Business resilience and continuity

InvestSK is here to help businesses quickly find the support they need to cope with the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

 

Although public safety is the Government’s top priority, advice and funding is available to support businesses to plan, prepare and reduce the effect on their operations as much as possible.

 

We’re working collaboratively with our strategic partners across the county to provide business in South Kesteven with the best support service possible at this very difficult and uncertain time.

 

Here, we’ve brought together various resources, funding streams, advice and guidance to help businesses more easily find the support that’s most useful to them. We’ll update this page regularly to reflect any new measures, so please check back regularly.

SUPPORT FOR SOUTH KESTEVEN BUSINESSES

Business Lincolnshire

 

The Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub is aiming to provide as much support as possible to businesses across Lincolnshire looking for support to cope with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak.

 

Business Lincolnshire can offer:

  • The latest news, guidance and support for businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak
  • Available funding to help businesses cope with the effects of the pandemic
  • Support from a dedicated team of business advisers
  • Regular updates via the Business Lincolnshire bulletin

 

Visit: www.businesslincolnshire.com

Or call 01522 782189 and select option 3 to talk to one of their specialist business advisers.

BUSINESS SUPPORT ANNOUNCED IN THE BUDGET 

In last week’s Budget the Chancellor announced a package of measures to provide support for public services, individuals and businesses affected by COVID-19.

 

The UK is extremely well prepared for these types of outbreaks and will continue to take all necessary precautions to protect the public, including engaging with key industry partners to discuss their preparedness planning. To ensure the impact on businesses is minimised, in last week’s Budget the Chancellor outlined a comprehensive package of support.

 

Small Business Grant

Visit our Business Grants page to find out about the Government’s new business grant funding in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

There are two funding programmes are available:

  • The Small Business Grant Fund, or
  • The Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund

If you’re eligible for funding, we’ll be in touch with you directly by letter or email before 1st April 2020.

 

Business Interruption Loan Scheme

A new Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, delivered by the British Business Bank, will enable businesses with a turnover of no more than £41m to apply for a loan of up to £1.2m, with the Government covering up to 80% of any losses with no fees. This will unlock up to £1 billion pounds to protect and support small businesses.

For businesses with fewer than 250 employees, the cost of providing 14 days of statutory sick pay per employee will be refunded by the Government in full. This will provide 2 million businesses with up to £2bn to cover the costs of large-scale sick leave.

 

A dedicated helpline has been set up to help businesses and self-employed individuals in financial distress and with outstanding tax liabilities to receive support with their tax affairs. Through this, businesses may be able to agree a bespoke Time to Pay arrangement.

 

Business Rates

Finally, the Government is temporarily increasing the Business Rates retail discount in England to 100% for 2020-21 for properties below £51,000 rateable value. Nearly half of all business properties will not pay a penny of business rates.

 

Accounts

Businesses will be given an additional 3 months to file accounts with Companies House to help companies avoid penalties as they deal with the impact of COVID-19. Find out more here.

SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES THROUGH THE CORONAVIRUS JOB RETENTION SCHEME

Under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, announced by the government last week, all UK employers will be able to access support to continue paying part of their employees’ salary for those employees that would otherwise have been laid off during this crisis.

 

HMRC will reimburse 80% of furloughed workers wage costs, up to a cap of £2,500 per month and all UK businesses are eligible to receive funding.

Click here to find out more.

SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES THROUGH THE CORONAVIRUS SELF-EMPLOYMENT INCOME SUPPORT SCHEME

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. Find out more and claim a grant through the coronavirus (COVID-19) Self-employment Income Support Scheme here.

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES TO RESPOND TO GOVERNMENT CALL FOR SUPPORT

Manufacturing

The Government is looking for businesses who can support in the supply of ventilators and ventilator components across the UK as part of its response to COVID-19.

As well as manufacturers, Government is looking for businesses with the following skills:

  • design/specification
  • rapid prototyping
  • contract/product assembly
  • certification/regulation/testing
  • logistics
  • medical training

 

If you think your business can help, please register your details here or make contact with the department by email: ventilator.support@beis.gov.uk

 

Technology and innovation

Government has issued a new technology challenge to support people who are isolating. £500,000 of funding is available for technology companies who come up with digital support solutions for people who need to stay at home because of coronavirus. Find out more here.

