BCC Director General Adam Marshall and President Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith have written to bank leaders urging them to get support from CBILS to businesses on the ground as soon as possible.
For the latest information and advice, UK employers and business owners should visit the official guidance for employers and businesses. Businesses should check for daily updates and subscribe to receive email alerts to ensure they are acting on the most up to date information.
On 23 March the government, stepped up measures to prevent the spread
of coronavirus and save lives ordering businesses and premises and other venues to close for trade from this date as well as implementing the following measures:
Every citizen must comply with these new measures unless they are considered an essential worker in a listed critical sector.
The relevant authorities, including the police, will be given the powers to enforce them – including through fines and dispersing gatherings.
Schools will close from Monday 23 March, except for children of key workers and vulnerable children. [link to: Schools, colleges and early years settings to close]
Examples of key workers include NHS staff, police and supermarket delivery drivers who need to be able to go to work to support the country’s fight to tackle coronavirus.
The Department for Education (DfE) has announced proposals to award students a calculated grade for their GCSEs, AS and A levels this summer, and to provide an exam option for those that wish it as soon as is reasonably possible after schools reopen.
Guidance for schools, colleges and local authorities on maintaining educational provision
·To support nurseries at this time, they will be eligible for a business rates holiday for one year and the government will continue to pay funding to local authorities for free childcare entitlements.
On Monday 23 March the UK government announced all non essential businesses are to close. This follows a previous announcement that pubs are restaurants are to close, but granted permission for pubs and restaurants to operate as takeaways.
For employers staying open, it is important to follow social distancing practices using the Public Health England guidelines including, where possible, maintaining a 2 metre distance from others, and washing their hands with soap and water often for at least 20 seconds (or using hand sanitiser gel if soap and water is not available).
View guidance of how to clean non-healthcare settings.
The government has published guidance on DIT and financial support for UK businesses trading internationally: Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for UK businesses
BCC Director General Adam Marshall and President Baroness Ruby McGregor-Smith have written to bank leaders urging them to get support from CBILS to businesses on the ground as soon as possible.
Welcoming measures outlined by the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak to support the self-employed and sole traders whose businesses have been affected by Coronavirus, BCC Director General Dr Adam Marshall said:
BCC Director General Dr Adam Marshall responds to the Prime Minister’s announcement of further restrictions to tackle the spread of Coronavirus
Commenting on the introduction of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the BCC's Head of Economics, Suren Thiru, said:
