Coronavirus Business FAQ's | GC Business Growth Hub

Advice and guidance: What are the latest COVID-19 restrictions?

Finance: How can I manage tax and reporting?

HMRC Coronavirus Helpline

HMRC Coronavirus Helpline

Telephone: 08000 241222 (Opening hours are from 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday)

Closed on weekends and bank holidays.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Extension to filling accounts with Companies House

From 25 March businesses affected by coronavirus were able to apply for a 3-month extension for filing their accounts. On 27 June new measures were introduced by the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act which will provide companies and other types of business registered at Companies House with more time to file accounts.

From 27 June 2020, eligible companies whose accounts’ filing deadline falls between 27 June 2020 to 5 April 2021, will get an automatic extension. Further information on the temporary changes to Companies House filing requirements is available on the Government website.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Defer payment of Business Rates

Business rates have been suspended for businesses in the Hospitality, Leisure, Tourism and Retail sectors, as well as nurseries and this is being coordinated locally via the Local Authority.

You can use the business rates calculator to estimate the business rate charge you will no longer have to pay this year.

Find contact details for your Local Authority's Business Support or Business Rates team here.

Additional guidance can be seen here and here respectively.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Defer Valued Added Tax (VAT) and Income Tax payments

Payment holidays for VAT and self-assessment tax

If you’re a UK VAT registered business and have deferred VAT due from 20 March to 30 June 2020 you have the option to:

pay the full amount by the end of March 2021.
Make smaller payments up to the end of March 2022
Businesses which deferred VAT due in March to June 2020 will be able to spread out their VAT bill over eleven smaller interest-free payments during the 2021-22 financial year using the government's VAT deferral "New Payment Scheme". To take advantage of the scheme, businesses will need to opt-in before the end of March 2021

The opt-in process will be set up by HMRC in early 2021, but the government has published guidance on key actions businesses must take before opting in.

Please note that the scheme does not cover payments for VAT MOSS or import VAT and you will still need to submit your VAT returns to HMRC on time. Full details can be found here.

If you complete a self-assessment tax return the deadlines for paying your tax bill are usually:

• 31 January - for any tax you owe for the previous tax year (known as a balancing payment) and your first payment on account
• 31 July - for your second payment on account

Because of Coronavirus (COVID-19), individuals were able to delay making their second payment on account. If you chose to delay, you can pay your deferred July 2020 payment on account any time up to 31 January 2021.

• If you are unable to pay in full by 31 January and you owe £30,000 or less you can set up a payment plan to spread the cost of your latest Self-Assessment bill. You can use the self-serve Time to Pay facility to set up monthly direct debits and this can all be done online. Interest will be applied to any outstanding balance from 1 February 2021.

• If your Self-Assessment debts are over £30,000, or you need longer than 12 months to pay your debt in full, you may still be able to set up a Time to Pay arrangement by calling the Self-Assessment Payment Helpline on 0300 200 3822

Full details can be found here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Guidance relating to taxable expenses and benefits provided to employees during coronavirus (COVID-19)

The government has released guidance on the Income Tax treatment of certain expenses and benefits paid to employees because of coronavirus. More information including guidance on how to report these to HMRC, is available on the government website.

On 8 January, information was added relating to COVID-19 tests:

Income Tax and National Insurance contributions exemption for employer-provided coronavirus antigen tests

To minimise the financial and reporting burdens, a new Income Tax exemption will be introduced to make sure that relevant coronavirus antigen tests provided by the employer are exempt from Income Tax. To be eligible for the exemption, a relevant coronavirus antigen test is defined as a test which can detect the presence of a viral antigen or viral ribonucleic acid specific to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

The National Insurance contributions treatment of employer-provided antigen tests will follow the tax treatment, so once this tax exemption is in force there will be no Class 1A National Insurance contributions liability.

The exemption will apply to any relevant coronavirus antigen test provided by an employer, on or after 8 December 2020, until and including, 5 April 2021. For any relevant tests which have been provided earlier in the tax year, before this instrument comes into force, HMRC will exercise its collection and management discretion and will refrain from collecting any Income Tax or Class 1A National Insurance contributions due on the provision of a test.

More information on the temporary exemptions is available on the government website, here.

Income Tax and National Insurance contributions exemption for employer-reimbursed coronavirus antigen tests

To minimise the financial and reporting burdens, a new National Insurance contributions disregard for both Class 1 and Class 1A National Insurance contributions will be introduced under sections 3 and 10 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 (SSCBA). The disregard will ensure that where an employer reimburses an employee for the cost of a relevant coronavirus antigen test there will be no National Insurance contributions liability. The government intends to legislate for an Income Tax exemption for employer reimbursements of the cost of relevant coronavirus antigen tests in the next Finance Bill.

The disregard specifically applies to relevant coronavirus antigen tests only and does not extend to coronavirus antibody tests.

This measure will have effect from 25 January 2021 until 5 April 2021.

For any relevant advance payments or reimbursements which have been made during the 2020-21 tax year, but before this measure comes into force, HMRC will exercise its Collection and Management powers and will refrain from collecting any National Insurance contributions or Income Tax due on the reimbursement of a relevant coronavirus antigen test.

More information on the temporary exemptions is available on the government website, here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

VAT rate for tourism and hospitality-related activities

On 8 July, the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak announced a 6-month VAT reduction from 20% to 5% on food, accommodation and attractions such as cinemas theme parks and zoos starting from Wednesday 15 July 2020 and valid until January 12 2021.

On 24 September, the Chancellor announced an extension of the cut in the VAT rate to 5% until March 31 2021.

More information on which businesses can temporarily reduce the rate of VAT is available on the government website.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Employees: What is the guidance on Statutory Sick Pay?

Statutory Sick Pay guidance

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is available for eligible individuals self-isolating because they (or their household / support bubble) are exhibiting symptoms or have been diagnosed with COVID-19. You can now also claim SSP if you are self-isolating because you've been notified by the NHS or public health bodies that you've come into contact with someone with coronavirus.

You can also get SSP if both of the following apply:

you live or work in an area with local restrictions in place, including advice to ‘shield’ (take extra precautions to reduce contact with others)
you’ve been advised to shield because you’re at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus

Employers can claim back Statutory Sick Pay paid to employees (this is payable from day 1 instead of day 4) due to coronavirus (COVID-19). The repayment will cover up to 2 weeks SSP starting from the first qualifying day of sickness.

Employers must maintain records of staff absence but employees will not need to provide a GP fit note.

If the employer requires evidence:

an isolation note can be obtained from NHS 111 online (if the employee is self-isolating and cannot work because of COVID-19).
Individuals asked to shield can provide a ‘shielding note’ or a letter from their doctor or health authority advising them to shield because they’re at high risk of severe illness from coronavirus.

Self-employed individuals who are not eligible for sick pay can apply for Universal Credit and/or apply for New Style Employment and Support Allowance

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Advice and guidance: Where can I find the latest advice about Coronavirus?

UK Government COVID-19 Business Advice

The latest guidance for employers and businesses is available on the UK Government website. On 20th April, the government launched a business support finder tool, to help businesses and self-employed people quickly and easily determine what financial support is available to them during the pandemic. The tool can be accessed here.

From January 5, England is in lockdown. To view a summary of the key measures in place visit our guide here.

On the 25th March the government also launched a WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Service. To access the service, users will have to add the following number (07860 064422) to their contacts and message the word "hi". More details about the service can be seen here.

Following government guidance on fraud control during emergency situations, the NorthWest Regional Organised Crime Unit is encouraging the public to be extra vigilant and cautious, as there has been a resurgence of fraudulent government websites trying to capitalise on the emergency measures and schemes being announced to support businesses and individuals. Full guidance can be seen here.

HMRC have also released a series of recorded webinars to help businesses, self-employed individuals and employers and their employees deal with the economic impact of COVID-19.

Business Representative Organisations and Trade Associations are also providing coronavirus related support for specific sectors. Support available for the different sectors can be seen here.

A series of public bodies, organisations and charities have also produced additional resources that may be useful to employers and employees. Amongst these is Enterprise Nation, which is hosting the government supported Recovery Advice for Business scheme. The scheme will give SMEs access to free, one-to-one advice with expert advisers to help them through the coronavirus pandemic and to prepare for long-term recovery.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

NHS guide to Coronavirus

Consult the NHS guide to Coronavirus which provides advice on how to avoid catching or spreading viruses like Covid-19; symptoms, treatment, and what steps you should take if you think you or any of your employees might be infected.

