Coronavirus (COVID-19): Advice and support for local businesses

Covid-19 business support update

Some of the rules on what you can and cannot do changed on 12 April. However, many restrictions remain in place. Find out what you can and cannot do.

GOV.UK guidance for reopening businesses and venues sets out the roadmap out of the current coronavirus restrictions.

See Covid-19 business grants for information about grants that are available to help businesses during the restrictions. We will not be able to respond to individual queries around eligibility at this time.

Latest financial support guidance for businesses.

Further businesses and venues were permitted to open on Monday 12 April.

Covid restrictions remain in place across England and certain businesses must remain closed.

Meanwhile, we’re doing everything we can to support our amazing local H&F businesses through the pandemic with our Shop Local Shop Safe campaign. It forms part of the work we’re doing as a council to protect all our residents, both young and old, in this crisis.

Supporting NHS Test and Trace

Designated venues in certain sectors must have a system in place to request and record contact details of their customers, visitors and staff to help break the chains of transmission of coronavirus.

Watch the Introduction to NHS QR code posters for businesses video.

Need business advice or support?

Contact our H&F Business Helpdesk via email, call 020 8753 5585 or visit our business support web page.

Business Connects e-newsletter

Read our latest e-newsletter

Are you a food business in H&F offering delivery or takeaway options?

Promote your offer to local residents and get new customers by adding your business to our H&F Food Guide.

FAQs

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQs) which will give you all the information you need to help run your business during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

All links in the following FAQs open in a new window or tab.

What financial support is available for my business?

Use the GOV.UK business support finder to find out what financial support your business is eligible for.

See Covid-19 business grants for further information.

How do I apply for the extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme?

Get all the latest Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme information here.

How do I apply for the Self Employment Income Support Scheme extension?

Get all the latest Self Employment Income Support Scheme information here.

What business grant funding is available?

The government has announced a number of schemes to help businesses through the latest lockdown period.

See Covid-19 business grants for further information.

How do I apply for the Kickstart scheme?

We can now help you get funding from the Kickstart scheme to pay for 6-month job placements in your business for local young people aged 16 to 24 who are currently on Universal Credit.

You can only apply directly for the government scheme if your business is creating more than 30 placements. Apply for Kickstart scheme here.

We are here to help businesses creating less than 30 job placements access the funding and help provide valuable work opportunities to young people in H&F.

So if you are a small business in H&F and would like to offer a job placement on the Kickstart scheme, please get in touch now with our WorkZone team at info@workzoneonline.co.uk or call 020 8753 6773.

How do I apply for the coronavirus Bounce Back Loan?

This scheme helps small and medium-sized businesses affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) to access loans of up to £50,000.

Find out if you qualify and how to apply.

How do I apply for the Mayor of London’s Pay it Forward scheme for small businesses?

The Mayor of London is offering 100% free fundraising to help businesses to secure trade by pre-selling vouchers, goods and services.

Get more info here.

Which businesses have the Government asked to remain closed to help stop the spread of the coronavirus?

You can find the list of businesses on the GOV.UK website.

How do I apply for the London Mayor’s Culture at Risk business support fund?

Find out how to apply here.

How can I protect my business, customers and employees?

All the public health guidelines to give your staff, including what to do if an employee suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 has been to work, can be found on the GOV.UK guidance for employers and businesses page.

I don’t want any of my employees to lose their job. How do I access the Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme?

Apply for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme on the GOV.UK website.

Do I qualify for the new business rates holiday?

All retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England qualify for the business rates holiday for the 2020 to 2021 tax year. Find out if you qualify.

This will not be reflected in your initial business rates bill which went out before the new measures were announced. Our business rates team will send all qualifying businesses an amended bill shortly.

Nurseries will now be eligible for a business rates holiday for one year. That means non-local authority providers of childcare will pay no business rates in 2020-21, from 1 April.

Our bills were produced before this announcement, so this change is not reflected in your initial bill. An amended bill will be issued shortly to any qualifying business.

For our direct debit customers, we are currently in the process of looking to suspend April payments while we await further guidance from the Government.

I need some business advice, where can I get help?

Please contact the H&F Business Support Desk via email or call and leave a message on 020 8753 5585.

We can provide you with free advice from a business expert online or by phone or signpost you to other support.

