Coronavirus

Last week the government provided guidance on the 5th SEISS grant. If you are eligible for the grant, based on the tax return you have submitted for the 2019/2020 tax year, HMRC will contact you in mid-July with a date to claim the grant. You will be able to start claiming for the grant from late July 2021 up until 30th September 2021. You can only claim this grant if you think your business profits will be impacted by Covid 19 between May 1st, 2021 and September 30th, 2021.

To be eligible to claim for the grant, it is important that you mean all of the criteria in stages 1, 2 and 3.

Stage 1:
– you must be self-employed or a member of a partnership
– you must have traded in both the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 tax year
– you cannot claim the grant if you traded through a limited company or trust

Stage 2:
– you must have submitted your 2019/2020 tax return on or before March 2nd, 2021
– your trading profits must not be more than £50,000
– your trading profits must be at least equal to your non-trading income (non-trading income is any money you make outside of your business – if you have a part-time job or a pension)
– if you are not eligible based on your 2019/2020 tax return, HMRC will look at the previous tax years

Stage 3:
– you must intend to continue trading in the 2021/2022 tax year
– have a reasonable belief that your trading profits will be significantly reduced due to Covid 19 between May 1st, 2021 and September 30th, 2021

There are different circumstances that can affect your claim:
– you filed your 2019/2020 tax return late, it’s been amended or under enquiry
– you are a member of a partnership
– you had a new child
– you have loans covered by the loan charge provisions
– you claim averaging relief
– you are a military reservist
– you are a non-resident or chose the remittance basis
– claiming Maternity allowance will not affect your eligibility
You can read more about how different circumstances can affect your claim here.

How to claim the 5th SEISS Grant

This grant is different to the other SEISS grants that have been available. You will need to tell HMRC about your business turnover so that they can work out how much you will receive. HMRC define turnover as takings, fees, sales or money earned or received by your business.

In order to make your claim, you will need to have two different turnover figures:
– you will need to work out your turnover for a 12-month period starting between April 1st, 2020 and April 6th, 2020
– you will need your turnover for either the 2019/2020 tax year or the 2018/2019 tax year

HMRC will compare the figures to work out how much you will get.

If you only started trading in the 2019/2020 tax year, HMRC will not ask you for any turnover figures. You will receive 80% of 3 months’ average trading profits up to a maximum of £7,500.

How much will you get?

There are 2 rates for this grant and HMRC will work out the amount you will receive based on how much your turnover is down by after they’ve compared your two turnover figures.

If your turnover is down by 30% or more, you will get 80% of 3 months’ average trading profits up to a maximum of £7,500.

If your turnover is down by less than 30%, you will get 30% of 3 months’ average trading profits up to a maximum of £7,500.

How to work out your turnover in order to claim the 5th SEISS grant?

Step 1: Work out your turnover for a 12-month period starting between April 1st, 2020 to April 6th, 2020

To work out your turnover for Step 1, you must ensure you include turnover from all of your businesses. You can find this information on your 2020/2021 tax return if you’ve completed it, check your accounting software, go through your bookkeeping records that cover your self-employment invoices and payments received, check the bank account you use for the business to account for money coming in from customers, ask your accountant or tax advisor.

Do not include anything reported as other income on your tax return or any Covid-19 support payments, such as previous SEISS grants, Eat Out to Help Out payments, local authority or devolved administration grants.

Step 2: Find your turnover from either the 2019/2020 tax year or the 2018/2019 tax year.

If the 2019/2020 tax year was not a normal year for your business, you must be able to show in your records why that it is. For example, if you were on carers leave, long term sick leave or had a new child, carried out reservist duties, lost a large contract, are eiligible for the 5th SEISS grant but didn’t submit a 2019/2020 tax return.

Additional things to think about:
– if you stopped trading 2020/2021, you should include any turnover received between April 2020 and April 2021, even if it’s less than 12 months
– if you have more than one self-employed business, you must include the total turnover from all of your businesses, including any new businesses you started between April 2020 and April 2021
– if you are a member of a partnership, you will need to work out and include your percentage share of the partnerships’s turnover

There is more information here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/work-out-your-turnover-so-you-can-claim-the-fifth-seiss-grant

It is important to note that the grant money you receive is subject to income tax and self-employed National Insurance Contributions. You will be required to report it on your 2021/2022 tax return. It will also count towards your annual allowance for pension contributions.

