We have seen a lot of business-related activity from the Government over the last couple of days and below is a summary of what has happened and where to see more.

Please go through the newsletter and if you need any assistance please contact us for clarification.

FACE COVERINGS TO BECOME MANDATORY ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Whilst we generally focus on business news it probably is worth reminding ourselves about the requirement from 15 June that face coverings are to become mandatory on public transport.

Government asks transport operators in England to make wearing face coverings a requirement of using public transport from 15 June to coincide with the next stage of carefully easing restrictions.

Bus, coach, train, tram, ferry and aircraft passengers must wear a face covering on their journey to help reduce the risk of transmission when social distancing is not always possible – with government also working with operators to ensure staff are provided with face coverings where appropriate.

Guidance remains to work from home if you can and avoid public transport where possible

See:  https://www.gov.uk/government/news/face-coverings-to-become-mandatory-on-public-transport?utm_source=40ae1908-c5b3-458a-9077-52bee4d260ea&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

 

TRADE CREDIT INSURANCE BACKED BY £10 BILLION GUARANTEE

Government to provide guarantees of up to £10 billion to Trade Credit Insurance schemes for business-to-business transactions:

  • Trade credit insurance coverage to be maintained across the market in light of COVID-19, with up to £10 billion government backing
  • measures will support thousands of businesses by protecting against customer defaults or payment delays
  • scheme is available on a temporary basis for nine months, backdated to 1 April 2020, and available insurers operating in the UK market

Trade Credit Insurance, which provides essential cover to hundreds of thousands of business-to-business transactions, will receive up to £10 billion of government guarantees, ministers announced today.

The Trade Credit Reinsurance scheme, which has been agreed following extensive discussions with the insurance sector, will see the vast majority of Trade Credit Insurance coverage maintained across the UK.

The guarantees will support supply chains and help businesses during the coronavirus pandemic to trade with confidence, safe in the knowledge that they will be protected if a customer defaults or delays on payment.

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/trade-credit-insurance-backed-by-10-billion-guarantee?utm_source=e0fde920-b2f1-4228-9a1a-4ec73b4641be&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

 

REVERSE CHARGE VAT FOR CONSTRUCTION SERVICES – DELAY IN IMPLEMENTATION

This brief explains that the introduction of the domestic reverse charge for construction services will be delayed for a period of 5 months from 1 October 2020 until 1 March 2021 due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the construction sector.

In addition, there will be an amendment to the original legislation, which was laid in April 2019, to make it a requirement that for businesses to be excluded from the reverse charge because they are end users or intermediary suppliers, they must inform their sub-contractors in writing that they are end users or intermediary suppliers.

See:  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/revenue-and-customs-brief-7-2020-domestic-reverse-charge-vat-for-construction-services-delay-in-implementation?utm_source=75b07870-680d-4d6e-8731-80576ee6a981&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

 

TRAVELLERS EXEMPT FROM ENGLISH BORDER RULES

This guidance explains who will be exempt from new English border rules introduced due to coronavirus. The rules will apply to travellers to the UK from 8 June 2020.

Some travellers will be exempt from new English border rules as set out in the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel) Regulations 2020. This means they may not need to provide their journey or contact details or self-isolate for 14 days after they arrive in England.

Similar rules may apply across Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

If you are asked to show a letter from your employer, you do not need to show a physical copy. For example, you could show a Border Force official the letter on your smartphone.

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-travellers-exempt-from-uk-border-rules?utm_source=b38e8922-a236-42b9-979f-c8cd753816b5&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

COMING TO THE UK FOR SEASONAL AGRICULTURAL WORK ON ENGLISH FARMS

Advice for seasonal agricultural workers coming to England to work on farms and their employers.

The rules on self-isolation for seasonal workers are different from those for other international travellers to the UK because of the importance of the work for food supply. If coming to England to work on a farm, you and your employer must follow this guidance.

Advice to workers:

  • Before you travel, you should fill in a form with your journey, contact details and the address at the farm where you will work and live. You must provide these details when you arrive in England.
  • You will need to prove at UK border controls that you are a seasonal agricultural worker, so you do not need to self-isolate for the first 14 days after you arrive in the UK. Read guidance on what you will need to show when you arrive at the UK border.
  • If you are a seasonal agricultural worker coming to the UK, you will only be allowed to leave the farm where you are staying and working in exceptional circumstances.

