The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has announced a new job protection scheme and a range of new business support measures. Announcing his Winter Economy Plan at a hastily arranged statement in the House of Commons, Mr Sunak said: “Our task now is to move to the next stage of our economic plan, nurturing the recovery by […]
Government to reinforce COVID Secure guidance with new direct legal obligations
To ensure workplaces that remain open prevent the spread of Coronavirus, the Government will introduce a direct legal obligation for businesses in England that requires them to follow the latest guidance to the letter. During his speech to Parliament on the new measures, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said that businesses could face fines and […]
Hospitality industry faces new restrictions to curb second wave
In recent weeks, many businesses within the hospitality sector have been enjoying a relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions. However, from 24 September 2020 pubs, bars and restaurants will have to close at 10pm, as part of the Government’s attempts to limit a second wave of Coronavirus infection. The same measures apply to takeaways, however, deliveries will […]
Event and conference re-openings no longer allowed to go ahead
Plans for the phased reopening of stadiums, business events and conferences on 1 October will now no longer go ahead. The Government’s ‘rule of six’ will also be extended to indoor team events and the number of people able to attend a wedding will be limited to 15. However, up to 30 people can still […]
Government introduces legal duty to self-isolate, with big penalties for employers that prevent staff from following the rules
Speaking in the House of Commons, the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, has announced a legal duty to self-isolate for people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or are asked to do so by NHS Test and Trace. People who fail to comply with this requirement will risk fines of up to £10,000 in cases of […]
Government reinstates advice to work from home ‘if you can’
The Prime Minister has reinstated the advice for people to work from home if they can, following an increase in the incidence of Coronavirus in recent weeks. The advice, which was first issued in March 2020, was withdrawn at the beginning of August, with people encouraged to return to city centre offices as part of […]
HMRC sends thousands of letters to employers for ‘incorrect’ CJRS claims
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has been writing to thousands of employers, asking them to review the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) claims they have already made for errors – often without specifying what is wrong with the claim or indicating which claim is incorrect. The tax authority estimates that as many as 10 per […]
Could your property development be eligible for Land Remediation Relief?
By Neil Driver, Director at Davis Grant Hundreds of property developments across the UK that are undertaken on contaminated land could benefit from a unique tax relief that reduces a company’s Corporation Tax bill or provides funding via tax credits.
Businesses return £215 million furlough payments to the Government
According to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), more than £215 million of Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) payments have been willingly returned to the Government by UK firms, out of £35.4 billion worth of claims up until 16 August.