On 16 July, the government also published a national monitoring tool that brings together metrics to assess the wider impacts of COVID-19 on the population's health and wellbeing.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

FCO International Travel advice

Following identification of a new COVID-19 variant, several countries have closed their borders and international travel from your area may be increasingly restricted because of UK regulations. As FCO travel advice remains under constant review, it is recommended that you refer to the latest guidance available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website.

From 18 January, all international arrivals to England, including UK nationals, will be required to present a negative COVID-19 test taken up to 72 hours prior to departure. If you do not comply with the regulations (and you do not have a valid exemption) your airline or carrier may refuse you boarding and/or you may be fined on arrival.

People returning to the UK must also self-isolate for 10 days unless they’re travelling from a country with a quarantine exemption.

From December 15 2020, passengers arriving into England from countries not featured on the government’s travel corridor list have the option to book and pay for a coronavirus (COVID-19) test from a private provider on the GOV.UK list after 5 days of self-isolation. If they test negative, they will be allowed to cease self-isolating early. If the test is positive, they will be required to self-isolate for a further 10 days from the day of the test and their contacts will be traced and notified as normal.

Certain jobs also qualify for exemptions from completing the passenger locator form or self-isolating, or both and the list of these is available on the government website.

Individuals can also access guidance on foreign travel insurance through the government website.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Exporting: What support is available for exporters?

Support for exporting businesses

On 7 December, the government launched the General Export Facility (GEF), a new guarantee scheme designed to provide SMEs with export finance up to the value of £25 million and help them recover from COVID-19. Full details of this scheme can be found through our guide here.
On 16 October, the government also launched a new Export Growth Plan to help businesses in England build back better following the pandemic. The plan includes a new £38m Internationalisation Fund from 2020-23 for SMEs in England that will help 7,600 SMEs to internationalist.
On 8 September, the government announced a package of new measures to support businesses in the consumer and retail industry to export overseas as part of efforts to help the sector recover from Coronavirus. These include the launch of a Consumer and Retail Export Academy to help businesses export, via a digital learning syllabus. To view the full list of measures announced, visit the government website here.
Businesses that export goods or services and have been impacted by COVID-19 can also access these schemes for support:
- Grants for businesses who complete customs declarations – If you are an importer or exporter, or a business which completes customs declarations on behalf of your clients, there are 3 grants available. These grants support with training that helps your business to complete customs declarations and processes, hiring new staff who focus on customs declarations, and IT improvements.
- Export Working Capital Scheme - Access to capital finance for export--related projects.
- Export Insurance Policy - Insurance from UK Export Finance to manage risk in challenging markets.
- Direct Lending facility - A loan from UK Export Finance for overseas buyers to finance the purchase of capital goods and/or services from UK exporters.
- GC Business Finance Export Finance - The Greater Manchester Export Fund provides loans to SMEs looking to trade overseas for the first time or expand their current levels of trade.
  
  The Department for International Trade – Guidance for UK business trading internationally and financial support.

Further information on support for UK businesses trading internationally can be seen here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Employees: How do I access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme?

Finance: What finance is available?

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan will support SMEs with access to finance including loans, overdrafts, invoice finance and asset finance from £1k to £5 million for up to 10 years. The scheme will be delivered by more than 40 accredited commercial lenders and government-backed by the British Business Bank. The scheme has been extended and the government has extended the deadline for new applications to 31 March 2021.

Find out more information about the scheme here.

For a full list of finance and support schemes for your business, see here.

If you are based in the North West, GC Business Finance can provide loans. Please see here for full details on eligibility.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Support for larger firms

Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS)

The Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS) was announced on 3rd April 2020 and is a scheme that is designed to provide debt finance of up to £200m for larger businesses (with a turnover of more than £45m) across the UK, which are experiencing lost or deferred revenues as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The initiative supports a range of products from term loans and overdrafts to invoice finance and asset finance.  The government has extended the deadline for new applications to 31 March 2021. Full details of the loan scheme can be seen here.  

Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) 

The Covid Corporate Financing Facility (CCFF) was announced on the 20th of March. The Bank of England will buy short-term debt from large companies, providing funding to businesses by purchasing commercial paper of up to one-year maturity. It will help businesses across a range of sectors to pay wages and suppliers, even while experiencing severe disruption to cashflows. It is available for companies, and their finance subsidiaries, that make a material contribution to the UK economy. 

The scheme will close for new purchases from eligible issuers with effect from 23 March 2021. This means that the Facility will make no purchases of CP after 22 March 2021. The CCFF will close to new applications from counterparties and issuers looking to become eligible on 31 December 2020.

On 9 October 2020, HM Treasury and the Bank announced an enhanced process to monitor and review CCFF issuers' credit quality in advance of the closure of the CCFF.

Full details of the corporate financing facility can be found on the Bank of England and  UK Finance websites.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Future Fund

On 20 April, the Chancellor announced the launch of Future Fund, providing loans to UK-based companies ranging from £125,000 to £5 million, subject to at least equal match funding from private investors. The scheme which is delivered in partnership with the British Business Bank and was launched on May 20 2020 will remain open until January 31 2021.

On 30 June, the government announced that more start-ups and innovative firms will be able to apply for the fund. UK companies who participated in highly selective accelerator programmes and were required, as part of that programme, to have parent companies outside of the UK will now be eligible to apply for investment.

Further information on the fund can be seen here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Innovate UK Grants & Loans

Innovate UK Grants

Businesses can find out about UK Research and Innovation's Covid-19 related funding and projects through their website here.

Innovate UK Loans - Applications can be made until 13 January 2021.

Innovate UK is providing up to £210 million in loans to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and third sector organisations that have a challenge in continuing innovation activity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. These range between £250,000 and £1,600,000 and are open for:

applicants continuing existing projects with an Innovate UK award
applicants with a new project that follows on from a project with an Innovate UK award (completed in the past 36 months)
applicants continuing, completing or following on from innovation activity that has not been supported by an Innovate UK award in the past 36 months

Further information on eligibility criteria and how to apply for an Innovate UK loan, please see the government website.

Previous funding announced - now closed

On 27 June, HMG unveiled a £200 million package to help innovative businesses bounce back. The Sustainable Innovation Fund was open to companies across the UK to help companies recovering from the impact of Coronavirus, to keep cutting-edge projects and ideas alive. This funding, delivered through Innovate UK, formed part of a wider £750 million package of grants and loans announced in April to support innovative firms.

The Sustainable Innovation Fund is now closed.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Bounce Back Loans Scheme (BBLS)

On 27th April, the Chancellor announced a new 100% government-backed loan scheme for small businesses. The scheme is designed to provide debt finance of between £2k and £50k to UK-based micro-businesses experiencing lost or deferred revenues as a result of the pandemic.

The scheme launched on Monday 4th May and the deadline for new applications is 31 March 2021. More information on how the loan scheme works can be seen here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Top-up to local business grant funds scheme

On 2 May, the government confirmed additional funds up to £617 million will be distributed to local authorities in England to support small businesses with ongoing fixed property-related costs. To be eligible, businesses will have to have under 50 employees and have seen a significant drop of income due to Coronavirus restriction measures. There will be three levels of grant payments with the maximum being £25,000. On May 23rd, the government announced that businesses eligible for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme will also be eligible to apply for the Local Authority Discretionary Fund. More details can be found here.

The Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund is now closed.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Funding to support the arts, culture and heritage sector

1. Culture Recovery Fund - second round

On Friday 11 December 2020 Government announced a further round of Culture Recovery Fund investment as part of its £1.57 billion support package for arts, culture and heritage in the UK. The funding will help organisations look to the future. £300 million in grants (applications for the grants opened on 6 January) and £100 million in repayable finance (applications closed on 7 January) will be made available to support organisations’ transition back to usual operating mode from April 2021. Further details are available through Art Council England.

2. National Lottery Project Grants (Grants range from £1,000 to £100,000)

The Arts Council England has reopened the fund with a budget of £77.9 million available until April 2021. Funding is available for individual artists, community and cultural organisations. Until April 2021, the fund will focus on the needs of smaller independent organisations and individual practitioners.

Grants can support projects that directly create and deliver creative and cultural activity and content for audiences, visitors and digital users, and also those that have a longer term impact on strengthening the sector, such as organisational development, research and development and sector support.

For more information and to apply for funding, visit the Art Council England's website, here.

3. Developing your Creative Practice (Grants range from £2,000 to £10,000)

The fund supports creative practitioners thinking of taking their practice to the next stage to research, have time to create new work, travel, training, develop ideas, network or find mentoring.

Round 9 will open for applications on 11 January 2021.

For more information and find out how to apply for the funding when applications open, visit the Art Council's website, here.

4. Thriving Communities Fund (Grants range from £25,000 to £50,000) - Applications closed at 12pm (midday), 8 January 2021.

This funding is designed to increase social connectedness, and help communities cope with the impact of COVID-19.

Applications can be led by voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCSFE) organisations working in any of the following sectors:

Arts, and culture, including libraries, museums and heritage
Sport, leisure and physical activity organisations
Financial wellbeing, advice, food and practical support
Environment and nature-based organisations
Non-statutory health and care organisations, working with social prescribing link workers

Applicants will need to provide 20% match funding, which could include: NHS partners (Clinical Commissioning Groups, Primary Care Networks, Integrated Care Systems); local government; other trusts and foundations; philanthropy or corporate social responsibility; or a wide range of other possibilities.

For more information and to apply for the funding, visit the Art Council's website, here.

Original package of support

On 5 July, the government announced a £1.57bn economic support package for the arts, culture and heritage sectors.

Organisations including the performing arts and theatres, heritage, historic palaces, museums, galleries, live music and independent cinema will be able to access emergency grants and loans. Funding will also be provided for cultural and heritage sites to restart construction work paused as a result of the pandemic.

The full package of support includes:

£1.15 billion support for cultural organisations in England delivered through a mix of grants and loans. This will be made up of £270 million of repayable finance and £880 million grants.
£100 million of targeted support for the national cultural institutions in England and the English Heritage Trust.
£120 million capital investment to restart construction on cultural infrastructure and for heritage construction projects in England which was paused due to the coronavirus pandemic.
An additional £188 million for the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland (£33 million), Scotland (£97 million) and Wales (£59 million).

Further information on the support available can be accessed through the government website.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Film & TV Production Restart Scheme

On July 28, Government announced a £500 million Film and TV Production Restart Scheme to support production struggling to secure insurance for Covid-related costs. The Scheme Rules and Explanatory Notes can be viewed by visiting the government website. The application form can be viewed and submitted through this link.

The registration deadline for this scheme is 30 April 2021, and claims will be able to be submitted up to 30 November 2021 for losses incurred up until 30 June 2021.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Green Homes Grant Scheme

On August 28, the Government released details for the Green Homes Grant Scheme. This scheme allows homeowners and landlords to apply for a voucher towards the cost of improving energy efficiency and low carbon heating to homes. You can apply for the voucher from end of September 2020, this voucher will cover two-thirds of this cost (up to £5,000) or all the cost (up to £10,000) if the household is on low income.

As a first step, if you are a tradesperson or business that carries out energy efficiency or low carbon heating improvements, you should register for TrustMark.

Tradespeople can only begin work once a customer’s application has been approved and they have been issued with a voucher. Installers will be paid for the costs covered by the voucher once the work has been completed and you have confirmed you have received any customer contribution. The payment will come from the grant administrator and most installers will get the grant payment within 5 working days.

For more information on how to carry out work under the Green Homes Grant scheme, see here. For further details about what costs are covered by the voucher visit the government website here.

On November 18, the government extended the scheme until the end of March 2022.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Grant support for businesses affected by coronavirus restrictions

A summary of the different grants available at a national and local level for businesses affected by coronavirus restrictions is available through our guide, here.
All grants are allocated through the local authority, so please review your Local Authority's page to see what is available in your area.

Please note that phishing emails seeking to target those eligible for the extended business support grants have recently been reported. Guidance on recognising phishing emails and texts has been published by the government and additional resources are available through our dedicated Cyber crime awareness during the Coronavirus outbreak page.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Support for children and families

On 8 November, the government introduced a new winter package to provide further support for children and families.

This includes:

an £170m COVID Winter Grant Scheme which will be run by councils to support children, families and the most vulnerable over winter
expansion of the Holiday Activities and Food programme which will now cover Easter, Summer and Christmas in 2021
an increase in Healthy Start payments which are set to rise from £3.10 to £4.25 a week from April 2021

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Employees: What support is available for the self-employed?

Self-Employment Income Support Scheme

Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, made a financial statement on March 26 to launch the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme for self-employed individuals that are impacted by COVID-19.

On September 24, the government extended the scheme which will run for another 6 months from November 2020 to April 2021.

On November 5, the Chancellor increased the value of the next self-employed income support grant from 55% to 80% of average profits.

For further details on the extension of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, please see here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Universal Credit

If you are self-employed you are able to claim Universal Credit, providing you meet the usual eligibility criteria. To support you with the economic impact of the outbreak, and allow you to follow government guidance on self-isolation and social distancing, from 6 April the requirements of the Minimum Income Floor will be temporarily relaxed.

On November 3, the government announced that the Minimum Income Floor (MIF) for self-employed Universal Credit claimants which was  temporarily relaxed in March 2020 will remain suspended until the end of April 2021.

For more information on accessing Universal Credit and other Social Welfare Benefits, see here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

EmployGM

The Growth Company, in partnership with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and delivery Partners have launched EmployGM, a new service to tackle job market challenges in Greater Manchester as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19). The initiative will enable self-employed individuals who have registered a significant drop in work, secure alternative work opportunities in sectors exhibiting increased worker demand, as well as access careers advice and training. More information on the service can be seen here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: Is my business allowed to remain open?

Advice and guidance: What is the latest guidance on traveling to work?

Guidance relating to work travel

At the moment government guidance states that people must only leave their home for work if they cannot reasonably work from home. In sectors where homeworking is not possible (for instance people who work in critical national infrastructure, construction or manufacturing), people should continue to travel to work and attend their workplace. However, clinically extremely vulnerable individuals should not attend work, school, college or university and should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential.

Businesses allowed to remain open should take all reasonable steps to ensure people work safely from a COVID-19 Secure workplace.

Guidance has been released to ensure the public's safety whilst walking, cycling, and travelling in vehicles or on public transport during the coronavirus outbreak. Since 15 June, face coverings have been mandatory on public transport. In addition, from 23 September customers in private hire vehicles and taxis are also required to wear face coverings.

Exemptions include children under the age of 11, anyone with a disability or condition which means they are unable to wear one, transport staff and emergency services.

Medical grade PPE masks should not be used and be reserved for healthcare and other workers at risk from workplace hazards.

Travel for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has also released guidance, to support employers and staff relying on public transport for work and education.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Advice and guidance: Can tradespeople carry out work in people’s homes?

Advice and guidance: Will my business be evicted due to late rent payments or inability to make payment completely?

Protection for businesses with ban on evictions for commercial tenants who miss rent payments

On 9 December, the government extended the business eviction ban until the end of March 2021. The restriction on landlords using Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR) to recover unpaid rent will also automatically extend to the end of March, in line with the moratorium’s expiry date.

Past Guidance - Timeline

Government has announced that it will safeguard commercial tenants from evictions due to inability to pay rent because of COVID19 and its impact on the business for the next three months. Additionally, the government announced on April 25th new measures to protect UK high street from aggressive rent collection and closure. These included the ban of the use of statutory demands (made between 1 March 2020 and 30 June 2020) and winding up petitions presented from Monday 27 April, through to 30 June, where a company is not able to pay its bills due to coronavirus. Moreover, the government is looking to introduce legislation to prevent landlords from using Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR) unless they are owed 90 days of unpaid rent. More information on the measures can be seen here.

On 5th June, the government announced a 2 month extension to the eviction ban which will come into play on 25 June applying to home owners, commercial and leasehold. This will protect renters from evictions until the 23rd August.

On June 19, the government published a code of conduct to encourage commercial tenants and landlords to work collaboratively to protect viable businesses and support their recovery planning.

On 21 August, the government announced an additional 4 week extension to the eviction ban, and the introduction of new 6 month notice periods which will be in place until at least 31 March 2021 to provide residential tenants with greater protection from eviction over the winter.

Commercial tenants will also be protected from the risk of eviction until 31 December 2020. In addition, the government will also extend the restriction on landlords using Commercial Rents Arrears Recovery to enforce unpaid rent on commercial leases, until the end of the year.

On 17 September, the government published guidance for landlords and tenants in the private and social rented sectors to explain the possession action process in the county courts in England and Wales. Further guidance for landlords, tenants and local authorities in the private and social rented sectors is available through the government website.

On 5 November, the government announced that:

Evictions will not be enforced whilst national restrictions are in place (5 Nov - 2 December) and
Evictions will not be enforced by bailiffs until 25 January 2021 at the earliest, except for the most egregious cases where tenants have demonstrated anti-social behaviour or are the perpetrator of domestic abuse in social housing

The full guidance applying to landlords and tenants in the private and social rented sectors is available here.

