Get Help and Support for your Business

Contact and advice for businesses from Ashford Borough Council - https://www.ashford.gov.uk/business/coronavirus-advice-for-businesses/

Support and advice to businesses from the Government -  https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support

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 Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme–extended until the end of October
• deferring VAT and Income Tax self-assessment payments for the self-employed
• a Statutory Sick Pay relief package for small and medium sized businesses (SMEs)
• a 12-month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality, leisure and nursery businesses in England
• small business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief
• an expanded business grants fund scheme, which is aimed at small businesses with ongoing fixed property-related costs. The Government has asked local authorities to prioritise businesses in shared spaces, regular market traders, small charity properties that would meet the criteria for Small Business Rates Relief, and bed and breakfasts that pay council tax rather than business rates.
• grant funding of £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with property with a rate able value between £15,000 and £51,000
• the Bounce Back Loans Scheme–a 100 per cent government-backed loan scheme that enables small businesses to borrow up to£50,000 and access the cash within days, interest-free for 12 months.
• the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to £5 million for SMEs through the British Business Bank, with no interest for 12 months.
• The Government has also announced measures to help people with the cost of living during this unprecedented time. Self-employed people can benefit from a three-month mortgage holiday, deferring the next three months of VAT tax, deferring income tax self-assessment payments due in July 2020, alongside further measures to protect renters and to help people with their energy bills