You can read more about the grant here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme

I am continually monitoring the updates that the government and other business-related departments release and will continue to share that information for as long as I feel that it is beneficial to all businesses in the UK.

The information and policies are continually being updated by the government, so I urge you to keep on top of the information by visiting the relevant website for your area.

UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Wales: https://gov.wales/business-and-employers-coronavirus
Northern Ireland: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/

I will be trying to keep myself as informed as possible and will share relevant information on my fb business page: https://www.facebook.com/ihelmenterprises/

During the press conference held by the Prime Minister this evening, the government announced what things will look like from July 19th, if we move onto stage 4 of the roadmap – which will be decided on July 12th.

You can read more about the press conference here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-sets-out-plan-to-ease-restrictions-at-step-4

If England moves to stage 4 of the roadmap, from July 19th, the following will apply:

– the vaccination program will be revamped to reduce the time frame between doses so that all people aged 18 and over can be fully vaccinated by mid-September 2021
– there will be no legal limits on mixing indoors or outdoors
– all UK businesses, including nightclubs, will be allowed to open
– there will be no requirement for social distancing
– masks will not legally need to be worn, however, people will be asked to use common sense and to wear masks in certain situations like on public transport, in crowded indoor places, and if they are going to be mixing with people they don’t know or with someone who is vulnerable
– people will still need to isolate if told to do so, though a different regime will be outlined in the coming days
– the education secretary will do an announcement tomorrow (July 6th, 2021) about how things will be dealt with in schools
– there will no longer be a requirement for all staff to work from home
– limits on named visitors to care homes will be lifted, as well as limits on the numbers able to attend concerts, theatres and sports events.

I am continually monitoring the updates that the government and other business-related departments release and will continue to share that information for as long as I feel that it is beneficial to all businesses in the UK.

The information and policies are continually being updated by the government, so I urge you to keep on top of the information by visiting the relevant website for your area.

UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Wales: https://gov.wales/business-and-employers-coronavirus
Northern Ireland: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/

I will be trying to keep myself as informed as possible and will share relevant information on my fb business page: https://www.facebook.com/ihelmenterprises/

During the press conference held by the Prime Minister this evening, it was announced that England will not be moving onto Stage 4 of the roadmap until at least July 19th.

You can read more about the press conference here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-at-coronavirus-press-conference-14-june-2021

At this point in time, due to the increase in infection rates and not enough data being available to determine whether the link between infection rates and hospitalisations has been severed, the Prime Minister has announced that Stage 4 of the Road Map will be postponed until at least July 19th, 2021.

They will be monitoring the situation every day, and if after 2 weeks they have concluded the risk has diminished, they may consider lifting the restrictions earlier than July 19th.

The government want to allow more time for more people to have received their second dose of the vaccine, and for a larger number of the population to have had their first dose, to help reduce the chance of a person getting Covid and from the virus spreading even more than it already is.

While the final step of the roadmap won’t be taking place just yet, a couple of changes will be allowed to take place:

– limits on the number of guests that can attend weddings will be lifted, as long as social distancing guidelines can be met
– limits on the number of guests at wakes will be lifted, as long as social distancing guidelines can be met

I am continually monitoring the updates that the government and other business-related departments release and will continue to share that information for as long as I feel that it is beneficial to all businesses in the UK.

The information and policies are continually being updated by the government, so I urge you to keep on top of the information by visiting the relevant website for your area.

UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Wales: https://gov.wales/business-and-employers-coronavirus
Northern Ireland: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/

I will be trying to keep myself as informed as possible and will share relevant information on my fb business page: https://www.facebook.com/ihelmenterprises/

During the press conference held by the Prime Minister this evening, it was announced that England is now moving to Step 3 of the roadmap that was outlined on February 23rd.

