COVID-19 Information for you

[BIG AL PRICE]

On 9/15/2020 at 2:48 PM, petercoulson said:

****Breaking News****

Without knowing the ins and outs yet but the insurers lost their case to a degree so will be worth you getting on to your brokers

https://www-bbc-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/business-54158830?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQFKAGwASA%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From %1%24s

still no good on my Aviva policy.

[petercoulson]

3 hours ago, BIG AL PRICE said:

still no good on my Aviva policy.

I think some policies mention disease and some exclude it that's where the ruling sits at the moment so if your policy says loss of business due to disease they should be paying out. 

[petercoulson]

MORE UPDATED NEWS AS IT COMES

 

Retail staff MUST wear facemasks - I guess this is for shop floor people but may affect those behind the counter as well

[St.Am92]

https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/stores/retail-workers-forced-to-wear-masks-under-coronavirus-clampdown/648619.article

21 hours ago, petercoulson said:

MORE UPDATED NEWS AS IT COMES

 

Retail staff MUST wear facemasks - I guess this is for shop floor people but may affect those behind the counter as well

 

[carnkev]

Really not a big deal to pop on a mask when customer comes in, it just has to help prevent the spread of the disease. Uptake in Ireland seems to be much higher than in Nothern Ireland for some reason. 

[grahamparker]

2 hours ago, carnkev said:

Really not a big deal to pop on a mask when customer comes in, it just has to help prevent the spread of the disease. Uptake in Ireland seems to be much higher than in Nothern Ireland for some reason. 

But are you ok to do that if more then 1 person in the workplace or do you have to wear all day ?.

[petercoulson]

Well I have just been sent an email that under the announcement 22nd September that exhibitions and conferences are not allowed for 6 months from 1st October,CE had in mind to do something Spring time so that will be shelved now. @Mick Friend if this is true it may affect you as well?

https://www.conference-news.co.uk/news/conferences-and-exhibitions-will-not-reopen-1-october-prime-minister-confirms

[petercoulson]

Some points from todays announcement, important ones for some of us

1. Chancellor Rishi Sunak announces a new Job Support Scheme, starting in November
2. It replaces the 'furlough scheme' and means the government will pay part of workers' wages who have lost hours
3. The cut in VAT to 5% for the hospitality and tourism sector will be extended until 31 March
4. Firms that took government loans during the crisis will have longer to pay them back

[Mike at Vauxhall]

I always wear a mask on the shop floor, do I need to wear a mask when I'm behind my counter screen?

[grahamparker]

36 minutes ago, cowers lane 583 said:

I always wear a mask on the shop floor, do I need to wear a mask when I'm behind my counter screen?

I am looking for clarification on this as well.

[Mick Friend]

5 hours ago, petercoulson said:

Well I have just been sent an email that under the announcement 22nd September that exhibitions and conferences are not allowed for 6 months from 1st October,CE had in mind to do something Spring time so that will be shelved now. @Mick Friend if this is true it may affect you as well?

https://www.conference-news.co.uk/news/conferences-and-exhibitions-will-not-reopen-1-october-prime-minister-confirms

Yes it does, I buggered whichever way I turn, I have conference reservations, I have them paid, I have all the stuff to run but cannot do it - I am at my wits end, no financial support, insurance refuses to cover it and I have the odd numpty 'demanding' a refund- yeh me as well. worst of all I have paid storage in Nottingham going to run out end of march so I have to go and clear the locker...aaarrrgggghhhh

 

[St.Am92]

Also received this today...From today, 24 September, if your business has a physical location that is open to the public, you'll need to display a NHS QR code at the entrance. This is to support the Government with its track & trace scheme - you can register and get a code by searching NHS QR Code online. Your Barclays Business Team.

[petercoulson]

6 hours ago, grahamparker said:

I am looking for clarification on this as well.

@cowers lane 583& @grahamparker plus everyone else the ruling is retail space where you may come into closer contact with customers but in your workshop area behind the screen you will be ok (assuming no customers allowed in that area. Go outside the counter to help some  then you don a mask. 

