Please see the most recent COVID-19 bulletin below. We would like to draw your attention to the Kickstart Scheme. This is a £2 billion fund to create hundreds of thousands of high quality 6-month work placements aimed at those aged 16 to 24 who are on Universal Credit and are deemed to be at risk of long term unemployment
Funding available for each job will cover 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, plus the associated employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions. More information can be found via the links below. Whilst we
appreciate that you will all be trying to retain current staff, this scheme will hopefully be of use to you.
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Kickstart Scheme
The government has introduced a new Kickstart Scheme in Great Britain, a £2 billion fund to create hundreds of thousands of high quality 6-month work placements aimed at those aged 16 to 24 who are on Universal Credit and are deemed to be at risk of long term unemployment.
Funding available for each job will cover 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, plus the associated employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions.
Find more guidance and promotional materials here.
Competition and Markets Authority – Cancellation and refund updates: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) remains of the view that a consumer will generally be entitled to a refund when they have paid money in advance for services or goods that cannot be provided because of the coronavirus pandemic. Given the evolving situation, the CMA has provided more detail on issues such as the difference between lockdown laws and government guidance, and their impact on cancellations and refunds. Further details are available here.
Guidance for landlords: Legislation has been introduced so that, until at least March 2011, landlords must now give tenants 6 months’ notice before they can evict. Guidance provides advice for landlords, tenants and local authorities.
Reporting outbreaks of coronavirus – Action Cards: The Joint Biosecurity Centre has developed Action Cards, which reflect the latest advice on how to identify, manage and report a COVID-19 outbreak. The cards are designed as a useful visual checklist for businesses and bring together guidance and useful contacts to support your organisation’s planning. This will help businesses and other organisations work effectively with their local public health teams.
Providing apprenticeships during the coronavirus outbreak: Guidance has been updated with information on routine funding audits, redundancy and the use of face coverings.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Guidance has been updated to reflect changes to the scheme:
Claim money back through the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme: The scheme has now closed, find out how to claim reimbursement for the discounts from the scheme give to diners here.
Sending your forms to Companies House during the coronavirus outbreak: The service to upload certain Companies House forms digitally has been updated with insolvency documents. Find out more here.
New COVID-19 secure guidance for enforcement agents (also known as bailiffs) using the Taking Control of Goods process has been published here.
Information for adult social care providers on COVID-19 guidance and support is available here.
Safer transport campaign – car sharing: A number of shareable assets are available to help you support your staff to plan their journey to and from work. This includes information on car sharing. People should try not to share a vehicle with those outside their household or support bubble. Where people do need to car share they should try to: keep the windows open; share the car with the same people each time; and wear a face-covering.
Enjoy summer safely campaign: The UK government is working to ensure public health measures are accessible and inclusive. Your business can support the work government is doing by ensuring measures that you implement, for example providing handwashing or sanitizing stations, are accessible by all. Businesses should also be mindful that not all disabilities are visible and that some people are exempt from wearing face-covering. Social media assets that you might like to share are available here.
Travel Corridors – England: Austria, Croatia and Trinidad and Tobago have been removed from the travel corridor list. If you arrive in England from these destinations you will need to self-isolate. Portugal has been added to the travel corridor list. If you arrive in England from Portugal after 4am on 22 August you may not need to self-isolate.
Safer transport guidance for operators has been updated with information on areas with local restrictions.
Updates to local restrictions and travel corridors in England
Local restrictions
Blackburn with Darwen, Oldham, Pendle: Residents of the specific areas of Blackburn with Darwen, Oldham and Pendle with additional restrictions should not meet people at indoor or outdoor public venues who are not members of their household.
Bolton and Trafford to remain under existing restrictions. The lifting of restrictions in Burnley, Hyndburn, Stockport and parts of Calderdale, Kirklees and Bradford will go ahead from 2 September.
A list of areas with additional local restrictions is available here.
Travel corridors
Czech Republic, Jamaica and Switzerland have been removed from the travel corridor list. The FCO advises against all non-essential travel to these countries. If you return from the above countries you will need to self-isolate.
Cuba has been added to the travel corridor list. If you arrive in England from Cuba after 4am 29 August 2020 you may not need to self-isolate
The travel corridor list of countries and territories from where you can travel to England and may not have to self-isolate is available here. Countries and territories can be taken off or added to this travel corridor list at any time.
New payment for people self-isolating in highest risk areas
People on low incomes who need to self-isolate and are unable to work from home in areas with high incidence of COVID-19 will benefit from a new payment scheme. To be eligible for the funding, individuals must meet the following criteria:
More information is available here.
Respond to Call for Evidence on the recognition of professional qualifications and regulation of professions
The government has opened a Call for Evidence to gather insights into how professional qualifications are recognised and professions are regulated. We would like to hear your views and experiences on employing regulated professionals and using services provided by these professionals. To respond, please complete the online questionnaire or submit your response to professional-regulation-evidence@beis.gov.uk by 23 October.