On 8 January, the government announced that tenants in the social and private rented sectors will be protected from eviction with bailiffs not enforcing evictions for 6 weeks until 22 February, and no evictions expected to 8 March at the earliest. Exceptions to this are for the most egregious cases – anti-social behaviour, illegal occupation, death of a tenant where the property is unoccupied, fraud, perpetrators of domestic abuse in social housing and extreme rent arrears equivalent to 6 months’ rent. Landlords also continue to be required to give 6-month notice periods to tenants until at least 31 March except in the most serious circumstances.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Employees: What do I need to consider when adopting a remote working approach?

Employees: How can I support my employees with their mental health during the Coronavirus outbreak?

Advice to support mental health during coronavirus outbreak

The Growth Company has developed a Mental Health and Wellbeing Resources pack, which businesses can access here.

On November 23, the government also published a staying mentally well this winter guide to support individuals to stay well during the second wave of the coronavirus and winter months ahead.

Additional resources

On 9 September, Public Health England launched a new Better Health – Every Mind Matters campaign providing NHS-endorsed tips and advice to help children and young people’s mental wellbeing, and equip parents and carers with the knowledge to support them.

To support the workforce with their mental health and well-being, employers can also utilise the overall guidance and easy-read guide which was released by the government here. The NHS has also provided a useful directory of mental health helplines, a list of mental health apps, as well as created a page dedicated to well-being whilst staying at home which can be shared with employees. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has also created a “Coping with stress during the 2019-nCoV outbreak” poster which employers can share with remote working employees and/or put up in the workplace if this is to remain open. The government has also released guidance to support the health and wellbeing of the adult social care workforce.

For parents, there are also resources to help them better communicate the current situation and ensure the mental well-being of their children. These include UNICEF’s dedicated Coronavirus portal, Young Minds’ blog, and WHO’s relevant poster. For children under the age of 7, parents can also use this book, to discuss and better understand their different emotions to the current situation. For older children, parents can also use this ebook illustrated by Gruffalo illustrator, Axel Scheffler. The government has also released guidance for parents and carers to help them support the mental health of children and young people.

For young people aged 11-18 support is also available via Kooth online counselling, a safe mental health platform providing free tools and advice. To access the resources, see here. Mental health support will also be available for university students via the Student Space platform.

A library of free COVID-19 mental health and wellbeing resources is also available through The Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership’s website. For more information on Greater Manchester's mental health resources, see here. Salford Council for Voluntary Services has also released a list of organisations available to support the mental health of BAME communities in the Greater Manchester region.

On June 8, the government published a Mental wellbeing teacher training module with practical materials for primary and secondary schools to use in order to train staff about teaching mental wellbeing. The module can be accessed here.

Frontline staff and volunteers across England are also able to access a new Psychological first aid in emergencies training course as of Monday 15 June. More details can be seen here.

Wellbeing and mental health advice and guidance has also been released for anyone who is unable to return to the UK during the pandemic and is abroad.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Employees: How can I carry out right to work checks during COVID-19?

Employees: How can I hire staff to meet increased demands for my business’ goods or services in light of COVID-19?

Advice and guidance: What can we do to help efforts to tackle the coronavirus crisis?

Actions to help the fight against COVID-19

We all have a role to play in reducing the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) and the government has published a quick guide on what we can all do to help which is available here.

In addition, to support our communities during the COVID-19 crisis, both individuals and businesses can contribute to the work being carried out by the voluntary, public and private sectors on a local and national level. A list of actions and initiatives to become involved with can be seen below:

On a personal level, individuals can:

Follow the government’s advice set out in the local restriction tier system.

Reach out by phone call and digital channels to family members, friends and neighbours and especially those in self-isolation or living alone. Offer to help with shopping for essentials or simply to provide some emotional support.
Support their local communities by volunteering. To find local opportunities, people can visit the Volunteer GM website, as well as Manchester Community Central’s Covid-19 Community Volunteering
Support people experiencing homelessness in Greater Manchester, by donating through the Greater Manchester Mayor's Charity or the Street Support Network’s page.

On a professional level, businesses can:

Respond to the appeal to support homelessness charities launched by Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, which is currently asking businesses in the region for bulk supplies of:
- Food packages – e.g. cereals, microwaveable meals, tea/coffee, sugar, fruits
- Welfare packages – e.g. toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, shower gel, sanitary products, deodorant
- Hygiene packages – e.g. Hand sanitiser, hand wash, soaps, wet wipes, tissues
- Food preparation equipment – e.g. Microwaves, hot plates
- Cutlery and crockery – e.g. knives, forks, bowls, plates, cups and mugs
- Transportation – for delivery of food and welfare packages
- Essential IT equipment – e.g. smartphones, laptops
- Solo activities – e.g. games, consoles, notebooks, pens

Businesses interested and able to support with the ask can get in touch with the charity by clicking here.

Help individuals who have been made redundant due to COVID-19, as well as self-employed people who have registered a significant drop in work. Businesses who are experiencing an increased demand such as health and social workers, supermarket staff, delivery drivers and food manufacturing and production operatives, can list new job opportunities on Employ GM, a service which can match their requirements to applicants looking for work.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Finance: What support is available for charities, social enterprises, and community-based organisations?

Support for the charity sector

Financial support available

Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund - closes 31 March 2021

Support is available through the Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund (RRLF) run by Social Investment Business (SIB) providing loans for working capital for business models interrupted by COVID-19. SIB has also announced that £4m worth of grant funding has been made available to be used alongside the Resilience and Recovery Loan Fund to support charities and social enterprises based in and delivering the majority of their impact in England. RRLF closes to new applications at 11.59 pm on Wednesday 31 March 2021.

Thriving Communities Fund - applications closed on 8 January 2021

This funding is designed to increase social connectedness, and help communities cope with the impact of COVID-19.

Applications can be led by voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCSFE) organisations working in any of the following sectors:

Arts, and culture, including libraries, museums and heritage
Sport, leisure and physical activity organisations
Financial wellbeing, advice, food and practical support
Environment and nature-based organisations
Non-statutory health and care organisations, working with social prescribing link workers

For more information and to apply, visit the Art Council's website.

Previous support announced

On 8^th April, the Chancellor announced a £750m package of financial support to help charity and voluntary organisations providing key services and support to vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 crisis.

£370m will support small, local charities working with vulnerable people (In England, £310m will be provided through the National Lottery Communities Fund, and £60m will be allocated to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland through the Barnett Formula) whereas £360m will be directly allocated by the government, with up to £200m of these grants supporting hospices, and the rest going to organisations such as St John Ambulance, Citizens Advice Bureau and to charities supporting vulnerable children, or victims of domestic violence. An additional £76m government funding to support survivors of domestic abuse, sexual violence and vulnerable children and their families as well as victims of modern slavery was announced on May 2nd.

As part of this package, the government announced on the 7th May the launch of a £10m Domestic abuse safe accommodation: COVID-19 emergency support fund and invited domestic abuse charities providing safe accommodation (including refuges) in England to submit their application by the 21st May. On 5 June, the government reopened the fund for applications on a "first come first served basis". The remaining amount of £1.2 million was open for bidders to apply until 20 July. For more information and to view the list of successful bidders, see here.

To view available funds and how to apply for them see here.

Further details on the government funding for charities can be seen here. Other funding opportunities including the National Emergencies Trust (NET) Coronavirus Appeal, the Big Society Capital loans and investment and others can be seen here.

On 25th June, the Office for Veterans' Affairs (OVA) and the Ministry of Defence announced that 100 Armed Forces charities will benefit from approximately £6million of additional funding to support serving personnel, veterans and their families during the coronavirus pandemic.

The government has also said that charities can access many of the measures the Chancellor has announced for businesses. Specifically regarding the Business Rates Reliefs and Grant Funding available to the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality sectors, this guide can help charities understand whether or not they might be eligible for the support.

Government guidance has also been released to generally support charities operating during the pandemic.

