20th March Update
20th March 2020
On today’s UK Government announcement on business support regarding Coronavirus, Perthshire Chamber CE, Vicki Unite, said:
”We know there are still many unanswered questions and we need to go through the finer detail to understand the implications more fully.
”Following our plea via letters yesterday to our MPs and MSPs calling for swift support through Employment Support Grants, Business Costs, Business Grants and State Aid, we are somewhat heartened to hear today’s response.
”However, whether the support goes far enough to save our businesses or not, remains to be seen. From ongoing engagement with local companies and our partners, there is partcular concern from those in tourism, hospitality, leisure and retail plus the self-employed and we will continue to work together and do whatever we can to support our business community.
”We cannot emphasise enough the critical need for this financial support to be accessible and readily available and we will be continuing to engage with our local businesses to ensure their voices are heard and their needs met. There is no denying that the situation is heartbreaking and we are all pulling together.”
Commenting on the UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s announcement today of employment and wage support for businesses, Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said:
“For the Scottish Chamber Network the prioritisation of jobs and business protection is utmost and we are pleased the Chancellor has responded to this.
“The chancellor’s proposals including the Coronavirus jobs retention scheme and support for the self-employed which lightens the burden of those who will have to shut up shop tonight for an indefinite period or for those businesses who are seeing orders dry up.
“We also welcome the chancellor’s pledge to move at speed – with details of how to access the Coronavirus Business Interruption loan scheme becoming available on Monday and the extension of the interest free period is good news for many companies. The urgency of the need for businesses to access the support offered by the UK and Scottish Governments cannot be understated.
“The chancellor said he was aware for the need to keep this all under review as the circumstances change and the Scottish Chamber Network will continue to work with him and others to ensure these measures work practically and speedily.”
The BBC Reported:
Cafes, pubs and restaurants must close from Friday night - except for take-away food - to tackle coronavirus, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.
All the UK's nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres have also been told to close "as soon as they reasonably can".
Mr Johnson said the situation would be reviewed each month.
The chancellor has said the government will pay 80% of wages for employees who are not working, up to £2,500 a month.
The announcement about closures follows similar measures taken in other countries - including in Ireland, where pubs and bars were asked to close from last Sunday.
There have been 167 deaths in England from the coronavirus outbreak, as well as six in Scotland, three in Wales and one in Northern Ireland.
Speaking at a daily Downing Street press briefing, Mr Johnson said the measures would be enforced "strictly" and that licensing arrangements would make doing so "relatively simple".
He urged people not to go out on Friday night ahead of the closures, stressing: "For now, at least physically, we need to keep people apart."
The prime minister added: "The more effectively we follow the advice we are given, the faster this country will stage both a medical and an economic recovery in full."
In this section
- Scottish Government Daily Update 24th March 2021
- BlueSky Experiences : COVID-19 As A Catalyst for Change Webinar 30 September
- Scottish Government SME Loan for food and drink businesses!
- URGENT update from NHS Tayside about a COVID-19 Outbreak at 2Sisters in Coupar Angus
- Waste sector grants offered for Covid-19 adaptations- Up to £10,000 per site
- Spain Quarantine Rules: An employment Law Insight
- General Guidelines
- UK government: Government launches £200m funding for sustainable COVID-19 Business Recovery, 27 June 2020
- Scottish Government: Lockdown begins to ease in Phase 1, 28 May 2020
- Scottish Government: COVID-19 Budget Revision, 27 May 2020
- Scottish Government: Sector Guidance for Easing Lockdown, 26 May 2020
- Scottish Government: COVID-19 Funding Plea, 23 May 2020
- Scottish Government: Expansion of COVID-19 Testing, 18 May 2020
- Data Protection and Privacy During the Coronavirus Pandemic
- Scottish Government: Second Coronavirus (Scotland) Bill, 11 May 2020
- Scottish Government: SME Support Doubles to £90 million, 8 May 2020
- Redundancy during Coronavirus Part 4: How do I calculate redundancy payments?
- Redundancy during Coronavirus: Part 3: How do I consult with employees who are risk of redundancy?