If you’re an established business of 18 months or more/self-employed with a Unique Tax Reference (UTR) and are looking for some in-depth 1-2-1 business resilience advice, please contact our resident business advisor Raj Tandon via email for an online support session.

I run a pub, restaurant or cafe and would like to operate as a takeaway business. What do I need to do?

Get all the info you need on our web page.

How do I reclaim for the sick pay I give my employees off work due to COVID-19?

The Government will provide an update soon to employers. More information is available on the GOV.UK COVID-19 support for businesses page.

I need money to pay my staff and overheads. How do I apply for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme?
A new temporary Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme is being delivered by the British Business Bank. More information on the scheme is available on the British Business Bank website. Contact your bank as soon as possible and discuss your business plan with them.

If you have been refused a Business Interruption Loan by a bank in H&F please let us know the name of the bank and your details by emailing Sam Ridley.

New bounce back loan scheme for small businesses

The Chancellor has announced a new fast-track finance scheme providing loans with a 100% government-backed guarantee for lenders.

Under the new ‘bounce back loan’ scheme:
- The Government will provide lenders with a 100% guarantee for the loan and pay any fees and interest for the first 12 months.
- Businesses will be able to borrow between £2,000 and £50,000 and access the cash within days.
- The loans will be easy to apply for through a short, standardised online application.
Read the Government’s press release.

I’m worried I won’t be able to pay my taxes?

If you have missed a tax payment or you might miss your next payment due to COVID-19, please call HMRC’s dedicated helpline: 0800 0159 559.

Businesses will not need to make VAT payments for three months. The deferral will apply from 20 March 2020 until 30 June 2020.

Self-employed people are eligible for the Income Tax Self-Assessment deferral. Payments due on the 31 July 2020 will be deferred until the 31 January 2021.

Will my insurance cover protect my business during the coronavirus outbreak?

Check the terms and conditions of your insurance policy and contact your insurance provider for more details.

How do larger firms get help for short-term finance issues?

All UK businesses can apply for the Government’s COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility. We’re awaiting details from the Government on how businesses will be able to apply for the funding. Visit the Bank of England website for more information.

Where can I find more information on the Government’s business support measures?

More information is available on GOV.UK's guidance page for employees, employers and businesses.

I need to close my business. How do I suspend my commercial waste collections?

Commercial waste collections continue to take place for businesses that remain open. If your businesses is unable to open, we will suspend collections and charges. Please contact commercialwaste@lbhf.gov.uk if you need to suspend your collections.

Businesses which have waste containers that cannot be securely stored during any period of suspension should let us know by email so we can remove the containers and return them when you reopen. Collection charges will remain at 2019/20 levels at this time to help businesses that remain open.

How do I manage pest control while my business is closed?

The food and safety team would like to remind all businesses, but especially those that are currently closed, to be extra vigilant about pest control in your shops and restaurants. If your business is shut, we would recommend that you visit when you can to check for pests in the way you would normally when you are open and trading.

If you have a pest control contract it is worth contacting your contractor to plan for them to carry out their usual checks, keeping social distancing guidelines in place. If you spot signs of an infestation it is very important to deal with it quickly. If you do not have a contract already you should contact a company, we would recommend using one which is a member of the British Pest Control Association (BPCA).

Alternatively the council offers a service. Contact us at pestcontrol@lbhf.gov.uk or call 020 8753 1081 or visit the pest control web pages .

The ‘Safe Method’ from the FSA’s Safer Food Better Business pack (pdf 192KB) gives you further information about what to look for when checking for pests.

In the meantime, please make sure no food has been left out and long life foods such as dried goods, are stored in pest proof containers.

How do I avoid the risks of problems such as Legionella when reopening my business?

During the lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, many business premises have been temporarily closed and may not have been occupied for some time. Water lying in pipes and other water systems may have allowed Legionella bugs to grow.

Find out about preventing Legionella.

We have also

Provided a three-month rent deferment to our commercial tenants and market traders in the borough. We will be working with these businesses to come up with a fair payment plan.
Helped keep our popular North End Road market open by providing stewards to support social distancing. We’ve also delivered PPE and handwashing facilities to the traders so we can keep this important source of healthy, cheap food available to residents.
We’ve shared stay at homes and safe distancing posters with local businesses to help them keep their employees and customers safe. Download and print our A4 Practise Safe Distancing poster (pdf 88KB).

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