All posts by Eirlys Jones

This HMRC advice page helps you find out if you’re eligible and how much you can claim to cover wages for employees on temporary leave (‘furlough’) due to Coronavirus (COVID-19).  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme Furlough Letter Template ACAS have produced a free-to-download template for employers to use to confirm that there is an agreement to temporarily furlough a worker or employee. https://www.acas.org.uk/furlough-letter-template

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. CBILS has been significantly expanded along with changes to the scheme’s features and eligibility criteria. The changes mean even more smaller businesses across the UK impacted by the coronavirus crisis can access the funding they need. Importantly, access to the scheme has been opened up to those smaller businesses who would have previously met the requirements for a commercial facility but would not have been eligible for CBILS.  Insufficient security is no longer a condition to access […]

During this time of uncertainty amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been working closely with the industry and our partners. As part of this, we’ve been working with Online Travel Agencies (OTA’s) to support postponement, rather than cancellation of bookings, Booking.com Booking.com has announced the following temporary changes to help businesses manage date modifications from visitors: There is now the option for businesses to process date modification for guests on upcoming stays, without a requirement to contact the Booking.com customer support team. When a date change has been made, on request of your guests, they’ll then receive a confirmation email detailing these changes. Policy details for all modified reservations will remain the same. […]

In this time of increased stress on the food supply chain, Food Innovation Wales has opened a helpline in each of its geographical areas. For food safety, technical or supply chain continuity (e.g. raw material suppliers), please contact the numbers below: North WalesFood Technology Centre, Coleg Menai: Paul Roberts / 07810 647432 / robert5p@gllm.ac.ukAnne-Marie Flinn / 07519 363187 / a.flinn@gllm.ac.u Mid WalesFood Centre Wales, Horeb: Arwyn Davies / 07970 304701 / arwyn.davies@ceredigion.gov.ukAngela Sawyer / angela.sawyer@ceredigion.ac.uk https://businesswales.gov.wales/foodanddrink/sites/foodanddrink/files/documents/Food%20Innovation%20Wales%20helpline%20-%20eng.pdf

The Business Grant has two different components. Grant 1 : For retail, leisure and hospitality businesses in Wales, a grant of £25,000 will be offered for businesses in these sectors with a rateable value of between £12,001 and £51,000. Grant 2 : For all other sectors the Welsh Government package also provides a £10,000 grant to all businesses eligible for Small Business Rates Relief with a rateable value of £12,000 or less. Further details are now available on each of the Local Authorities websites: https://www.anglesey.gov.uk/en/Business/Business-Finance-and-Grants/Welsh-Government-Business-Grants-COVID-19.aspx https://www.conwy.gov.uk/covid19grants https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/business/business-rates/business-rates-support-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.aspx https://www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/Business/Business-Rates/Business-Rates-Covid-19-Advice.aspx https://www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/en/Businesses/Help,-support-and-training/Covid-19-Business-Support.aspx https://beta.wrexham.gov.uk/service/covid-19-support-businesses https://businesswales.gov.wales/sites/business-wales/files/Non-Domestic%20Rates%20-%20Retail%2C%20Leisure%20and%20Hospitality%20Rates%20Relief%20-%20Guidance%20-%20FINAL%20%28E%29_0.pdf If you do not qualify for either of the two funding packages outlined above then there is help on […]

Development Bank of Wales – The Welsh Government and the Development Bank of Wales have announced the £100m Covid-19 Wales Business Loan Scheme to support businesses affected by the Covid-19 outbreak. The Scheme will be available from the Development Bank of Wales for a limited period. It is intended to provide support to businesses who are experiencing cashflow difficulties as a result of the pandemic. The loan scheme will work alongside the UK wide Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, other Welsh Government and UK Government support offers, providing more vital options for Welsh businesses. Loans of between £5,000 and £250,000 are available to businesses who have been trading longer than […]

A new temporary Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, covering a variety of different products such as loans, overdraft, invoice finance and asset finance, delivered by the British Business Bank, has launched on the 23 March to support primarily small and medium sized businesses to access bank lending and overdrafts. The government will provide lenders with a guarantee of 80% on each loan (subject to a per-lender cap on claims) to give lenders further confidence in continuing to provide finance to SMEs. The government will not charge businesses or banks for this guarantee, and the Scheme will support loans of up to £5 million in value. Businesses can access the first 12 months […]

The UK Government has announced a package of support for the Self Employed impacted by the Coronavirus outbreak, bringing support to the same level as that for employees. The new Self-Employed Income Support Scheme, means those eligible will receive a cash grant worth 80% of their average monthly trading profit over the last three years. This covers 95% of people who receive the majority of their income from self-employment. https://businesswales.gov.wales/support-self-employed For further information on the Self Employment Support Scheme follow this link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme

The Welsh Government’s new regulations now state that all accommodation providers should close and are to remain in force until further notice. Businesses wanting to offer accommodation to key workers must get permission from their Local Authority to do so. https://gov.wales/coronavirus-guidance-holiday-accommodation-businesses?fbclid=IwAR15YFAkuWdysBezDCpOhA9bk4wUnhlQ85yudp1MGDqYiISAC7E8iR3KSM8