Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) – flexible furloughing
Employers can now claim a more flexible grant for any employee they have previously received a CJRS grant for, and who now returns to work on reduced hours. They can also continue to claim for employees who stay fully furloughed. Guidance on eligibility and how to claim for flexibly furloughed employees is now available.
What employers need to do next:
| • | claim for periods ending on or before 30 June, by 31 July – this is the last date they can make those claims; |
| • | agree the hours and shift patterns that they want their employees to work from 1 July, if changing; and |
| • | pay their employees’ wages for the time they are in work and apply for a job retention scheme grant to cover the remainder of their usual hours for which they are still furloughed. |
Live webinars from UK government are available to book online with further guidance on changes to the scheme and how they impact employers. UK Chambers please share these details with your members and see further guidance on our Coronavirus Hub.
BCC Quarterly Economic Survey (QES) Q2 2020
Yesterday, BCC published the results of QES Q2 which found that UK economic conditions deteriorated at an unprecedented rate in the second quarter of 2020. The key findings for this quarter:
| • | 11 of the 14 key service sector QES indicators fall to their lowest level in the survey’s 31-year history. |
| • | The percentage balance of firms reporting increased domestic and export sales is now substantially lower than the worst quarter of the 2008-09 recession. |
| • | Indicators for longer-term business performance drop to record lows as BCC sets out measures needed to begin UK’s economic recovery. |
| • | The results of the bellwether survey of 7,700 firms, employing over 580,000 people across the UK, illustrates the full impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the UK economy in the second quarter of 2020. |
Review the details and share with your members on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Change in state aid rules for government-backed loan schemes
The EU has extended its state aid temporary framework to all small companies (less than 50 employees and less than EUR 10 million of annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total), even if they were in “financial difficulty” on 31 December 2019.
This amendment extends possibilities to support more small companies, including those with particular financial structures, such private equity backed firms, or who were in a growth phase and so might have appeared to be in financial difficulty on paper. Take a look at the details and share with your members.
Recent BCC letters
Support for childcare providers and safe return to school
BCC sent a joint letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak MP regarding support for childcare providers and safe return to school thus enabling working parents to get back to work across all sectors and is aligned with out restart agenda. This letter has been shared with the media for potential publication on Friday. We will highlight any coverage that you can share with your members.
Local lockdowns
BCC sent a letter regarding the approach to local lockdowns to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak MP, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock MP and the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma MP. Please note that this is a private letter.
OTHER NEWS
ChamberCustoms – Customs Declaration training for Chambers offering the service
Ahead of the end of the Brexit transition period, the Chamber Network continues to prepare for the anticipated increase in volume of declarations to ensure goods continue to flow. Take a look at the current training courses available for Chambers including:
| • | Full training course – (levels 1 and 2). |
| • | Continual Professional Development (CPD) courses – (modules A and B) |
All training courses are eligible for HMRC grant funding. Download all the information on courses, quotation letter, booking form and help on how to apply here. For further information contact Paul Wrighting.
Employee return-to-work tool
The UK government has developed a tool to help employees in England easily assess if they can return to work. The tool guides employees through questions that may influence their ability to go back to work safely. Employers can share this tool with employees to aid discussion on how employees can return to work safely. Find out more and share with your member businesses in England.
EU Settlement Scheme
The deadline to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS) is 30 June 2021. The EUSS enables resident EU, other EEA and Swiss citizens, and their family members, to obtain a UK immigration status. To date there have been over 3.6 million applications with more than 3.3 million applications granted. Review the latest official statistics and application details including a range of useful guidance for applicants.
Marketing toolkit for virtual events
The BCC marketing team has created a new marketing toolkit with a variety of white-labelled resources for Chambers to promote upcoming virtual events. Next up – In conversation with Frances O’Grady on Thursday 16 July. Download and share these resources to spread the word with your members on social media. See more details of our upcoming events below. Contact the BCC marketing team with any queries.