England has a new lockdown from 5^th November to 2nd December.  But this is very different from last time when everything closed.

With most establishments now getting to grips with how to behave to stay safe, many more places are staying open, or using click and collect which can now include alcoholic drinks.

• Schools and universities are open – excluding extra curricula activities
• Care home visits may be allowed in some circumstances
• Childcare is allowed

You can

• Move house
• Meet one person in a public space (under 5’s don’t count)
• Visit churches etc for private prayer
• Sit on public benches

And you can have workers in your home e.g. a cleaner

But there is £200 fine for going on holiday during this lockdown – so book your campervan holiday with us for next year at www.oceanmistcampers.co.uk

Government funding too is different:-

Self Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS)

This third grant, to cover the period November to January, has been upped for the third time and is now to be 80% of average profits for 3 months, up to a maximum of £7,500

Applications for the third SEISS grant will open 30th November, so your cash should arrive in time for Christmas

You will have to confirm that you are trading this tax year or are temporarily closed due to COVID, and have been affected by COVID, in order to qualify

The other qualification rules are the same as those for the first and second grants, but you do not need to have claimed previously to claim for this grant.

Reminder of qualifications

• Declared self employed income on your 2018/19 tax return, submitted before 23^rd April 2020
• Continued to trade through 2019/20
• Will be declaring self-employed income on your 2020/21 tax return

Premises Grants

No new grants have been announced, so those advised when we entered the 3 Tier system still apply i.e

• Up to £3,000pm for closed businesses
• Up to £2.500pm for open but affected hospitality businesses in Tier 2 lockdown or equivalent – back dated to August

However discretionary grants may also be available

Staff funding

Coronavirus job retention scheme (CJRS), which provides grants to employers for furloughed employees, has now been extended to 31st March (was due to cease 31st October)

Any employee on the payroll between 23rd September and 30th October can be furloughed in November, December or January under the new extension – no need to have been furloughed before.

And the grant for employers is back to the full 80% furlough wages for November, December and January, but not pension or national insurance contributions.

Reminder of furlough rules

• Staff on furlough must not work
• Furlough is offered to employees by an employer – it is not an entitlement
• Ex-employees can be re-employed to go on furlough
• A written agreement must be in place with furloughed staff
• Directors on payroll can qualify
• 80% of wages must be paid to furloughed staff
• The employer can claim under CJRS for a grant to cover some of the costs

The new job support scheme (JSS) due to start 1st November has been postponed.

The job retention bonus is also postponed

Special coronavirus sick pay rules remain

Loans

The deadline for applying for a Business Bounce Back Loan (BBL) or a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan (CBIL) has been extended to 31st January.

You may now top up your Bounce Back loan if you did not take all you were entitled to, but you cannot have both a BBL and a CBIL.

Summary of comparisons

	BBL	CBIL
Amount	25% turnover, max £50,000	Max £5 million
Guarantee	100% Government	80% Government
Application	Simple self declaration	Usual loan rules
Period	6 years	Up to 6 Years
Product	Loan at 2.5%	Variable options
Government support	First 12 months interest	First 12 months interest
Lenders	28 remaining	50

New options have been added for existing loans – to extend term to 10 years and for repayment holidays, in line with mortgage holidays which have been extended to 6 months.

Universal Credit

Relaxations in the rules and the £20 per week boost continues.