This is just a brief summary of the roadmap and you can read more about the press conference here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-at-coronavirus-press-conference-10-may-2021

From Monday May 17th, 2021, the following will be able to happen:

– all pubs/restaurants/bars will be able to serve food and drink indoors
– indoor entertainment (cinemas, museums, children’s play areas) can open
– theatres/concert halls/conference centres/sports stadiums can re-open with capacity limits
– indoor leisure facilities such as gyms can re-open for organised adult sports and indoor exercise classes; saunas/steam rooms can start to be used
– all remaining accommodation can open (hotels, hostels, B&Bs)
– domestic overnight stays can happen within England with up to 6 people or 2 households
– limit on the number of people who can attend funerals will be lifted
– up to 30 people able to attend a support group or parent and child groups (children under the age of 5 do not count).
– care home residents can have up to 5 named visitors
– outdoor gatherings will be limited to 30 people or two households
– people can meet indoors in groups of 6 or up to 2 households
– foreign holidays can resume with specific restrictions – please see this page to find out which countries are on the green list: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus
– children no longer need to wear masks in classrooms or communal areas within secondary schools
– all remaining university students eligible to return to in-person teaching
– next week the government will publish guidelines for personal contact

The next set of changes are due to take place on June 21st – as long as the 4 tests set out by the government are met. Further updates will be released in due course.

I am continually monitoring the updates that the government and other business-related departments release and will continue to share that information for as long as I feel that it is beneficial to all businesses in the UK.

The information and policies are continually being updated by the government, so I urge you to keep on top of the information by visiting the relevant website for your area.

UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Wales: https://gov.wales/business-and-employers-coronavirus
Northern Ireland: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/

I will be trying to keep myself as informed as possible and will share relevant information on my fb business page: https://www.facebook.com/ihelmenterprises/

The 4th Self-Employed Income Support Scheme grant will cover the time period 01/02/2021 to 30/04/2021 and those who are eligible to claim will be contacted by HMRC in mid-April to give you a date that you can make your claim from. They will contact you either by email, letter or within the online service. You will need to make your claim before 01/06/2021.

Who can claim?

The 4th grant can only be claimed by those who are self-employed or a member of a partnership. If you trade through a limited company or a trust, you cannot claim this grant.

This time, HMRC are going to be including the 2019/2020 tax returns if they have been submitted on or before 02/03/2021. You must have traded in both the 2019/2020 tax year and in the 2020/2021 tax year as well.

You can either be currently trading but are impacted by reduced demand due to coronavirus or have been trading but are temporarily unable to due to covid-19. You will also need to intend to continue to trade and have a reasonable belief that you will have a significant reduction in your trading profits due to the pandemic between 01/02/2021 and 30/04/2021, and you will be required to keep evidence that shows how your business has been impacted and resulted in less business activity than normal. You can find examples here for different situations where there has been reduced activity, capacity or demand: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-your-trading-conditions-affect-your-eligibility-for-the-self-employment-income-support-scheme#examples.

When you are trying to decide whether you have had a significant reduction in your trading profits, you do not have to take into consideration any of the coronavirus support scheme payments that you’ve received.

How will HMRC work out eligibility?

HMRC will look at your 2019/2020 Self-Assessment tax return to start with. In order to be eligible for the grant, your trading profits must be no more than £50,000 and at least equal to or more than your non-trading income. From there, HMRC will then look at the self-assessment tax returns for the 2016/2017 tax year, 2017/2018 tax year, 2018/2019 tax year and the 2019/2020 tax year. They will then work out your average trading profits and grant amount. The grant will be worth 80% of 3 months’ average trading profits with a maximum amount of £7,500. This page will explain the process fully as to how HMRC will work out your average trading profits: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-hmrc-works-out-total-income-and-trading-profits-for-the-self-employment-income-support-scheme.

There are some circumstances that can affect your eligibility such as your return being late, you are a member of a partnership, you’ve had a new child, you have loans covered by the loan charge provisions, you’re a military reservist, and a few other situations. HMRC have provided further information here about the various circumstances: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-different-circumstances-affect-the-self-employment-income-support-scheme.

