirements for travelling and moving goods to France.   Requests for Business Intelligence and Assistance Offer coronavirus support Tell us how your business might be able to help with the response to coronavirus by using our online service. Share the impact coronavirus is having on your organisation  Let us know how the outbreak is impacting your business.  Please send your intelligence to in...@beis.gov.uk. Commercially sensitive information will be treated accordingly.  Please note that this inbox is only for receiving intelligence and does not provide business advice.     Other useful links Some aspects of business support are devolved. Specific information for businesses and employers in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales is available. In England, Growth Hubs can advise on local and UK Government business support.   Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy  All previous Coronavirus Bulletins can be found here. Please note the information in previous bulletins was accurate on the date it was published and will not be updated.  You are receiving this bulletin because you have previously subscribed to this bulletin, the Industrial Strategy Bulletin or the Business Readiness Bulletin. Update your subscription preferences.  If you have been forwarded this bulletin, you can subscribe to receive them directly. 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