Summaries of funding available to social enterprises, charities and other VCSE organisations can be seen through the links below:

Local support

Specific support for Greater Manchester organisations can be seen below:

GM wide

Forever Manchester Community Support Fund – offering awards of up to £5,000 to help local communities during the coronavirus outbreak (This fund is now closed for applications).
Manchester Community Central’s – sources of funding page

Stockport - Stockport Local Fund offering grants of up to £1000 to organisations supporting the Covid-19 response in Stockport, especially those supporting vulnerable groups

Salford - Salford Crisis Fund providing VCSE organisations with grants of up to £500 to help address immediate need arising from the pandemic

Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside - Community Response Fund offering grants for either up to £200 or up to £1,000

Bolton - Bolton’s Fund Covid-19 Resilience Grant offering grants of up to £1,000

Wigan – Support can be seen via the the Community Partnership’s page

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Advice and guidance: If a business is closed due to the coronavirus will it still be required to undertake essential inspections?

Advice and guidance: Can I get tested for COVID-19?

Coronavirus (COVID-19): getting tested

On 18 May, the government announced that anyone exhibiting symptoms in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland could get tested. Further details regarding the testing process can be seen here.

Care homes in the UK can arrange for testing via the dedicated online portal the government launched on the 11th May.

Essential workers who are self-isolating due to exhibiting symptoms (high temperature and/or a new, continuous cough and/or a loss of or change in their normal sense of smell or taste) can book a test themselves via the self-referral portal or have their employer refer them via the secure employer referral portal.

Self-referral Process

Employees who are self-referring can use the new portal to enter their details. They will then receive a text/email inviting them to book an appointment at one of the available drive-through and walk-through testing sites, or to receive a home testing kit. The government has published information on How to use your coronavirus (COVID-19) home test kit.

Once you’ve received a coronavirus home test kit, you must register it in order to receive your results. Home testing kits can be returned without booking a courier service, allowing individuals to post their testing kits at any of the 35,000 Royal Mail priority postboxes across the UK. Test results from the drive-through and walk-through sites will be sent out by text within 48hrs, and within 72hrs of collection of the home delivery tests.

Employer Referral Process

Employers can email portalservicedesk@dhsc.gov.uk to be granted access to the employer portal where they can upload a spreadsheet with names and contact details of self-isolating essential workers requiring a test (because either they or member(s) of their household have coronavirus symptoms). If referred through this portal, essential workers will receive a text message with a unique invitation code to book a test for themselves (or anyone in their household who is symptomatic). More information can be seen here.

The Information Commissioner's Office, the UK's independent body set up to uphold information rights, has also released guidance for employers relating to workplace testing and data protection. The guidance can be accessed here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Advice and guidance: What pension guidance is available to employers?

Safe workplaces: Do I need Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at work?

Personal Protective Equipment in the workplace

UK Government advises that social distancing (2 meters apart or where not possible "one metre plus"), hygiene (washing your hands regularly) and appropriate workplace cleaning should be used to reduce risk of transmission. For information on the prevention of the transmission of COVID-19 please visit GOV.UK and NHS.

PPE

In accordance to Government Working Safely guidance, when managing the risk of COVID-19, additional PPE beyond what you usually wear at work is not beneficial. This is because COVID-19 is a different type of risk to those you normally face in a workplace, and needs to be managed through social distancing, hygiene and fixed teams or partnering; not through the use of PPE. 

The government has released specific guidance in the below settings:

Construction and other outdoor work
Factories, plants and warehouses
Labs and research facilities
Offices and contact centres
Other people's homes
Restaurants offering takeaway or delivery
Shops and branches
Vehicles (Guidance for couriers, mobile workers, lorry drivers, on-site transit and work vehicles, field forces and others)
Close contact services
The visitor economy
Hotel and othe guest accommodation
Heritage locations (Guidance for people who work or volunteer in heritage locations)
Performing Arts
Providers of grassroots sport and gym/leisure facilities

Guidance is also available for the use of PPE in educational settings.

The exception is clinical settings, like a hospital, or a small handful of other roles for which Public Health England advises use of PPE. If you are in one of these exception groups, you should refer to the Government advice at COVID-19: personal protective equipment (PPE) plan and COVID-19 PPE.

Unison has confirmed incorrect use of PPE may be putting yourself, colleagues and family at additional risk. The virus lives longer on plastics than ordinary clothes, so if not correctly used and disposed of items such as masks can become vessels for spreading infection. 

Cleaning

If there has been a person with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) in your work setting, the minimum PPE to be worn for cleaning an area is disposable gloves and an apron. Hands should be washed with soap and water for 20 seconds after all PPE has been removed. For all information on cleaning in a non-healthcare setting see here.  

Face Coverings  

From Monday 15 June, face coverings are mandatory on public transport. Exemptions include children under the age of 11, anyone with a disability or condition which means they are unable to wear one, transport staff and emergency services.
From 24 July, face coverings are also mandatory in shops, supermarkets, shopping centres and transport hubs (exemptions apply)  and businesses are expected to encourage compliance and can refuse entry to non-compliant individuals.
From 23 September, customers in private hire vehicles and taxis must also wear face coverings.
From 24 September, these are also required for customers in hospitality venues except when seated at a table to eat or drink. This will also apply to staff in hospitality and retail.
In England, Scotland and Wales you must also bring and wear a face covering for your driving theory test, unless you have a good reason not to.
Should an individual without an exemption refuse to wear a face covering, the police have the formal enforcement powers and can issue a fine. From 24 September this is £200 (reduced to £100 if paid within 14 days) for the first offence.
A face visor or shield may be worn in addition to a face covering but not instead of one. This is because face visors or shields do not adequately cover the nose and mouth.
For more information on face coverings and when to wear one, visit the government website.

A face covering is not the same as the surgical masks or respirators used as part of PPE used by healthcare.  Government is following evidence that wearing a face covering does not protect you, but – if used properly – may have a small effect in protecting others as a precautionary measure. Employers should support their workers in using face coverings safely if they choose to wear one.

The government has also published guidance to support individuals and businesses safely dispose of personal or business waste, including face coverings and personal protective equipment (PPE), during the coronavirus pandemic.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: What is the NHS Test and Trace service?

Guidance on the NHS test and trace service

On 27 May, the government announced the launch of the NHS Test and Trace service which will be an integral part of the UK’s recovery strategy. From the 28th May, anyone who tests positive for Coronavirus will be contacted by the service and asked to provide contact details for people they have recently been in contact with, as well as places they have visited. Anyone identified as having been in close contact with someone who has been tested positive will be contacted and required to self-isolate for 10 days, even if they do not exhibit symptoms, to ensure the risk of the spread of the virus is limited.

To facilitate the NHS test and trace service, employers must support workers who need to self-isolate and must not ask them to attend the workplace. From 28 September, people are required by law to self-isolate and the government has introduced fines for those breaching self-isolation rules and those preventing others from self-isolating.

More information on how the service works for employers, businesses and workers can be see here. If multiple cases of coronavirus appear in a workplace, employers should contact their local health protection team to report the suspected outbreak. To help businesses manage the emergence of COVID-19 cases in the workplace, we have developed a quick guide which can be accessed here.

If an employee is well enough and able to do so, they may work from home. If working from home is not possible, employees instructed by the service to self-isolate are entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for every day they are in isolation. Employers can also give employees the option to use their paid leave days if they prefer instead. Further information on how to claim SSP can be seen here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: Do I need to do a risk assessment?

COVID-19 risk assessment

As part of managing the health and safety of your business you must control the risks in your workplace. To do this you need to think about what might cause harm to people and decide whether you are taking reasonable steps to prevent that harm. This is known as risk assessment and it is something you are required by law to carry out. If you have fewer than five employees you don't have to write anything down.

You must carry out a specific COVID-19 risk assessment for your businesses regardless of whether or not you have fewer than 5 employees. The Health & Safety Executive website has lots of information about managing risks at work and advice about how to carry out and complete a risk assessment as well as information about conversations you should have with your workers about preventing coronavirus.

Centre for Assessment within the Growth Company has also provided COVID-19 template risk assessments and guidance on how to complete them.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: Do I have to publish my risk assessment?

Safe workplaces: One of my staff is in a vulnerable or ‘at risk group’, what should I do?

Keeping your staff safe

Guidance for clinically vulnerable and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals during the new national lockdown has been published on the government website. The government advises the clinically extremely vulnerable to not attend work, school, college or university and only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential.

As for any workplace risk, businesses must also take into account specific duties to those with protected characteristics, including, for example, expectant mothers who are, as always, entitled to suspension on full pay if suitable roles cannot be found. Particular attention should also be paid to people who live with clinically extremely vulnerable individuals.

For further information, please see the Government's ‘Safer Working Guide’ for your sector.

Guidance explaining what you should do as an employer to protect vulnerable workers during the pandemic has also been developed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and is available here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: Should we check the temperature of staff on their arrival at work or customers upon their arrival?