How do I treat the grant in my accounts?

The grant must be recorded in your accounts and on your self-assessment tax return for the 2021/2022 tax year, as it is subject to income tax and self-employed national insurance contributions.

When will the next grant be available?

The 5th SEISS grant will cover May 2021 to September 2021 and the information for that grant will be provided at a later date.

I am continually monitoring the updates that the government and other business-related departments release and will continue to share that information for as long as I feel that it is beneficial to all businesses in the UK.

The information and policies are continually being updated by the government, so I urge you to keep on top of the information by visiting the relevant website for your area.

UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Wales: https://gov.wales/business-and-employers-coronavirus
Northern Ireland: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/

I will be trying to keep myself as informed as possible and will share relevant information on my fb business page: https://www.facebook.com/ihelmenterprises/

During the press conference held by the Prime Minister this evening, England is now moving to Step 2 of the roadmap that was outlined on February 23rd.

This is just a brief summary of the roadmap and you can read more about the press conference here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-statement-at-coronavirus-press-conference-5-april-2021

From Monday April 12th, 2021, the following will be able to happen:

– all non-essential retail can open
– all close-contact service business can open
– public buildings – including libraries and community centres can open
– indoor leisure facilities such as gyms can re-open but ONLY for use by people in their own household groups
– most outdoor attractions and settings (zoos, theme parks, drive-in cinemas) can open
– self-contained accommodation – campsites, holiday lets – where indoor facilities are not shared with other households can open and people within the same household can take a holiday in England
– hospitality venues can open and serve to people outdoors – people will not need to order a substantial meal with alcohol and the curfew will be lifted – only table service will be allowed, and the wider social contact rules are still going to be in place to prevent indoor mixing between households
– 15 people will be able to attend weddings, receptions and commemorative events
– children can attend indoor children’s activities and indoor sports
– parent and child groups can happen for up to 15 people indoors (children under the age of 5 don’t count)
– outdoor gatherings are still limited to 6 people or two households – there is not to be any indoor socialising with anyone outside of your household or support bubble
– those in care homes can have up to 2 visitors
– people must continue to work from home
– minimise domestic travel
– no international holidays

The government also announced that from Friday, April 9, 2021, everyone will be able to get lateral flow tests and be able to test twice weekly. These tests will be able to be picked up for FREE from pharmacies, designated pickup points and on the government website (https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests).

They have also shared their Roadmap Review Update with the public which covers a number of things including Covid-Status Certificates, Global Travel, re-opening of large events, and social distancing. You can read the whole report here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021-reviews-terms-of-reference/roadmap-reviews-update

I am continually monitoring the updates that the government and other business-related departments release and will continue to share that information for as long as I feel that it is beneficial to all businesses in the UK.

The information and policies are continually being updated by the government, so I urge you to keep on top of the information by visiting the relevant website for your area.

UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Wales: https://gov.wales/business-and-employers-coronavirus
Northern Ireland: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/

I will be trying to keep myself as informed as possible and will share relevant information on my fb business page: https://www.facebook.com/ihelmenterprises/

Last night the Prime Minister addressed the nation and outlined a roadmap for removing the various restrictions that are currently in place due to Covid 19. It is extremely important to note that the Prime Minister stressed many times throughout the press conference that beyond Step 1, the dates are not set in stone and could be changed – it will depend on the data that is gathered at each step as to whether the next step is able to proceed as planned.

This is just a brief summary of the roadmap and you can read more here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021/covid-19-response-spring-2021-summary

Step 1

The first step will begin on March 8th, 2021 and see the following happen:
– all schools will re-open with all children returning to face-to-face education
– breakfast and after-school clubs will be able to open, and outdoor after-school sports and activities will also be allowed to restart
– there will be twice-weekly rapid testing for secondary and college pupils – with the tests being done at home after the first 3 tests are administered at school
– students who are on practical courses at Universities in England can return to classes
– people will be able to go outside for recreation and exercise with their household or support bubble, or to meet with one other person from another household in outdoor public spaces like parks
-care home residents can have one regular visit

The second phase of Step 1 will start on March 29th, 2021:
– outdoor gatherings, including in private gardens, of either 6 people or two households will be allowed
– outdoor sports facilities (tennis courts, basketball courts etc) and open-air swimming pools can open
– organised adult and children’s sports can resume
– while the “stay at home” rule will end on March 29th, many restrictions will still remain in place such as continuing to work from home where possible, travel abroad will still be prohibited

Step 2

Step 2 will not happen any earlier than April 12th, 2021 – however, this date is not yet set in stone and could be subject to change depending on the data gathered once Step 1 is in place:
– all non-essential retail can open
– all close-contact service business can open
– public buildings – including libraries and community centres can open
– indoor leisure facilities such as gyms can re-open but ONLY for use by people in their own household groups
– most outdoor attractions and settings (zoos, theme parks, drive-in cinemas) can open
– self-contained accommodation – campsites, holiday lets – where indoor facilities are not shared with other households can open
– hospitality venues can open and serve to people outdoors – people will not need to order a substantial meal with alcohol and the curfew will be lifted – only table service will be allowed, and the wider social contact rules are still going to be in place to prevent indoor mixing between households
– funerals can continue with up to 30 people
– 15 people will be able to attend weddings, receptions and commemorative events

Step 3

Step 3 will not happen any earlier than May 17th, 2021, however, this date is not yet set in stone and could be subject to change depending on the data gathered once Step 1 and Step 2 are in place:
– rule of six will look to be abolished and replaced with a limit of 30 people outdoors
– the rule of six or two households will still apply to indoor mixing
– indoor hospitability venues can re-open – the curfews and rule about ordering a substantial meal will no longer be in place, but only table service will be allowed
– other indoor entertainment venues – cinemas, children play areas – can re-open
– accommodation sector including hotels, hostels, B&Bs can open
– indoor adult group sport and exercises classes can start
– some larger performances and sporting events in indoor venues with a capacity or 1,000 people or half-full (whichever is the lower number) can start
– some larger performances and sporting events in outdoor venues with a capacity of 10,000 people or a quarter-full (whichever is the lower number) can start
-up to 30 people will be able to attend weddings, receptions, funerals and wakes

Step 4

Step 4 will not happen any earlier than June 21st, 2021, however, this date is not yet set in stone and could be subject to change depending on the data gathered once Step 1, Step 2 and Step 3 are in place:
– remaining parts of the economy would be able to open – nightclubs
– restrictions on large events and performances that were in place in Step 3 would start to be eased
– potential for all legal limits on social contact to be removed

I am continually monitoring the updates that the government and other business-related departments release and will continue to share that information for as long as I feel that it is beneficial to all businesses in the UK.

The information and policies are continually being updated by the government, so I urge you to keep on top of the information by visiting the relevant website for your area.

UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Wales: https://gov.wales/business-and-employers-coronavirus
Northern Ireland: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/

I will be trying to keep myself as informed as possible and will share relevant information on my fb business page: https://www.facebook.com/ihelmenterprises/

It’s been a while since anything important has been announced that was worth a blog post, but in the last week a couple of announcements have been made – though not well publicised, so I thought I would do a blog to summarise them. I expect there will be more updates after the budget on March 3rd, 2021.

Bounce Back Loans

Last week the government announced that those who took out bounce back loans will have the option to delay all repayments for a further 6 months. The new option is being called “Pay as you Grow” and allows borrowers the flexibility to tailor their repayment schedule to suit their circumstances. They will also be allowed to extend the length of their loans from 6 to 10 years (therefore reducing the monthly repayments by almost half), make interest-only repayments for 6 months (this option can be used up to 3 times throughout the loan), or even pause repayments for up to 6 months (this option can only be used once). The option to pause repayments has been changed so that it will now be available to everyone from their first repayment, instead of after the first 6 repayments have been made. These new options are in addition to the government paying the interest for the first year of the loan. Lenders should reach out to borrowers to provide information on the repayment schedules and how to access the new flexible repayment options – this should be done 3 months before the first repayment is due. You can read the full news article here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/chancellor-eases-burden-on-more-than-a-million-businesses-through-pay-as-you-grow-flexible-repayment-options

