Under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, all UK employers with a PAYE scheme can access support to continue paying part of their employees’ salary for those that would otherwise have been laid off during this crisis.

What is the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme?

The scheme allows eligible employers to claim for some your employee's wages if you put them on furlough or flexible furlough because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The scheme has been extended until 30 April 2021.

Eligible employers can use this service to:

• claim for your employees' wages
• save and continue a claim (within seven days of starting it)
• delete a claim (within 72 hours of submitting it)

Click here to learn more about the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, such as:

• Check if you can claim
• Check which employees you can put on furlough
• Calculate how much you can claim
• Claim for your employees' wages
• Report a payment in PAYE Real Time Information

Latest news for Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

• Claims for furlough days in January 2021 must be made by 15 February 2021
• You can no longer submit claims for claim periods ending on or before 31 October 2020

If you're self-employed or a member of a partnership and have been impacted by coronavirus (COVID-19), you may be eligible to claim a grant through the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme.

Click here to learn more about the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, including the following information:

• Who can claim
• What you will need to make your claim
• How to claim
• Return to your claim
• After you've claimed
• Records you'll need to keep

Latest news for Self-Employed Income Support Scheme

• Claims for the third SEISS grant have now closed. The last date for making a claim for the third grant was 29 January 2021.
• Details for the fourth grant will be announced 3 March 2021.

You could be eligible for a £500 support payment if you are legally required to self-isolate.

NHS Test and Trace support payment

You could be eligible for a £500 support payment if you are legally required to self-isolate. Click here to see if you're eligible and apply for the payment.

If you need to self-isolate and cannot attend work due to coronavirus

The Government have published guidance for employers and workers on work absences due to coronavirus (COVID-19). Click this link to view the guidance, which includes:

• Who the guidance is for
• Telling your employer you've tested positive, been contacted by NHS Test and Trace or a local authority, or if you must quarantine
• Statutory Sick Pay
• Paid and unpaid leave
• And more

 

Legal duty to self-isolate

A legal duty to self-isolate came into force on 28 September 2020. You can read the full announcement here.

People who are legally required to self-isolate will be fined if they breach the regulations. Penalties start at £1,000 for a first offence but could increase to up to £10,000 for repeat offerenders. These fines will also apply to employers who refuse to allow staff the time off work to self-isolate.

The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) enables smaller businesses to access finance more quickly during the coronavirus outbreak. 

• The scheme helps small and medium-sized eligible businesses to borrow between £2,000 and up to 25% of their turnover. The maximum loan available is £50,000.
• The government guarantees 100% of the loan and there won’t be any fees or interest to pay for the first 12 months. After 12 months the interest rate will be 2.5% a year.
• The scheme is open to applications until 31 March 2021. If you already have a Bounce Back Loan but borrowed less than you were entitled to, you can top up your existing loan to your maximum amount. You must request the top-up by 31 March 2021.

Click here to find out if your business is eligible and learn more about the Bounce Back Loan Scheme.

Latest news for the Bounce Back Loan Scheme

Monday 8 February: Government has announced greater flexibility in repaying Bounce Back Loans that businesses took out to get through Covid-19. You can read the government announcement at this link.

• Bounce Back Loan borrowers will now have the option to tailor payments according to their individual circumstances.
• A repayment holiday of up to 6 months is now possible once at any point during the term of a Bounce Back Loan.

Find out about additional funding and loans you may be entitled to.

Financial support for businesses during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Click here to visit the Government's website, where businesses can find out what financial support is available, including:

• how to access the support that has been made available
• who is eligible
• ​​​when the schemes open and how to apply

 

COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility

This scheme helps eligible large businesses affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) through the purchase of their short-term debt.

Click here to check your eligibilty and learn more about the COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility.

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) provides financial support to smaller businesses (SMEs) across the UK that are losing revenue, and seeing their cashflow disrupted, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Click here to learn more about the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, including:

• How it works
• Key features of the scheme

Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme

If you're an employer, find out if you can use the Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme to claim back employees' coronavirus-related Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).

Click here to learn more about the Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme, including:

• Who can use the scheme
• What you can claim
• Records you must keep
• How to claim

Time to Pay

A dedicated helpline has been set up to help businesses and self-employed individuals in financial distress caused by COVID-19 and with outstanding tax liabilities to receive support with their tax affairs.

Your business may be able to agree to a bespoke Time to Pay arrangement.

Please call 0800 0159 559 for more information.

Support for UK exporters

Export, supply, and UK Export Finance may have been impacted by COVID-19. Click here to learn more about. support for UK businesses trading internationally.

North East Growth Hub

Click here to view North East Growth Hub's COVID-19 Toolkit, which includes guidance for businesses and employers on COVID-19.

Find out about changes in business rates as a response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Business Rates Relief

Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in England will not have to pay business rates for the 2020 to 2021 tax year.

You’re eligible if your property is a:

• shop
• restaurant, café, bar or pub
• cinema or live music venue
• assembly or leisure property - for example, a sports club, a gym or a spa
• hospitality property - for example, a hotel, a guest house or self-catering accommodation

You don't need to take any action. The discount will be applied automatically.

Support for nursery businesses that pay business rates

There is a business rates holiday for nurseries in England for the 2020 to 2021 tax year.

You’re eligible if your business:

• is on Ofsted’s Early Years Register
• provides care and education for children up to 5 years old (early years foundation stage)

There is no action for you. This will apply to your bill in April 2020.