4 January 2022
Latest NHBF update – 04 January 2022
This week’s update covers:
- NHBF Snap Poll demonstrates urgent need for access to financial support
- NHBF letter to the chancellor and Minister for small business
- Proof of illness for SSP
- Self-isolation update
- COVID-19: Additional support for businesses who have been impacted
- COVID-19 guidance
NHBF Snap Poll demonstrates urgent need for access to financial support
A snap poll by the NHBF has demonstrated the urgent need for local authorities in England to process applications from hair & beauty salons and barbershops for the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) as quickly as possible. Before Christmas, around 50% of hair & beauty businesses lost between 21-50% of revenue, with around 20% losing a staggering 50-100%.
Read full story
NHBF letter to the Chancellor and Minister for small business
The NHBF has written to Paul Scully MP, Minister for small business and the personal care sector, to ask for help in urging local authorities to ensure that the ARG fund is made available to hair & beauty businesses struggling, and to the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak MP, to consider more targeted financial help if the situation does not improve.
Read the full letters here.
Proof of illness for SSP
Since 10 December and until 26 January 2022, employees who are off work sick cannot be asked for proof of sickness by their employer for absences under 28 days in length.
Self-isolation update
Self-isolation period for (vaccinated) people testing positive has changed from ten to seven days, following two negative LFD tests taken 24 hours apart.
Further information here.
COVID-19: Additional support in England for businesses who have been impacted
On 21 December 2021, the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced that additional support would be available for businesses that the Omicron Variant has impacted.
HM Treasury has confirmed that hair & beauty businesses are eligible for:
- £100 million boost to the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) fund for local authorities in England. Local Authorities will have the discretion to allocate this funding to businesses most in need.
- Reintroduction of the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme (SSPRS) - the SSPRS will help small and medium-sized employers – those with fewer than 250 employees – by reimbursing them for the cost of Statutory Sick Pay for Covid-related absences, for up to 2 weeks per employee.
This scheme will be reintroduced from mid-January 2022.
Click here to find your local authority. For further details and how to apply visit here.
COVID-19 guidance – recent updated with the latest Omicron guidance
Read our four nations’ FAQs which include links to the latest government guidance that must be followed.
Members can call our membership team, Monday-Friday, 9-5, on 01234 831965. Please be patient due to the extremely high level of calls we are currently getting.
For legal advice, Members can login to get our 24/7 legal helpline number. Again, please be patient. The legal team is also dealing with a considerable number of calls.