VAT Deferral Scheme

The new VAT deferral scheme opening date has now been announced. People will be able to join the new scheme between 23/02/2021 and 21/06/2021. The purpose of this scheme is to allow those have already deferred their VAT payments through the earlier deferral scheme, to extend the length of time they have to make that payment. There are 3 options available to those businesses who have deferred their VAT payments:
1) Pay the deferred VAT in full by 31/03/2021;
2) Joint the new payment scheme before 21/06/2021; or
3) agree extra help to pay HMRC by 30/06/2021.

If one of the options isn’t taking, interest or penalties may be charged on the deferred VAT that is owed. Anyone who is on the VAT Annual Accounting Scheme or the VAT Payment on Account Scheme will be invited to join the new payment scheme later in March 2021.

Businesses will be able to use the online services to join the new deferral scheme. However, there are certain eligibility criteria that must be followed:
– you must join the scheme yourself; your agent or accountant cannot do this for you
– you must still have deferred VAT to pay
– you must be up to date with the rest of your VAT returns
– you must join by 21/06/2021
– you must pay the first instalment due on the deferred VAT when you join
– you must pay instalments by direct debit

You will still be able to have a Time to Pay agreement for other HMRC debts and outstanding tax, even if you join this scheme.

The number of instalments you will pay will depend on the date that you join the scheme. You can read the full article published by the Government which goes into further details about the new VAT deferral scheme here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deferral-of-vat-payments-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19

I am continually monitoring the updates that the government and other business-related departments release and will continue to share that information for as long as I feel that it is beneficial to all businesses in the UK.

The information and policies are continually being updated by the government, so I urge you to keep on top of the information by visiting the relevant website for your area.

UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Wales: https://gov.wales/business-and-employers-coronavirus
Northern Ireland: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/

I will be trying to keep myself as informed as possible and will share relevant information on my fb business page: https://www.facebook.com/ihelmenterprises/

On Saturday, the Prime Minister announced that a new tier – Tier 4 – had been created and due to the sharp rise in cases, the following areas have been moved to Tier 4:
– all 32 boroughs of London plus the City of London
– South East: Kent and Medway, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire (Bracknell Forest, Reading, Slough, Wokingham, Windsor and Maidenhead and West Berkshire), Surrey (excluding Waverley), Hastings and Rother, Havant, Gosport and Portsmouth
– East of England: Hertfordshire, Essex (excluding Tendring, Uttlesford and Colchester), Central Bedfordshire, Bedford, Milton Keynes, Luton and Peterborough

All areas covered by Tier 4 have been issued with a “Stay At Home” notice which means people cannot travel out of this tier unless it’s for work or education. You also cannot meet anyone outside of your household indoors, including over Christmas and you can only meet one person from another household outdoors. These rules take effect from December 20th, 2020 until at least December 30th, 2020 when the rules will be reviewed.

This came as quite a shock for a lot of people and it now means that many businesses have had to close as they are not considered essential and everyone should be working from home, unless their job means they can’t (construction, manufacturing, health care worker).

Businesses that need to close in all Tier 4 areas include:

• all non-essential retail (clothing stores, homeware stores, vehicle showrooms, betting shops, tailors, tobacco and vape shops, electronic goods and mobile phone shops, auction houses, market stalls selling non-essential goods. These stores can continue to operate click-and-collect and delivery services – but they cannot be open for the general public to just walk in.
• hospitality venues – cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and social clubs – unless they are providing food and drink for takeaway (until 11pm), click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery
• accommodation – hotels, hostels, guest houses, campsites – unless for specific circumstances like being someone’s main residence, to provide support to the homeless or if someone has to stay there for work purposes
• leisure and sports facilities – leisure centres, indoor gyms, indoor swimming pools, indoor sports courts, indoor fitness/dance studios, indoor riding centres and indoor climbing walls
• entertainment venues – theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums, casinos, amusement arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, skating rinks, indoor play and soft play centres, circuses, fairgrounds, funfairs, zoos and other animal attractions, water parks and theme parks
• indoor attractions at venues like botanical gardens, heritage homes and landmarks
• personal care facilities – hair/beauty/tanning/nail salons, tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body/skin piercing services – these services should not be provided in other people’s homes
• community centres and halls – except for a limited number of exempt activities, libraries can remain open to provide access to IT and digital services and for click-and-collect services

