New restrictions in England from today | Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce

As you will be aware, from today until Wednesday 2 December, the UK government is taking the following action:

•	Requiring people to stay at home, except for specific purposes.
•	Preventing gathering with people you do not live with, except for specific purposes.
•	Closing certain businesses and venues.

The new national restrictions now replace the local restrictions in area across England. At the end of the period, the UK government has said that it will look to return to a regional approach, based on the latest data.

Guidance for businesses and venues

To reduce social contact, the UK government has ordered certain businesses and venues to close. These include:

•	all non-essential retail, including, but not limited to clothing and electronics stores, vehicle showrooms, travel agents, betting shops, auction houses, tailors, car washes, tobacco and vape shops;

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indoor and outdoor leisure facilities such as bowling alleys, leisure centres and gyms, sports facilities including swimming pools, golf courses and driving ranges, dance studios, stables and riding centres, soft play facilities, climbing walls and climbing centres, archery and shooting ranges, water and theme parks;

•	entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, adult gaming centres and arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, concert halls, zoos and other animal attractions, botanical gardens;

•	personal care facilities such as hair, beauty and nail salons, tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services, non-medical acupuncture, and tanning salons.

Food shops, supermarkets, garden centres and certain other retailers providing essential goods and services can remain open. Essential retail should follow COVID-secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers. A full list of the business closures will be published shortly and set out in law.

UK government extends Furlough to March and increases self-employed support

In light of the increased restrictions the UK government is introducing additional economic and business support measures.

•	the extension to the CJRS which ends on 31 March 2021;
•	which employees you can put on furlough to use the CJRS;
•	if you can claim for your employees’ wages using the CJRS;
•	the steps you need to take before calculating your claim;
•	how much you can claim;
•	claiming for wages through the scheme.

The Job Support Scheme will not be introduced until after Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ends.

Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grant extension

The SEISS grant was extended from 1 November 2020. Today, the Chancellor announced that support for millions more workers through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) will be increased, with the third grant covering November to January calculated at 80% of average trading profits, up to a maximum of £7,500. Find out if you are eligible and how much you can get.

Business Grants

Business premises forced to close in England due to local or national restrictions will be eligible for the business grants as outlined here. Business grant policy is fully devolved. Devolved Administrations will receive Barnett consequentials which they could use to establish similar schemes.

Loan schemes

Application deadlines have been extended to January 31 2021 for the following schemes:

•	Coronavirus Bounce Back Loan;
•	Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan;
•	Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme; and
•	Coronavirus Future Fund.

Useful Links

To find out what financial support your business can access, click here
For the latest coronavirus business support, visit our Hub here.
For weekly updates, support and resources just for businesses, sign up to our Coronavirus Business Support Newsletter here.
Check how many cases there are in your area here.