Temperature checks

There is currently no requirement for businesses to carry out temperature checks or health questionnaires before staff return to work. You must carry out your own risk assessment and decide what you think is necessary for your business to reduce the risk for staff and customers. Some businesses are completing daily health questionnaires with staff. If you do decide to check temperatures, you should ensure that equipment is cleaned in between use.

The Government says there is little scientific evidence to support temperature screening as a reliable method for detection of COVID-19 or other febrile illness, especially if used as the main method of testing. For more information go to: www.gov.uk/government/news/dont-rely-on-temperature-screening-products-for-detection-of-coronavirus-covid-19-says-mhra

For food businesses, there has always been the requirement to check that food handlers are fit to work, and this is covered in the opening checks of the SFBB (https://www.food.gov.uk/business-guidance/safer-food-better-business) and should be covered in your HACCP, but this does not deal explicitly with temperature checks.

The most important symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are recent onset of any of the following:

a new, continuous cough
a high temperature (37.8 degrees Celsius or above)
a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia)

If staff develop or are showing any of these symptoms, they should go home immediately, self-isolate for at least 10-days and order a coronavirus test. More information on how employers can manage the emergence of COVID-19 cases in the workplace is available here.

If you do decide to take temperatures or carry out health checks with your staff, you should consider the guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: What do I do if one of my staff or a customer gets ill?

Safe workplaces: Is my restaurant allowed to be open?

Information for restaurants

No, restaurants are required to remain closed during the new national lockdown. These can still provide the services below:

Between 5am and 11pm, food and non-alcoholic drinks as a takeaway* (This means customers can enter the premises to place and collect their order) as well as through click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery
Between 11pm and 5am, food and drink can only be sold through click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery. Click-and-collect and delivery services can only take place where goods are pre-ordered (by phone, online, via a mobile app or by post) and collected without entering the premises.
Alcohol can only be provided via delivery.
Venues offering delivery services must not include alcoholic beverages if their license does not already permit.

Note: Hospitality venues providing food and drink for consumption off the premises are not permitted to allow customers to consume from any adjacent seating to the premises.

UK Hospitality has released guidance and FAQs to provide further support to businesses in the sector during the new lockdown.

*On November 11, the government announced that restaurants, pubs and cafes will get automatic freedoms to provide takeaway services without having to go through a planning application process for another year (until 23 March 2022). This was due to end on 23 March 2021 but will now be extended by another year (The takeaway measure applies to food. Serving of alcoholic drinks will continue to be subject to licensing laws.)

There is lots of guidance out there for business providing takeaway and delivery service and this has been summarised below:

• Government guidance for business offering takeaway or delivery services.
• The Food Standards Agency has also produced guidance for existing food businesses that are looking to provide a delivery or takeaway service and has included a really useful checklist for food business who are looking to reopen safely after a period of closure.
• The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health has also issued guidance which covers food and alcohol takeaways and delivery.
• CTSI and Dept for BEIS have also produced some useful guidance for the food industry.
• Any takeaway or delivery service and plans should be made in conjunction with the business’ own food policy (Safer Food Better Business, or equivalent); Salford City Council has provided a useful SFBB insert and checklist for businesses to include COVID-19 considerations.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: I run a pub, can I be open and can I sell alcohol?

Information for your pub

No, pubs are required to remain closed during the new national lockdown. These can still provide the services below:

Between 5am and 11pm, food and non-alcoholic drinks as a takeaway* (This means customers can enter the premises to place and collect their order) as well as through click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery
Between 11pm and 5am, food and drink can only be sold through click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery. Click-and-collect and delivery services can only take place where goods are pre-ordered (by phone, online, via a mobile app or by post) and collected without entering the premises.
Alcohol can only be provided via delivery.
Venues offering delivery services must not include alcoholic beverages if their license does not already permit.

Note: Hospitality venues providing food and drink for consumption off the premises are not permitted to allow customers to consume from any adjacent seating to the premises.

UK Hospitality has released guidance and FAQs to provide further support to businesses in the sector during the new lockdown.

*On November 11, the government announced that restaurants, pubs and cafes will get automatic freedoms to provide takeaway services without having to go through a planning application process for another year (until 23 March 2022). This was due to end on 23 March 2021 but will now be extended by another year (The takeaway measure applies to food. Serving of alcoholic drinks will continue to be subject to licensing laws.)

There is lots of guidance out there for business providing takeaway and delivery service and this has been summarised below:

• Government guidance for business offering takeaway or delivery services.
• The Food Standards Agency has also produced guidance for existing food businesses that are looking to provide a delivery or takeaway service and has included a really useful checklist for food business who are looking to reopen safely after a period of closure.
• The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health has also issued guidance which covers food and alcohol takeaways and delivery.
• CTSI and Dept for BEIS have also produced some useful guidance for the food industry.
• Any takeaway or delivery service and plans should be made in conjunction with the business’ own food policy (Safer Food Better Business, or equivalent); Salford City Council has provided a useful SFBB insert and checklist for businesses to include COVID-19 considerations.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: We run a café and only have a small kitchen, it will be impossible to socially distance staff, what can I do?

Social distancing in the workplace

The Government advice indicates that in the first instance, you must take all reasonable steps to maintain a 2m distance in the workplace. However, where remaining 2m apart is impossible, people are advised to maintain a 1m distance, whilst taking appropriate precautions to manage transmission risk. You should set out in your COVID-19 risk assessment, the steps you are taking to ensure that you are managing the transmission risk. This may include:

putting in place perspex screens;
creating zonal work areas for staff to reduce contact with other members of staff;
ensuring staff work back to back or side to side;
putting in place a one-way system so staff are not regularly crossing paths or facing each other;
keeping the activity time as short as possible; and
reducing the number of different people each person has contact with, so each person has ‘fixed teams or partnering’

Whilst all the time increasing the frequency of hand-washing and cleaning high-touch hand contact surfaces.

For more information and practical steps you can take, you should consult the Government Guidance for restaurants offering takeaway and delivery. Many trade associations and other organisations have produced useful guidance and practical steps for businesses to consider during the current crisis and a selection of these are included below.

British Retail Consortium – Guidance for non-food retail stores
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) – Home Delivery Guidance for local shops
British Retail Consortium – Guidance for warehouses and distribution centres
Guidance from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work - general guidance and various sectors covered
UK Hospitality – Guidance for Hospitality

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: What disinfectants/cleaning chemicals should I use? Are antibacterial wipes okay to use to clean surfaces?

Is there specific guidance for appropriate cleaning and hygiene measures?

You should ensure you have thoroughly cleaned your premises and have adequate facilities for staff to wash their hands at the work place, including ensuring you have a hot water supply to all sinks and basins, soap, disposable paper towels for hand drying and hand gel where possible (minimum 60% alcohol).

It is recommended that you should use disposable cloths and first clean surfaces with warm soapy water or detergent and then use a disinfectant to effectively sanitise the surface. You need to increase the frequency of routine cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces, in line with your risk assessment (dependant on number of people, employees, contact etc).

The Food Standards Agency have further information on cleaning here: https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/cleaning as well as a cleaning schedule which may help you plan for your food or other type of business.

For general principles of cleaning during the COVID-19 pandemic and cleaning guidance for a work place/area where a person with suspected Coronavirus has been, please see government guidance.

Each Government safer working guide also provides information on how you should clean your business before opening and maintaining cleanliness when open.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: Is it OK to provide cold water for staff and customers to wash their hands?

Safe workplaces: Can I close the public toilet in my premises?

Safe workplaces: What cleaning regime should I put in place if I keep my public toilet open?

Keeping my public toilet clean and safe

You will need to consider the risks and document this in your risk assessment. Toilets and other high-touch frequency surfaces should be cleaned as regularly as possible. There may be other steps you can take in toilets to reduce the risk of transmission, including the use of paper towels to dry hands; a reusable hand towel should not be used, and the increased availability of hand sanitiser where possible (minimum 60% alcohol) for customers entering and leaving the toilet.

It is recommended that you should use disposable cloths and first clean surfaces with warm soapy water or detergent and then use a disinfectant to effectively sanitise the surface. You need to increase the frequency of routine cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces, in line with your risk assessment (dependant on number of people, employees, contact etc).

The Food Standards Agency have further information on cleaning here: https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/cleaning.

For general principles of cleaning during the COVID-19 pandemic and cleaning guidance for a work place/area where a person with suspected Coronavirus has been, please see government guidance on cleaning in non-healthcare settings outside the home.