Other businesses can stay open as long as they are following Covid-19 Secure guidelines, and providing essential goods and services – food shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, garden centres, building merchants and suppliers of building products and off-licenses, market stalls selling essential goods, businesses providing repair services, petrol stations, automatic car washes, vehicle repair and MOT services, bicycle shops, taxi and vehicle hire businesses.

To see a full list of businesses that can stay open and activities that can be held in businesses that have had to close, visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home#financial-support.

At present, no further guidelines have been provided in terms of any special financial support Tier 4 businesses will receive, but I will keep an eye on things and if anything is announced, I will share it. The same support that is available to all businesses affected is available: furlough scheme, Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, Bounce Back Loans. You can find a list of all the different support schemes available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for-businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

I am continually monitoring the updates that the government and other business-related departments release and will continue to share that information for as long as I feel that it is beneficial to all businesses in the UK.

The information and policies are continually being updated by the government, so I urge you to keep on top of the information by visiting the relevant website for your area.

UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Wales: https://gov.wales/business-and-employers-coronavirus
Northern Ireland: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/

I will be trying to keep myself as informed as possible and will share relevant information on my fb business page: https://www.facebook.com/ihelmenterprises/

The third instalment of the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme can be claimed from November 30th, 2020. The government have released further guidance in terms of eligibility for the grant. You will be able to claim the grant up to January 29th, 2021.

This taxable grant will be worth 80% of your average monthly trading profits and paid in one instalment of up to £7,500.

Existing criteria:

• you must be a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership – you cannot claim this grant if you trade through a limited company or a trust
• you must have traded in both the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 tax return
• you must have submitted your Self-Assessment Tax Return for the 2018/2019 tax year on or before 23/04/2020
• your trading profits for the 2018/2019 tax year must be no more than £50,000 and at least equal to your non-trading income
• if you are not eligible based on the 2018/2019 tax return, the government will also look at 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 tax years.

New criteria:

• you must either currently be trading but are impacted by reduced demand due to coronavirus or have been trading but are temporarily unable to do so due to coronavirus
• you must intend to continue to trade
• reasonably believe that there will be a significant reduction in your trading profits – you can read about what the government believes to be considered reduced demand by going here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-your-trading-conditions-affect-your-eligibility-for-the-self-employment-income-support-scheme
• your business must have been affected by coronavirus since 01/11/2020 up to 29/01/2021 with your profits having been significantly reduced
• the grant is subject to income tax and National Insurance and must be reported on your 2020/2021 Self-Assessment Tax Return
• you must keep evidence of your reduction in profits – your accounts which show a reduction in activity compared to previous years, records of reduced or cancelled contracts/appointments, a record of dates where you had reduced demand or capacity due to government restrictions, a record of dates you had to close due to government restrictions, NHS Test and Trace communications if you’ve had to self-isolate, letter or e-mail from NHS asking you to shield, etc.
• if your reduction in profits is due to increased costs (for buying facemasks and cleaning supplies for example), this will not be considered as reduced demand

There are some examples of reduced demand on the government website which you can find here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-your-trading-conditions-affect-your-eligibility-for-the-self-employment-income-support-scheme#examples

I am continually monitoring the updates that the government and other business-related departments release and will continue to share that information for as long as I feel that it is beneficial to all businesses in the UK.

The information and policies are continually being updated by the government, so I urge you to keep on top of the information by visiting the relevant website for your area.

UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
Scotland: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
Wales: https://gov.wales/business-and-employers-coronavirus
Northern Ireland: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/

I will be trying to keep myself as informed as possible and will share relevant information on my fb business page: https://www.facebook.com/ihelmenterprises/