Business Advice & Guidance

Advice and guidance for businesses continues to evolve so we wanted to summarise some of it in the below newsletter. This includes updates on business grants and government schemes, advice on how to get workplaces up and running safely, ways of developing your resilience, and looking out for your colleagues.

Update on your business grants in Swindon

As a council, we're responsible for processing grants for eligible small businesses and organisations, and those in retail, leisure and hospitality. So far we have paid over £25m in government grants to more than 2,000 businesses in Swindon. These are taxable cash grants, not loans, and it is quick and simple to apply. Further information about these grants can be found on our website. 

Unfortunately, a raft of scams are targeting businesses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. An organisation in another part of the country has recently reported a suspicious email, which requests re-submission of application details in order to receive the COVID-19 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure grant and purports to be from the ‘Director of Finance (Section 151 Officer)’. If you receive a suspicious email or have any concerns about requests for information regarding this, you can contact our Corporate Fraud Team by email at: [email protected]

We have also received Discretionary Grants Fund guidance for affected small businesses with fixed property costs. The Government has asked local authorities to prioritise the following types of businesses for grants from within this funding pot:

• Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces
• Regular market traders with fixed building costs
• Bed & Breakfasts which pay council tax instead of business rates
• Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates.

We can't start to administer the grants until we receive clarification and assurances from the Government and set up an internal system and process to administer the grants. As soon as we have this, we will provide updates through our website and social media.

New guidance launched to help get safely back to work

The Government has published guidance for employers to help get businesses back up and running and workplaces operating safely. Five key points are:

1. Work from home, if you can 
2. Carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment in consultation with workers or trade unions - if you don't have your own risk assessment form, the Health and Safety Executive's risk assessment templates are available here
3. Maintain 2 metres social distancing, wherever possible 
4. Where people cannot be 2 metres apart, manage transmission risk 
5. Reinforce cleaning processes - cleaning work places more frequently and paying close attention to high-contact objects like keyboards

Prepare your workplace to meet COVID-19 guidelines

Do you need to modify your workplace to meet Government social distancing guidelines? Are you looking to use your workspace for other purposes? 

The Council’s Building Control service can help ensure that your new set-up complies with fire safety and building regulations. They can also advise you on good practice around workspace planning and updating your fire risk assessments.

Please call 01793 466050 or email [email protected] to discuss your changing workspace needs with a local Building Control Surveyor.

While many buildings, offices and leisure facilities are shut down due to the pandemic, it is very important that water systems and leisure facilities, are still well maintained to prevent future health issues like Legionella outbreaks. 

The procedures you follow now will have an impact on how soon you can open your facilities without causing harm to health. Please refer to the guidance published by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Disease on how to best manage Legionella in building water systems during this COVID-19 outbreak.

Using public transport and getting to work safely

As businesses start to think about employees returning to work, the Government has published guidance for travelling safely during the coronavirus outbreak. For those of you working in the transport industry may also find this guidance helpful.

Mental wellbeing - resilience and growing through stress

Now, more than ever, it is important to look after your mental health and look out for your staff or colleagues too.

The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale is a great self-assessment tool, which looks to identify your ability to adapt to change, cope with stress, handle unpleasant feelings and make informed decisions under pressure.

How you can look out for your staff - domestic abuse campaign

Staying at home more can cause anxiety for anyone experiencing or feeling at risk of domestic abuse. As an employer, you can play an important role in reassuring employees that there is help and support available, including online support, helplines, refuges and local support services. 

Further advice HERE!

Find government support available to your business

You may be eligible for loans, tax relief and cash grants and can use a handy tool to see what support is available for you and your business.

Access the business support finder HERE!

International trade support for your business

Over the last few weeks, the Department for International Trade have been working to ensure practical support solutions are available to the UK's exporters and investors trading internationally. Their team of International Trade Advisers across the South West want to help you overcome barriers to trade and ensure your export strategy stays on track during the COVID-19 pandemic.

They've launched a COVID-19 webinar series to help UK SMEs of all sizes and sectors where experts will provide practical advice to help guide your business and respond to the challenges and potential disruption caused by COVID-19. Here's the latest Government guidance for UK businesses trading internationally.

Self-Employment Income Support Scheme open for applications

HMRC launched the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) last week.

Self-employed individuals or members of partnerships?whose?business has been adversely affected by?coronavirus will be able to apply for a SEISS grant worth 80% of?their?average monthly trading profits. The payments will be paid in a single instalment covering three months and capped at £7,500 – expected to land in bank accounts within six working days of each claim. 

Apply HERE!

Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme

The Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme will repay employers the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) paid to current or former employees. The repayment will cover up to two weeks starting from the first qualifying day of sickness, if an employee is unable to work because they either:

• Have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms
• Cannot work because they are self-isolating because someone they live with has symptoms
• Are shielding and have a letter from the NHS or a GP telling them to stay at home for at least 12 weeks

More information HERE!

Keep in touch and share your good news

We share business messages on our social media accounts and are keen to share good news stories too. So if your business and employees have gone above and beyond to help others please share and tag Swindon Borough Council and Switch On To Swindon so we can pass them on.

Support available to residents of Swindon

As a council, we want to make sure we are supporting Swindon's residents as much as possible through this pandemic. We have a package of 12 measures which you can read about and share with your staff via the Here For Swindon webpage.

There are also several things you can do to look after yourselves and those around you during this time, which you can find here. 

Find regular updates on council services here

Other advice available through the Growth Hub

The Swindon and Wiltshire Growth Hub has advice available for businesses in Swindon, particularly those who are not eligible for government grants but are still looking for support. You can find out more on their website and speak to an advisor.