We are sharing with you information which we hope you will find useful during these unprecedented times.

In addition to it going out with this newsletter, we will be posting them on our social media sites too.

We are also going out videoing those businesses that are remaining open, and these will be posted on out Facebook and Twitter pages, so do look out for them.

If you want to be featured, please let us know.

In the meantime, stay safe and hopefully see you soon.

Yours, The BID Team

Help and Support during the COVID-19 outbreak

Coronavirus page on gov.uk

This page contains all the latest DWP messages concerning the virus and claiming benefits.  Please keep checking this page as it will be updated regularly:

https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/coronavirus/

MIND has updated its website which offers guidance on supporting mental health at this very strange, worrying and difficult time. It also gives practical tips for people self-isolating:

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/

Coronavirus support for employees, benefit claimants and businesses

A range of extra support and measures will be in place to help workers, benefit claimants and businesses affected by coronavirus.

Following announcements in the Budget, the Department for Work and Pensions is making temporary arrangements to support those impacted by coronavirus.

Businesses

The Government wants to ensure businesses are supported to deal with the temporary economic impacts of an outbreak of coronavirus.

Is your business diversifying?

Necessity, they say, is the mother of invention. And with this in mind, we are hearing of a number of businesses diversifying in order to stay open.

Restaurants have become takeaways, ensuring valued customers can still enjoy their favourite dishes without having to leave their homes.

If you have done this, please us know and we will share with the wider community.

Also, if you are staying open, again please let us know by emailing:

christine.armstrong@harrogatebid.co.uk 

Targeted Measures

The Chancellor has set out a package of temporary, timely and targeted measures to support public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by COVID-19.

This includes a package of measures to support businesses including:

  • A Statutory Sick Pay relief package for SMEs
  • A 12-month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England
  • Small business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief
  • Grant funding of £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with property with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000
  • The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to £5 million for SMEs through the British Business Bank
  • A new lending facility from the Bank of England to help support liquidity among larger firms, helping them bridge coronavirus disruption to their cash flows through loans
  • The HMRC Time To Pay Scheme