See:  https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coming-to-the-uk-for-seasonal-agricultural-work-on-english-farms?utm_source=57933eab-cb73-4e1c-9e55-beea218e8237&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

 

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR VOLUNTARY, COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL ENTERPRISE (VCSE) ORGANISATIONS TO RESPOND TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

The government has pledged £750 million to ensure VCSE can continue their vital work supporting the country during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, including £200 million for the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, along with an additional £150 million from dormant bank and building society accounts.

See: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/financial-support-for-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-to-respond-to-coronavirus-covid-19?utm_source=c55dbb0d-5c96-48d9-a8f0-7927e3d388c5&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

 

RURAL PAYMENTS AGENCY UPDATE – JUNE 2020 – ENGLAND

Read this update for information about Countryside Stewardship, Environmental Stewardship and the Basic Payment Scheme.

See: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/889862/Rural_Payments_Agency_June_2020_update_v1__final_.pdf

 

SHORT-TERM OPTIONS FOR HEALTH, WELFARE AND FINANCIAL DECISIONS

Find out about the ways people can make certain decisions for you or do certain things on your behalf:

You may have questions about how to make a lasting power of attorney (LPA) during the coronavirus outbreak. Read our guidance on making an LPA during the coronavirus outbreak.

LPAs take around 8 weeks to register. This includes a 4-week waiting period required by law. You can still make an LPA during the coronavirus outbreak.

There are also other ways people can make certain decisions for you or do certain things on your behalf that are quicker to get in place. These may be useful while you are waiting to make an LPA or if you’re self-isolating and need someone to carry out bank transactions for you.

You can only make an LPA or any of the things below while you have mental capacity to make decisions.

None of the options below are managed by us at the Office of the Public Guardian. We have included links to show where you can go for more information.

See: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/short-term-options-for-health-welfare-and-financial-decisions?utm_source=9c12c18c-25e8-4213-9ce1-f69c42fa7617&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

 

MAKING AND REGISTERING AN LASTING POWER OF ATTORNEY (LPA) DURING THE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK

If you want to make an LPA now, you can still do so while observing government guidance on social distancing, self-isolating and shielding.

See: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/making-and-registering-an-lpa-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak?utm_source=381577d6-3199-410f-b936-8f54e513da3d&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

 

 

GET A PAYMENT DEFERRAL OR DEREGISTER FROM MONEY LAUNDERING SUPERVISION DUE TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19)

If you are due to renew money laundering supervision with HMRC you can:

  • defer payment for up to 6 months
  • deregister if you stop trading due to coronavirus

This applies to all businesses with an annual fee due between 1 May and 30 September 2020.

If you continue to operate and carry out activity covered by the Money Laundering Regulations (MLR), you must:

  • stay registered with HMRC
  • meet your obligations under the MLR, to protect your businesses and the UK from criminal activity

HMRC will send you an email reminder before the date your payment is due, and you can either:

  • pay by your original due date
  • defer and pay at any time up to 6 months from your original due date

See: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-a-payment-deferral-or-deregister-from-money-laundering-supervision-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19?utm_source=c8876681-5bf7-465d-ade2-4912f86d239a&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

 

GUIDANCE FOR COMPANIES HOUSE CUSTOMERS, EMPLOYEES AND SUPPLIERS

Companies House has plans in place to maintain services for our customers and protect the welfare of our employees during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

If you file your own documents with Companies House this is an update you should read.

 

See: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-guidance-for-companies-house-customers-employees-and-suppliers?utm_source=a6827e50-a8e4-4cca-be84-ba52e93db670&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate

 

SCHOOL GOVERNANCE UPDATE – ENGLAND

Important news and communications from the Department for Education (DfE) relating to governance in maintained schools and academy trusts in England.

These updates are for anyone involved in school and trust governance who wants to know the latest messages from the DfE, such as:

  • governors
  • trustees
  • chairs
  • governance professionals
  • members

This is also for anyone else involved in the governance of schools and trusts in England.

Share this page with others who want to stay up to date with the latest news and guidance from the department.

See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-governance-update?utm_source=a9d22f60-310d-42f0-82ad-e0a481291e09&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_content=immediate