- Scottish Government: Emergency Loan Fund for SME House Builders, 7 May 2020
- UK Government: Business Rates Revaluation Postponed, 6 May 2020
- Scottish Government: New Powers over CAP, 5 May 2020
- Scottish Government: Preparing for Economic Recovery, 5 May 2020
- Uk Government: Self Employed Invited to Get Ready to Make Their Claims for COVID-19 Support, 4 May 2020
- UK Governement: Funding five new testing facilities in Scotland, including Perth, 29 April 2020
- Scottish Government: Rapid Coronavirus Research. More than 50 Scottish Studies to Tackle Virus and its Impact, 28 April 2020
- Scottish Government: Securing Vital COVID-19 Supplies for Scotland, 24 April 2020
- Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme Update and New Support for Smaller Businesses
- Aberdein Considine: View the latest response to Coronavarius
- Redundancy During Coronavirus: Part 2: How Do I Select Employees for Redundancy? 23 April 2020
- Scottish Government: Lifeline Support for Business Confirmed, 21 April 2020
- Scottish Government: Universal Credit. People Being Urged To Access All Support, 21 April 2020
- Scottish Government: COVID-19 Impact on Scotland's Economy, 21 April 2020
- Redundancy During Coronavirus: Part 1: How Do I Deal With Collective Consultation?, 21 April 2020
- Scottish Government: Call for Accelerated Business Support, 21 April 2020
- UK Government: Billion £ Support Package for Innovative Firms hit by COVID-19, 20 April 2020
- Scottish Government: Extend Brexit Transition during COVID-19 crisis, 20 April 2020
- Scottish Government: Advisory Group on Economic Recovery, 17 April 2020
- Scottish Government: Thousands of Businesses Benefit from Support Grants, 17 April 2020
- UK Government: Chancellor extends furlough scheme to end of June, 17 April 2020
- What Coronavirus Act means for Commerical Landlords
- UK Government: Universal Credit claimants to verify identity through Government Gateway, 16 April 2020
- UK Government: Councils given greater financial relief against cash flow pressures, 16 April 2020
- Scottish Government: Additional Support for Business, including additional £100m for Self-Employed, 15 April 2020
- UK Government: Magnox donates 66,000 items of PPE to support coronavirus response, 15 April 2020
- UK Government: Furlough scheme cut-off date extended to 19 March, 15 April 2020
- UK Government: Job Retention Scheme, 15 April 2020
- Scottish Government: New Mental Health Support, 14 April 2020
- UK Government Response: Commission on Human Medicines: Advice on Ibuprofen and Coronavirus, 14 April 2020
- Scottish Government: National Helpline to Support Those at High COVID-19 Risk, 13 April 2020
- UK Government: Scottish Secretary Welcomes Additional Money to Help Scotland Tackle Coronavirus, 13 April 2020
- Scottish Government: Transport Community to Help COVID-19 Sufferers, 12 April 2020
- Scottish Government: New Measures to Protect Business Tenants, 10 April 2020.
- Scottish Chamber of Commerce: COVID-19 Update
- Scottish Government: Skills matching service to help rural business. 09.04.20
- Scottish Government: Additional COVID-19 Daily Data Published 08.04.20
- UK Government: Coronavirus (COVID-19): letter to the manufacturing sector 08.04.20
- UK Government: Letter from the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma, to those working in retail. 08.04.20
- Scottish Business Community calls for clarity, consistency and cooperation in COVID-19 response 3 April 2020
- Help find new ways too ease global disruption: apply for funding. 3 April 2020
- UK Export Finance to offer export insurance in all major markets in response to Coronavirus (COVID-19). 3 April 2020
- Chancellor strengthens support on offer for business as first government-backed loans reach firms in need
- Scottish Business Community calls for clarity, consistency and cooperation in COVID-19 response. 3 April 2020
- Scottish Govenment Help with non-domestic rates in Scotland during coronavirus (COVID-19) Last updated: 2 April 2020
- Coronavirus: Rishi Sunak announcement on UK government aid for self-employed
- UK Government Self-employment and Universal Credit
- Scottish Government Coronavirus (COVID-19): business and social distancing guidance. Published 25.03.20
- Scottish Government Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for businesses on offering support. Published 24 March 2020
- 20th March Update
- SCC & Scottish Government Update 18th March
- SCC & Scottish Government Update 17th March
- PKC Coronavirus (Covid-19) Guidance
- UK Government Coronavirus (Covid-19) Link
- Scottish Government Corona Virus (Covid-19) Link
- NEW Find Business Support in response to Coronavirus - from Scottish Enterprise Source
- Coronavirus: £320m rescue package for business from Scottish government - BBC Sourced
- Guidance & Quick Links
- Helpline announed by Fiona Hyslop, Economy Secretary - Sunday 15th March 2020