Latest Advice on Covid-19
The coronavirus pandemic is firstly a health emergency, but secondly an economic emergency. In order to help ensure our BID levy payers are fully informed, we have created this page to keep businesses up to date with the latest advice and information for businesses.
If Penrith BID can do anything to support your business then please get in touch. We are part of a great business community and we will all work together to get through these challenging times.
Updates and Guidance (updated 12th January 2021)
Details of all government advice on Coronavirus (COVID-19) can be found here.
Lockdown 3 (January 2021)
For full details of what you can and cannot do, please check here.
During lockdown the Chancellor announced the following to support businesses and protect jobs. More details can be seen here. For full details of the support available to businesses, see here.
Eden District Council are responsible for issuing the government grants. Check here for their information on support for business.
Guidance and Support for Businesses is available at https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support?priority-taxon=774cee22-d896-44c1-a611-e3109cce8eae
Older Information
If you believe you are entitled to the next government grant, but have not had an email from EDC, you need to apply for the money via the EDC website. Full details and application link available at: https://www.eden.gov.uk/coronavirus-covid-19/support-for-businesses/#Local
Government’s COVID-19 Winter Plan sets out the programme for suppressing the virus, protecting the NHS and the vulnerable, keeping the NHS and the economy going and providing a route back to normality.
From Thursday 5 November until Wednesday 2 December, the Government is taking the following action:
- Requiring people to stay at home, except for specific purposes.
- Preventing gathering with people you do not live with, except for specific purposes.
- Closing certain businesses and venues.
Updated guidance for business flowing from the Prime Minister’s statement of 22 September outlining new measures to help control the spread of coronavirus is available at: https://bit.ly/3fDy2Gd
A page outlining what has changed, with links to further advice on social distancing and a FAQs page that you may find helpful can be found at: https://bit.ly/3k
Track and trace: create a QR code to display in your venue here: https://www.gov.uk/create-coronavirus-qr-poster
Updated Workplace Guidance – https://bit.ly/3fDy2Gd.
Hands Face Space – https://bit.ly/2Zt7BwI.
Local Restrictions from Monday 14th September – More information will be available on GOV.UK via: https://bit.ly/3jNhaiv.
Launch of the NHS Test and Trace App – following a successful pilot, it has today been announced that the app will launch in England and Wales on 24 September. The NHS Test and Trace app will provide users with local risk information, alert them if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive and has a built-in QR scanner to check-in at venues. As such, local businesses will be required to display NHS QR posters so visitors and customers can start checking in safely and securely to venues from 24 September.
Bounce Back Plans – on 8 September, the Dept for International Trade announced a series 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. More information is available at: https://bit.ly/3mbyIGc
Support for Restaurants and Tourism Based Sectors
Guidance for hotels, B&Bs etc: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/
Guidance for Restaurants: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/
Business Reopening Online Help: https://www.gov.uk/
‘We’re Good to Go’ Accreditation Scheme from Visit Britian – https://goodtogo.visitbritain.
Cumbria Tourism Recovery Hub – https://www.cumbriatourism.
Covid-19 Secure Status | Working Safely through Covid-19
Before shops and businesses can reopen, the government has laid out guidance you must follow to make your business ‘Covid-19 Secure’ and to keep yourself, your staff and your customers safe.
For help with getting your business Covid-19 Secure, see the link below or contact us at admin@penrithbid.co.uk and we will be happy to share best practice.
Mandatory wearing of Face Coverings in Retail premises: https://bit.ly/FaceCoveringsUpdate
Disposing of Business Waste: https://bit.ly/CV19Waste
Advice by Business Sector
Read through the advice for your business sector (eg retail shop / office) and work through the guidance. Once you have everything in place, you should then print off the ‘Covid-19 Secure’ poster below to display at the entrance to your shop or business.
Poster staying-covid-19-secure – to download, sign and display in your shop window to give customers confidence to shop with you
Our Reset and Restart Resources are available here: https://penrithbid.co.uk/resources-for-businesses-to-use-coronavirus-covid-19/
Form to fill out and send back to admin@penrithbid.co.uk to be included in the restart marketing: 04.07 Reopening Business Template (for hospitality and hairdressers) or Business Reopening Details and Check – general shops
HSE Risk Assessment Template and Example Risk Assessment from HSE
If you have more than 50 employees the guidance says you must have your risk assessment online. If you have more than 5 employees the guidance says you must have a written risk assessment. Guidance we have received from national organisations suggests that a written risk assessment is good practice for all businesses, no matter the number of employees. They are a good way of giving your customers confidence to shop with you and a good way of communicating with your employees. So, we recommend all businesses complete a written risk assessment and share it online if you have a website.