 

The Defense and Security Accelerator (DASA) is looking for rapid sanitising technology to make the process of cleaning ambulances quicker to help in the national effort against Coronavirus and save lives. Find out more here.

BANK OF ENGLAND MEASURES TO RESPOND TO THE ECONOMIC SHOCK FROM COVID-19

The Bank of England has also announced a comprehensive package of measures to help UK businesses and households bridge across the economic disruption that is likely to be associated with COVID-19. Interest rates have been reduced to 0.1% and additional funding will be available for banks to increase lending, especially to SMEs.

ONLINE RESOURCES FOR BUSINESSES AND EMPLOYERS

For the latest information and advice, employers and business owners should visit guidance for employers and businesses. Check the page regularly for updates and subscribe to receive email alerts.

 

Information includes:

 

Government is also advising businesses to build their own resilience by reviewing their business continuity, developing an understanding on the potential impacts to their supply chains, customers or other factors critical to their operations.

IMPORTANT UPDATE ON COVID-19 FOR FOOD SECTOR BUSINESSES

Greater Lincolnshire’s agrifood industry is of national significance, with 56,000 jobs in agriculture, food processing, marketing and logistics, and it generates £3.5 billion for our economy.

 

The scale of our food industry means we have a major role in helping the country feed itself during and after the COVID-19 crisis.

 

The Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership has compiled information and support resources specifically for food sector businesses. Click here for more information.

REQUEST FOR BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE: HOW IS COVID-19 IMPACTING BUSINESSES?

The Government is closely monitoring developments in relation to potential economic impacts on the UK economy, individual companies and the supply chain, so we’re encouraging businesses to share any specific concerns to ensure the support available is targeting the right areas.

 

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is asking for intelligence about how COVID-19 is impacting individual businesses and industry sectors and welcomes information from you on:

  • The impacts across supply, demand and labour markets
  • Actions being taken by firms to address these impacts
  • Any gaps in the Government response from your perspective

 

The Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership is implementing a single contact point to collate business intelligence and feedback to Government about the needs of our business community as a consolidated and impactful evidence base as a single, united voice.

 

Please email your comments and concerns to: GLLEPbusinessintelligence@lincolnshire.gov.uk

WHAT IS CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)?

Here’s the UK government response:

https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response

PUBLIC HEALTH ADVICE – BUSINESS CONTINUITY

Latest guidance from Government for employers:

  • Businesses and workplaces should encourage their employees to work at home, wherever possible
  • If someone becomes unwell in the workplace with a new, continuous cough or a high temperature, they should be sent home and advised to follow the advice to stay at home
  • Employees should be reminded to wash their hands for 20 seconds more frequently and catch coughs and sneezes in tissues
  • frequently clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are touched regularly, using your standard cleaning products
  • Employees will need your support to adhere to the recommendation to stay at home to reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) to others
  • Those who follow advice to stay at home will be eligible for statutory sick pay (SSP) from the first day of their absence from work
  • Employers should use their discretion concerning the need for medical evidence for certification for employees who are unwell. This will allow GPs to focus on their patients
  • Employees from defined vulnerable groups should be strongly advised and supported to stay at home and work from there if possible

 

This is a rapidly evolving situation, which we are monitoring carefully. The situation is kept under constant review and any change in guidance will be based on scientific evidence. The Government’s approach is clinically led, based on the expert advice of the UK’s Chief Medical Officer for England, the NHS and Public Health England.

 

Businesses should check for daily updates at GOV.UK and subscribe to receive email alerts to ensure they are acting on the most up to date information.

 

You can find all updated information produced by the Department for Health and Social Care and Public Health England here.

GET IN TOUCH

The InvestSK team are on hand to provide support – contact us via email: business@investsk.co.uk or call the team on: 01476 406122 | 01476 406318 | 01476 406374.

 

Page updated: 27.03.20