You should also follow the Government’s safer working guidance on opening customer toilets.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: Should I put a Perspex screen up at my till/serving area?

Safe workplaces: We only have narrow pavements outside our premises, how can we control queues and ensure social distancing? Can I mark a public highway with a permanent marking for customers to social distance?

Safe workplaces: I don’t have a card reader/facilities to accept contactless payment what should I do? I am only accepting payment via card/contactless payment – can I refuse to accept cash?

Card/contactless payments

You do not have to accept cash for payment of goods, however you must make it clear to customer what payment types are accepted before people decide to make a purchase.

Staff should be reminded to prompt customers to pay by card before accepting cash, quite often people have a card but out of habit take cash out of their purse or wallet for low cost items. Currently, it is important to use cards to pay, to minimise contact with others. Contactless payment is available for purchases up to £45.

Businesses can also adjust location of card readers to social distancing guidelines (2m, or 1m with risk mitigation where 2m is not viable, is acceptable).

If you do decide to take cash payments, your risk assessment should identify the control measures that need to be in place to protect, you, your staff and customers. If you decide that the till operator should wear a glove to take money, they should be regularly changed. Wearing gloves is not a substitute for good hand hygiene. Hands should be washed on a regular basis, and providing hand sanitiser where possible (minimum 60% alcohol) at the till for staff to use, will complement hand washing.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: Should we install hand sanitisers at entrances and throughout our premises?

Installing hand sanitisers

It is considered best practice to provide hand sanitiser for customers to use before entering your premises and again as they leave.

It is also good practice to ensure that baskets and trolley handles in shops are sanitised each time before they are used by the next customer. The sanitiser and disposable paper must be provided and could be managed by a member of staff to ensure that the customers’ hands are not contaminated by a previous customer via the handle.

You might also consider the use of hand sanitiser in other part of your premises, for example at till points and restaurant tables (once they are allowed to reopen). The use of hand sanitiser and their position in your premises should be documented in your COVID-19 risk assessment.

Please note: Hand sanitiser is not a substitute for effective hand washing. Staff must wash your hands properly and regularly, particularly after blowing their nose or coughing into their hand BEFORE they touch any other surfaces.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: Which hand sanitiser should I use?

Safe workplaces: What do we mean by a ‘contact’?

Defining a "contact"

Government guidance states that a contact is a person who has been close to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.

A contact can be anyone:

living in the same household as someone with COVID-19 symptoms or who has tested positive for COVID-19
who has had any of the following types of contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 with a PCR test:
- Face-to-face contact at a distance of less than 1 metre
- Been within 2 metres of someone for more than 15 minutes (either as a one-off contact or added up together over one day)
- Travelled in a car or small vehicle with someone – even if it was only for a very short amount of time
- Sat close to someone on a plane
- Sexual contacts

Interaction between 2 people having taken place through a Perspex (or equivalent) screen, will not be considered sufficient contact, provided that there has been no other contact.

More information can be seen via the government's page here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Advice and guidance: What support is available for victims of domestic abuse?

Domestic abuse: get help during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

The government has published a resource page with support available for victims of domestic abuse. The resources also include advice and guidance for employers, professionals and those working in the domestic abuse sector.

Household isolation instructions as a result of coronavirus do not apply if an individual needs to leave their home to escape domestic abuse.

Further support available

1. National Domestic Abuse helpline

Refuge’s National Domestic Abuse Helpline offers free and confidential advice, 24 hours a day on 0808 2000 247. Further information including a contact form and a live chat service is available through the website.

If an individual is in immediate danger, they should call 999 and ask for the police.

2. Codeword scheme

If an individual is experiencing domestic abuse and needs immediate help, they can ask for ‘ANI’ in a participating pharmacy. ‘ANI’ stands for Action Needed Immediately but also phonetically sounds like the name Annie. If a pharmacy has the ‘Ask for ANI’ logo on display, it means they’re ready to help.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Finance: What support is available for the agriculture, food and drink sector?

Finance: What support is available for Universities?

University research support package

Sustaining University Research Expertise Fund (SURE)

On 27 June the government announced a support package for eligible Higher Education Providers to continue their world-class research and innovation activities.

The Sustaining University Research Expertise Fund (SURE), will consist of low-interest loans with long pay-back periods, supplemented by a small amount of government grants. The government will cover up to 80% of a university’s income losses caused by an expected decline in international students for the academic year (AY) 2020-21, up to the value of non-publicly funded research activity in that university.

The final deadline for submissions was noon 18 December 2020.

Full details on the University research support package can be seen here.

Higher education restructuring regime

On 16 July, the government announced the launch of a new government scheme to support English universities at risk of insolvency. The Higher education restructuring regime is a scheme for higher education providers in England facing financial difficulties as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: I run a beauty salon in the same premises as my hairdressers, am I allowed to open?

Safe workplaces: As a business, how can I help the NHS Test and Trace effort?

Supporting the NHS Test and Trace service

Local experts from public health England and local authorities in Greater Manchester are working together to support the NHS Test and Trace system. This means that for confirmed cases in your workplace, you will have support to ensure that contacts are traced and provided with advice, and to manage the consequences for your workplace and employees.

What can you do?

As an organisation you can support Test and Trace by minimising the opportunities for the virus to spread and the potential for people to be contacts. The key ways to do this are:

- Ensuring individuals with symptoms do not visit your workplace
- Encouraging frequent hand washing and good respiratory hygiene practices
- Carrying out regular cleaning
- Maintaining social distancing and minimise contact and mixing between individuals
- Ensuring staff self-isolate when instructed to do so.

We also recommend you prepare/review business continuity plans so you know how you will operate, and what steps you will need to take if several people need to self-isolate as a result of being a contact of a confirmed case.

What about taking contact details from customers?

The opening up of the economy following the COVID-19 outbreak is being supported by NHS Test and Trace. From 18 September, businesses in certain sectors are required by law to keep a temporary record of their customers and visitors for 21 days, in a way that is manageable for the business, and assist NHS Test and Trace with requests for that data if needed. This could help contain clusters or outbreaks.

Guidance published by the Department of Health and Social Care outlines the information required to be collected and how records should be maintained. You should also consider Information Commission Office (ICO) guidance on protecting customer’s details.

Launched on the 24 September, the NHS Test and Trace App aims to simplify the tracking process by enabling the public to automatically “check into” a venue and get alerted if they have recently visited a venue where they have come into contact with coronavirus. This means that in England, people who check-in with the official NHS QR poster do not have to provide their contact details as part of the staff, customer and visitor logs. However, businesses are still required to maintain an alternative check-in method (such as a handwritten register) to collect the contact details of those who do not have a smartphone or do not want to use the NHS COVID-19 app.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: How should I implement the ‘1m plus’ rule in my business?

Advice and guidance: What is the guidance on social distancing?

Advice and guidance: What are the different types of coronavirus tests available?

Advice and guidance: How can I dispose of my personal or business waste, including face coverings and personal protective equipment (PPE)?

Safe workplaces: Do customers in my shop have to wear face coverings, and what do I do if they refuse?

Face coverings - Government Guidance

Yes, the Government has stated that customers will be required to wear face coverings in all shops, supermarkets, shopping centres and transport hubs. It will be compulsory to wear a face covering when buying food and drink to take away from cafes and shops. If you are in a premises where you are able to sit down and consume food or drink that you have bought, then you can remove your face covering in order to eat and drink on-site, but face coverings should be worn, up until that point.

As a business owner, you should take reasonable steps to promote compliance with the law. This can be done by providing signs and other forms of information to remind customers of this requirement. You have done this previously when the ban on smoking indoors was introduced. You can refuse entry or service, as you would, if a customer was intoxicated or aggressive. The police have the powers to enforce these measures, including through issuing a fine of £200 (halving to £100 if paid within 14 days).

For further information, see the Government Guidance on face coverings.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Safe workplaces: Do staff in my shop have to wear a face coverings?

Safe workplaces: Apart from the Government Guidance, what other useful information is available that I can access?

Working safely - Useful information

For more information and practical steps you can take, you should consult the Government Guidance on working safely. Many trade associations and other organisations have produced useful guidance and practical steps for businesses to consider during the current crisis and a selection of these are included below.

British Retail Consortium – Guidance for non-food retail stores
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) – Home Delivery Guidance for local shops
British Retail Consortium – Guidance for warehouses and distribution centres
Guidance from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work - general guidance and various sectors covered
UK Hospitality – Guidance for Hospitality

The Health & Safety Executive website has lots of information about managing risks at work and advice about how to carry out and complete a risk assessment

Centre for Assessment within the Growth Company has also provided COVID-19 template risk assessments and guidance on how to complete them.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Advice and guidance: Which planning permissions are extended under provisions in the Business and Planning Act 2020?

