The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, confirmed a small increase in the National Living Wage rates from April 2021. Employers will need to diarise these increases otherwise they may break their obligation to pay these rates and risk penalties. The increase in the NLW will mean that low-paid workers’ incomes rise broadly in line with predicted wage …

When we awake to the new year we will no longer be in transition; we will be out of the EU and will have to cope with a wide range of regulatory changes if we buy or sell goods or services to EU suppliers and customers. The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy recently …

If you are making claims under the extended furlough scheme from 1 November 2020 you need to be aware of changes in the claims process. Perhaps the most significant is that claims need to be registered within 14 days of the relevant period end. In their revised guidance on this topic HMRC say: You can …

Two quarterly grants have been paid to UK self-employed traders that qualify for the Self- Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS). These covered the periods up to 31 October 2020. The Chancellor has announced that two further quarterly payments will be made. Traders will still need to qualify for the payments and in particular: Have been …

We have reproduced below a list of businesses which must close during the period 5 November to 2 December 2020. Business based in England and required to close To reduce social contact, the regulations require some businesses to close and impose restrictions on how some businesses provide goods and services. These include: Non-essential retail, such …

What to do if you are placed in a financial position where you do not have sufficient income to meet your monthly outgoings and you are unable to find work to plug the gap. The main government assistance for those who find themselves in this position is to register for Universal Credits. The following notes …

Government financial support for UK businesses affected by the COVID pandemic have been extended in the past week. Thankfully, relief for employees of affected companies and the self-employed have been announced in tandem. A short summary of the main changes follows: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) This furlough scheme will now be extended until the …

Government have recently promoted their online webinars that aim to support businesses who will be affected by the end of the EU exit transition period, 31 December 2020. Here’s what the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial activity have to say: Over 3,000 people have attended government webinars to help them get ready for the …