In England, staff working in retail, leisure and hospitality in England have to wear a face covering in indoor areas of their workplace that are open to the public, and in areas where they are likely to come within close contact of a member of the public from September 24

Plus as @St.Am92 mentioned display the barcode for people to log on the NHS app although if you follow the NHS guide shoe repairers won't have a requirement to display it will show how much you are helping to display it.

Create your own code - https://www.gov.uk/create-coronavirus-qr-poster

[windycity]

Not so much help for the self employed this time!

[keyman]

I was in Tesco yesterday evening, none of the checkout operators were wearing face coverings or shields. I asked the lady how they were getting away with it, she said it was because of the screen running down the side of the till, as soon as she left her seat she had to don a face mask or shield.

This conversation took place while I was stood at the end of the till packing my bag. With no screen between us. Oh well.

[petercoulson]

8 hours ago, windycity said:

Not so much help for the self employed this time!

The help he is offering employees isn't actually that great either but may be just enough hopefully

British workers will need to work at least a third of their normal hours to qualify for the chancellor’s new Job Support Scheme. Their employer will pay normal wages for those hours.

Of the remaining two-thirds of each worker’s usual pay, the employer will pay 33% and the government will pay 33%, meaning that the worker will receive 77% of their usual monthly wage in total. The government will be paying 22%, capped at a maximum £697.72 a month. The employer will pay 55%.

[rapidlocks]

as a ltd company on annual pay scheme there was no help for us first time around and wont be this time around , though i know il be paying for it until i retire despite not being helped by it .

it was obvious with what they are borrowing to fund this that they couldnt continue furlough for another 3 to 6 months we would be a bankrupt company even before brexit .

we will all be fuffering the effects of this for many years to come and many despite their graft will become a casualty of this pandemic .

[petercoulson]

NEWS this week, with the Furlough ending this month November wages were looking to your company to pay nearly all the employees wages but announced this week is a package of extra help from HMRC. Although a complicated structure if an employee works a minimum 20% of their usual hours you will only have to top it up a little more of the 80% missing with most coming from HMRC BUT the employee will lose approx 25% of their wage without more top up from the employer. 

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-job-support-scheme/the-job-support-scheme

[petercoulson]

There's also some more help for the self employed

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-52052123

[rapidlocks]

but still no help for small companies on annual pay scheme as per last time

[Mick Friend]

3 hours ago, rapidlocks said:

but still no help for small companies on annual pay scheme as per last time

Nope all my reserves are gone no idea how I will survive the winter

[windycity]

Hi Peter 

thank you for your ongoing info. does anyone know if we are likely to be able to claim tier 2 grants like bars/restaurants/businesses as my turnover is also down? While they have much bigger turnover and losses the small micro retailers/shops are also suffering and those grants would actually make a big difference.

[petercoulson]

30 minutes ago, windycity said:

Hi Peter 

thank you for your ongoing info. does anyone know if we are likely to be able to claim tier 2 grants like bars/restaurants/businesses as my turnover is also down? While they have much bigger turnover and losses the small micro retailers/shops are also suffering and those grants would actually make a big difference.

As far as I can find out they are aimed at the specific industries mostly to do with forced closure and administered by your local council so worth checking with them first

[petercoulson]

So the announcement about a 4 week long lockdown for England seems inevitable this week we all need to be making plans for this and preparing ourselves for the loss of business again. I am sure with any announcement there will be more financial help but I can only hope it's enough, very tough year for everyone and they will be trying to save Christmas for everyone with this.

Perhaps you will stay open but I have been to repair a machine in Wales this week and what I saw was a lot of traffic on the main roads but no one in towns which will be something to consider as well. Any financial help I guess will be aimed at businesses forced to close, this should be another consideration on your opening or not.

[petercoulson]

Another consideration if you decide to stay open, 

What else can firms get?

The government will also give firms:

• Up to £3,000 per month under the Local Restrictions Support Grant if their premises is forced to close
• £1,000 for every furloughed employee kept on until at least the end of January
• £1,500 for every out-of-work 16-24 year-old given a ''high quality'' six-month work placement
• £2,000 for every under-25 apprentice taken on until the end of January, or £1,500 for over-25s

A grant available to self-employed people affected by coronavirus has also been doubled to 40% of profits, with a maximum grant of £3,750 over a three-month period.