| Eastbourne COBRA Meeting Update |
| Small Business Grants Government guidance has been given to Eastbourne Borough Council on the grants available to the smallest businesses. Eastbourne Borough Council will be ready with the software to administer these grants by 24th April. Payment should then be made within 3 working days. We will let you know when they are sending letters out to eligible businesses, which are expected next week.To avoid fraudulent claims you will need to provide: For information, 1252 local businesses are eligible for the £10,000 grant while 551 are eligible for the £25,000 grant. We continue to lobby Eastbourne Borough Council to ensure the grant is available and released as quickly as possible. |
| Home Deliveries Are you a business that is currently offering home delivery of food/goods, pre-cooked meals, takeaways or special offers for the vulnerable?We’ve been asked by Eastbourne COBRA to compile a list that can be shared with people who want to pay for a home delivery service. This list will be shared with Eastbourne Borough Council and other community partners so that when they have enquiries, they can refer your details on. Please give us your details here https://forms.gle/8Z8UtycQvEssPE9fA |
| Insurance Claims We are forming a subgroup representing the Eastbourne Hospitality Association, Chamber of Commerce, BID and MPs office to take forward issues relating to insurance claims. Please contact us if you are having any issues claiming as a result of coronavirus. |
| Claremont Fire Eastbourne Borough Council have issued a letter to contractors stating that the work to clear the debris from the Claremont is considered essential and urgent. This allows the work to continue providing social distancing rules are followed. |
| Other News Support for the Self-employed There is now a support package for the self-employed to match the package for furloughed employees. Effectively they will allow 80% of the profit earned on the last 3 years tax returns up to £2,500 per month. If you do not have 3 years tax returns they will accept what you have from 1 year’s tax return as a minimum. If you have not filed your tax return for 2018/19 due in January, you have 4 weeks to get it in; so act now.The good news is that self-employed individuals who are owner-managers and pay themselves a salary through PAYE will be eligible for support through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.Payment will be adminstered by HMRC and can be expected in June. For full details click here. For frequently asked questions about the scheme, click here. Job Retention SchemeA furlough letter template is shown here for you to send to your staff: Furlough-Proposal-Job-Retention-Scheme-Template (1)The HMRC Portal should be available this month.Self-employed individuals who are owner-managers and pay themselves a salary through PAYE will be eligible for support through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. The latest guidance for this important government scheme is here. Latest Government advice and links Government amends insolvency law to help companies keep trading while they explore options for rescue. The Insolvency Act will be temporarily suspended specifically to give confidence to directors to continue trading without the threat of personal liability, should the company ultimately fall into insolvency. DCMS Secretary of State provides an update on access to cultural attractions from home Updated information on the closing certain businesses and venues page around compliance. The new Regulations extending the restrictions are now enforceable by law due to the threat to public health. The Cabinet Office has produced COVID-19 FAQs detailing what the public can and can’t do, which businesses may wish to share with their employees.Government cracks down on spread of false coronavirus information online |