30 September 2020

This update covers:

  • England: legal duty to self-isolate.
  • England: illegal for employers to force or allow self-isolating staff to work.
  • NHBF welcomes government training plans.
  • London: new support hub
  • Wales: new funding

England: legal duty to self-isolate

  • Individuals who receive a positive test result are now required by law to self-isolate for ten days after displaying symptoms or after the date of the test if they did not have symptoms. Other members of their household must self-isolate for 14 days after the individual’s symptoms started, or after the date of the individual’s positive test.
  • If someone is instructed to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace because they have had close contact with someone outside their household who has tested positive they are legally required to self-isolate as required by NHS Test and Trace.

Those who break self-isolation rules could be fined up to £10,000 for repeat offences. Find out more on the government website.

England: illegal for employers to force or allow self-isolating staff to work

Employers who force or allow staff to come to work when they should be self-isolating are now liable for fines of up to £10,000. Find out more on the government website.

England: NHBF welcomes government training plans

Following months of campaigning and warnings to government about the need for additional education, training and skills funding for the hair and beauty sector, the NHBF has welcomed plans for a major expansion of education and training for those aged 18 and above in England. The plans include:

  • Free college courses that are valued by employers.
  • Flexible loans to allow courses to be taken in segments.
  • Opportunities to study at a time and location that suits individual needs.  
  • More apprenticeship opportunities including more funding for small and medium-sized businesses who take on apprentices and greater flexibility in how training is structured to suit the varied employment patterns found in the hair and beauty sector.

This offer will be available from April 2021 in England. A full list of available courses will be published shortly. 

London: new support hub

The newly launched London Business Hub will provide a range of free support and funding opportunities to small and medium-sized businesses. Funding of up to £30,000 will be awarded to projects that develop innovative solutions to the environmental and economic challenges facing London’s economy.

The new hub includes:

  • An online portal to help London’s businesses start, sustain and grow.
  • A programme to equip businesses with the leadership skills necessary to safeguard against future economic shocks.
  • Advice on business rates, landlord negotiations, and how to navigate government support schemes.
  • One-on-one sessions of tailored advice with a business adviser.

Wales: new funding

Businesses in Wales hit by coronavirus will be offered £140m in grants.

The first scheme, worth £60m, will be targeted at areas affected by local lockdowns. It will offer grants of £1,000 to £1,500 to businesses with a rateable value under £50,000 that have been affected by the new restrictions.

A second scheme, worth £80m, will provide larger grants to firms across Wales that can demonstrate plans for post-coronavirus recovery. Find out more on the Welsh Government website.

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