8 March 2022
This week’s update covers:
- Wales: Living with COVID
- Scotland: Close contact support fund extended
- Scotland's National Strategy for Economic Transformation
- Business Ventilation Fund
- More than one million customers take advantage of extra time to file tax returns
- Energy costs in personal care
Wales: Living with COVID
The Together for a Safer Future guidance will mark the start of Wales’ transition beyond the emergency response to the pandemic – emergency measures have been in place for two years.
COVID -19 has not gone away and will remain with us globally. In the long term, the virus is expected to become one of several respiratory infections that effective public health interventions can mitigate to reduce the risk of infection when outbreaks arise.
The key points for Members to note are:
- The protections will be reviewed again at the next 21-day review, which is due to take place on 24 March.
- If the current public health situation remains stable, the Welsh Government intends to remove all the remaining restrictions on 28 March.
Scotland: Close contact support fund extended
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Economy in Scotland has agreed to double the individual grant awards under this fund to £2,000 from £1,000 for self-employed businesses and £3,000 from £1,500 for non-domestic rates (NDR) registered premised business owners. Individual ratepayers with more than one business, may receive an award for each registered business entity. The Cabinet Secretary has also agreed to extend the closing date for applications to 11 March.
The Close Contact Services Fund will provide a one-off payment to support eligible close contact service business impacted by the COVID restrictions from 9 December 2021 to 24 January 2022.
NHBF Members are advised not to call the NEC, or Scottish Government to check their application has been received or provide additional information. NEC does not have a call centre and have received over 400 calls which is taking away staff time processing claims and will delay payments. Claims will be processed within 10 working days and applicants can track progress via the unique online tracking reference provided when they submit their application.
Check if you are eligible here.
Scotland's National Strategy for Economic Transformation
Scottish Government has set out its long term vision for Scotland to become a wellbeing economy by 2032.
The aim of Scotland's National Strategy for Economic Transformation is to recognise Scotland at home and throughout the world as:
- a nation where people and businesses can continually upgrade their skills
- a great place to live and work with high living standards
- a country where economic power and opportunity is distributed fairly
Success means a strong economy where good, secure and well-paid jobs and growing businesses have driven a significant reduction in poverty and, in particular, child poverty. Businesses such as the salons and barbershops could be exemplars:
- recognising and acting on their responsibilities to fair work and net zero.
- taking action that protects and sustains our environment and the natural world.
- building a new mindset where all businesses see employees, communities and citizens as stakeholders as well as consumers.
- where businesses are rooted in their communities.
Business Ventilation Fund
The Scottish Government’s Business Ventilation Fund will help businesses improve ventilation and air quality on their premises to help reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission.
The fund will allow businesses to claim back costs to improve ventilation of up to £2,500.
Support will target high-risk settings where people come into close proximity, such as salons, barbershops, hospitality and leisure sectors.
New applications must be submitted by 5pm on 11 March 2022.
To be eligible for funding, businesses must:
- be a small or medium-sized enterprise
- be in an eligible sector
- have physical premises
- pay non-domestic rates
More than one million customers take advantage of extra time to file tax returns
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed that more than one million customers filed their late tax returns in February – taking advantage of the extra time to complete their Self-Assessment without facing a penalty.
About 12.2 million customers were expected to file a return for the 2020 to 2021 tax year, and more than 11.3 million customers submitted theirs by 28 February.
The deadline for submitting tax returns was 31 January, but this year, HMRC gave customers an extra month to complete it. If customers filed their returns in February, they would avoid a late filing penalty.
HMRC has given customers until 1 April to pay their outstanding tax bill or set up a Time to Pay arrangement to avoid receiving a late payment penalty. Interest has been applied to all outstanding balances since 1 February.
Energy costs in personal care
Even before the war in Ukraine, our Members were telling us of their concerns over rising energy costs. The Government is keen to understand the impact this is having on the personal care sector, and has asked us to provide them with data which will feed directly into their policy making.
Please take part in this short survey on how the rise in energy bills is affecting your business by no later than Thursday 10 March.
Many thanks in advance for your contribution.