Once you had your ‘Covid-10 Secure’ blue poster in your window, why not snap a photo and send it through to us to share to Discover Penrith. Again, it is a great way of showing that you have taken all the necessary steps.
Reset | Restart | Recover
Penrith BID are working with key stakeholders in the town to ensure there is a full recovery plan in place. Details of this plan, and the associated actions can be found below:
Penrith Recovery Plan | Penrith Recovery Plan – Penrith BID Actions
From 15 June, businesses that are COVID19-Secure and comfortable managing the requirements that will keep customers safe are able to reopen their premises.
Business
26.05.2020: Guidance for reopening can be found here: https://bit.ly/UpdatedRetailGuidance.
21.05.2020 BEIS working safely webinars
Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme: https://bit.ly/CLBILSUpdate
Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme: https://bit.ly/SSPLaunchDate
Future Fund launch: https://bit.ly/CV19FFLaunch
Fast Start Competition: https://bit.ly/CV19FastStart
15.05.2020: Roadmap Taskforces: https://bit.ly/RoadmapTaskforces
Trade Credit Insurance: https://bit.ly/CV19TradeCreditInsurance
Holiday entitlement and pay: https://bit.ly/HolidayEntitlement
Self-Employment Income Support Scheme: https://bit.ly/SelfEmployedSupport
12.05.2020:
– Phased opening of schools, colleges and nurseries: https://bit.ly/SchoolsReopening
– Travelling safely: https://bit.ly/CV19SafeTravel
– How to carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment: https://bit.ly/CV19RiskAssessments
– Cleaning your workplace safely: https://bit.ly/CleaningWorkplaces
29.04.2020: DfE Skills Toolkit
28.04.2020: Bounce Back Loan Scheme (launches 4th May)
27.04.2020: Rent Collection On Business Premises
20.04.2020: Government Tool to Find Business Support
16.04.2020: Social Distancing in the Workplace – advice from Usdaw
Protecting your Mental Health – advice from Usdaw
Furloughed Employees Legal Direction
The future of Food Retailing – an opinion piece
14.04.2020: Guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, has been updated:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme
As of yesterday, Cabinet Office have provided further clarifications including:
- Confirmation of what should form the basis for furlough pay for employees furloughed on return from (maternity/paternity/shared parental/ adoption/ sick/ parental bereavement) leave;
- Confirming employees subject to TUPE transfer/ business reorganisation/ payroll consolidation can be furloughed
- Confirming position for contractors in scope of IR35 in the public sector
- More information on what information employers need to claim the grant
- Clarifying circumstances where an employee shouldn’t be furloughed by multiple employers
The OBRs coronavirus analysis – 14th April 2020
08.04.2020: Government Business Support Page
Sector Specific Guidance for Employers on Social Distancing
Guidance for the Charity Sector
06.04.2020: Extended Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS)
New Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CLBILS)
The National Lottery Heritage Fund: Heritage Emergency Fund
03.04.2020: Eden District Council have asked that businesses complete a short online form to confirm eligibility for each business before they release payments. They are responsible for distributing £27m of grant funds and they need to ensure this money goes to the right businesses, so please go to the following link for full details: Link to Apply for Small Business, Retail/Leisure Grant
04.032020: HMRC Webinars
26.03.2020: Self-employment Income Support Scheme
26.03.2020: FAQ Section for Business Support
25.03.2020: How to apply for a three month extension to file accounts
Business rates: expanded retail discount – guidance
24.03.2020: Government Guidance to businesses and premises to close
23.03.2020: Full Press Release from Home Office
Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s updated statement 20.03.2020 – full speech
Updated advice from Dodd’s Accountants following Chancellor’s speech on 20.03.20
Eden District Council Support For Business
Main Government coronavirus page
Following the Chancellor’s business support announcement relating to the Covid-19 outbreak, we are keen to ensure that you have access to Gov.uk business information as soon as it is available. The relevant Gov.uk page can be found at: GOVERNMENT ADVICE LINK
Government Guidance for businesses and other venues on social distancing measures
Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme
acas advice – employee related
Confederation of British Industry Coronavirus Hub
Eden District Council Guidance for Takeaway Service
KPMG Advice on Pandemic Planning as part of a resilience strategy
Bank of England Advice on Financing Facility
30.03.2020: Advice from our insurer, Marsh Commercial regarding Insurance considerations
Financial help for the self-employed
HMRC help line for the self employed and businesses 0300 456 3565
HMRC number (0800 0159 559) for anyone with any tax worries
Tourism Related Businesses
30.03.2020: Government information relating to business closures, including holiday rentals
30.03.2020: Small Business or Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Form from EDC
Other Links
Our friends at Dodd Accountants are updating their website on a daily basis – Dodd Accountants advice for clients
We have also produced some resources for businesses. These are free to download and share. Click the link to go to the page: Resources for Businesses