Planning permissions extended

To support the construction sector, provisions in the Business and Planning Act 2020 will enable certain planning permissions and listed building consents in England which have lapsed or are due to lapse during 2020 to be extended.

Which planning permissions are extended?

Unimplemented planning permissions expiring between 23 March 2020 and 19 August 2020 may be reinstated and then extended to 1 May 2021 (subject to Additional Environmental Approval being granted).
Unimplemented planning permissions which expire between 19 August 2020 and 31 December 2020 are automatically extended to 1 May 2021 (with no requirement to obtain Additional Environmental Approval)
All listed building consents expiring between 23 March 2020 and 31 December 2020 will be automatically extended to 1 May 2021 (with no requirement to obtain Additional Environmental Approval).

Further information is available through the government website, here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Advice and guidance: What is the Small Business Leadership Programme and the Peer Network scheme?

Small business support schemes

The Small Business Leadership Programme and Peer Network scheme  are complementary initiatives aimed at helping SMEs in England improve their leadership skills and enable learning with peers. 

The Small Business Leadership Programme is a fully-funded programme ran by a consortium of business schools. The programme focuses on leadership, innovation, employee engagement, operational efficiency, marketing, sustainable practices, and finance. In order to qualify, your business must be an SME based in England and have been operating for at least a year. Find more information here.

Peer Networks brings together diverse groups of business leaders to tackle challenges and enable peer to peer knowledge exchange. Covering topics such as finance, HR, sales and marketing. Eligibility is the same as the Leadership Programme, with the additional requisite to have a turnover of over £100,00. Register your interest here.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Advice and guidance: What are the new insolvency measures and how will they affect businesses?

Finance: What is the Getting Building Fund?

Advice and guidance: What is a support bubble and who can make one?

Making a support bubble with another household

A support bubble is a close support network between a household with only one adult or a household with one adult and one or more people who were under the age of 18 on 12 June 2020 in the home (known as a single-adult household) and one other household of any size.

From 2 December, eligibility for support bubbles is expanded. You can now form a support bubble with another household if any of the following apply to you:

you are the only adult in your household (any other members of the household having been under 18 on 12 June 2020)
you are the only adult who does not have a disability that needs continuous care (i.e. you are living with any additional adult(s) in the household that have a disability and require continuous care)
you have a child under 1 (regardless of how many other adults are in the household)
you live with a child under 5 with a disability that needs continuous care (regardless of how many other adults are in the household)

More information on how to make a support bubble with another household can be seen through the government website.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Advice and guidance: What is the NHS Test and Trace app?

NHS Test and Trace App

The NHS Test and Trace app has been designed to work alongside traditional contact tracing services and testing, to help people to understand if they are at risk of infection so they can take action to protect themselves and their communities.

Launched on the 24 September, the App aims to simplify the Test and Trace process by enabling the public to automatically “check into” a venue and get alerted if they have recently visited a venue where they have come into contact with coronavirus. The tool is quickly set up by completing an online form, printing and displaying a QR code poster and requesting that all visitors scan this on arrival at your premises.

Designated businesses and organisations, including hospitality, close contact services and leisure venues, are legally required to display an official NHS QR code poster.

To ensure compliance with the new legislation, business owners should:

1. Create a QR code for your venue online

2. Print and display the poster by the entrance(s) to your premises

For more information on how the NHS Test and Trace App works and what you need to do to ensure compliance with the new regulations, visit our dedicated guide for business.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Advice and guidance: What is a childcare bubble?

Employees: What is the Kickstart scheme?

Kickstart scheme overview

The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to employers to create new 6-month job placements for young people who are currently on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment.

Funding will cover for each job placement:

100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week
the associated employer National Insurance contributions
employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions

There is also £1500 per job placement available for setup costs, support and training.

To apply for the funding, employers must submit an application for a minimum of 30 job placements. If you are unable to offer this many job placements, you can find someone to apply on behalf of a group of employers to reach the minimum number.

To support businesses, the government has published a series of tips for making a successful Kickstart Scheme application.

To help businesses benefit from Kickstart, the Growth Company has developed three support packages including:

Being a Gateway organisation - to help businesses access the scheme regardless of how many placements you are able to offer
Being a Kickstart Service Partner offering on-placement support, such as individual learning plans and careers advice/support
Employment services - enabling businesses to host placements without having to worry about employment contract and HR-related requirements.

For more information and to register your interest in a Kickstart application, visit the Growth Company's dedicated page.

The information provided is meant as a general guide only rather than advice or assurance. GC Business Growth Hub does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information and professional guidance should be sought on all aspects of business planning and responses to the coronavirus. Use of this guide and toolkit are entirely at the risk of the user. Any hyperlinks from this document are to external resources not connected to the GC Business Growth Hub and The Growth Company is not responsible for the content within any hyperlinked site.

Advice and guidance: What are the latest COVID-19 restrictions?

National Lockdown

Finance: How can I manage tax and reporting?

HMRC Coronavirus Helpline

Extension to filling accounts with Companies House

Defer payment of Business Rates

Defer Valued Added Tax (VAT) and Income Tax payments

Guidance relating to taxable expenses and benefits provided to employees during coronavirus (COVID-19)

VAT rate for tourism and hospitality-related activities

Employees: What is the guidance on Statutory Sick Pay?

Statutory Sick Pay guidance

Advice and guidance: Where can I find the latest advice about Coronavirus?

UK Government COVID-19 Business Advice

NHS guide to Coronavirus

FCO International Travel advice

Exporting: What support is available for exporters?

Support for exporting businesses

Employees: How do I access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme?

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Finance: What finance is available?

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan

Support for larger firms

Future Fund

Innovate UK Grants & Loans

Bounce Back Loans Scheme (BBLS)

Top-up to local business grant funds scheme

Funding to support the arts, culture and heritage sector

Film & TV Production Restart Scheme

Green Homes Grant Scheme

Grant support for businesses affected by coronavirus restrictions

Support for children and families

Employees: What support is available for the self-employed?

Self-Employment Income Support Scheme

Universal Credit

EmployGM

Safe workplaces: Is my business allowed to remain open?

National lockdown - Key measures

Advice and guidance: What is the latest guidance on traveling to work?

Guidance relating to work travel

Advice and guidance: Can tradespeople carry out work in people’s homes?

Work undertaken by tradespeople to continue

Advice and guidance: Will my business be evicted due to late rent payments or inability to make payment completely?

Protection for businesses with ban on evictions for commercial tenants who miss rent payments

Employees: What do I need to consider when adopting a remote working approach?

Growth Company Guide to Remote Working

Employees: How can I support my employees with their mental health during the Coronavirus outbreak?

Advice to support mental health during coronavirus outbreak

Employees: How can I carry out right to work checks during COVID-19?

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Conducting right to work checks

Employees: How can I hire staff to meet increased demands for my business’ goods or services in light of COVID-19?

EmployGM

Advice and guidance: What can we do to help efforts to tackle the coronavirus crisis?

Actions to help the fight against COVID-19

Finance: What support is available for charities, social enterprises, and community-based organisations?

Support for the charity sector

Advice and guidance: If a business is closed due to the coronavirus will it still be required to undertake essential inspections?

Inspections during the COVID-19 pandemic

Advice and guidance: Can I get tested for COVID-19?

Coronavirus (COVID-19): getting tested

Advice and guidance: What pension guidance is available to employers?

Pension Guidance

Safe workplaces: Do I need Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at work?

Personal Protective Equipment in the workplace

Safe workplaces: What is the NHS Test and Trace service?

Guidance on the NHS test and trace service

Safe workplaces: Do I need to do a risk assessment?

COVID-19 risk assessment

Safe workplaces: Do I have to publish my risk assessment?

Your risk assessment

Safe workplaces: One of my staff is in a vulnerable or ‘at risk group’, what should I do?

Keeping your staff safe

Safe workplaces: Should we check the temperature of staff on their arrival at work or customers upon their arrival?

Temperature checks

Safe workplaces: What do I do if one of my staff or a customer gets ill?

Your staff's health

Safe workplaces: Is my restaurant allowed to be open?

Information for restaurants

Safe workplaces: I run a pub, can I be open and can I sell alcohol?

Information for your pub

Safe workplaces: We run a café and only have a small kitchen, it will be impossible to socially distance staff, what can I do?

Safe workplaces: Do I need Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at work?