Chamber News

Companies to receive a 3 month extension period to file accounts:

Companies House have announced that businesses will be given an additional 3 months to file accounts to help companies avoid penalties as they deal with the impacts of COVID-19. Full guidance on applying for an extension can be found here.

Protection from eviction for commercial tenants:

Commercial tenants who cannot pay their rent because of COVID-19 will be protected from eviction. Further details are now available.

VAT Deferral

Further advice has been released in relation to VAT deferral.  Your VAT return should be filed as usual, but in order to ensure your payments are not taken automatically, direct debits (DDs) should be cancelled.  Government advice on VAT deferral can be found here.

UK Government Business Support website:

The UK government is supporting businesses and their employees through a package of measures during this period of unprecedented disruption. The Business Support website helps businesses find the right support, advice and information to help with the impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the support measures that are available. This website will continue to be updated as information becomes available. 

EUR1 Update

As from today, 9th April 2020, Mexico have joined Switzerland and Chile in accepting Electronic Signatures on EUR1s.  You can now apply for these online thorugh the e-zCert system as an Express application if you have the blank forms in your office – blank forms can be purchased from us £8.50+VAT (Members), £17+VAT (non-members).  Alternatively you can submit your application as Standard and we will print onto a blank form and post the document out to you.    Negotiations are still ongoing with other Countries to try and get Electronic Signatures accepted during the Coronavirus period.

Force Majeure Certificates – The Norfolk Chambers of Commerce is offering clients facing issues in the movement of goods due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), a Force Majeure Certificate. 

How to Apply

1. Email a letter confirming details of the force majeure circumstances and the scope of non-fulfilment of contractual obligations due to these circumstances, signed by the Company Director to export@norfolkchambers.co.uk
2. This will need to be backed up by documents by the competent authorities or verifiable sources attesting to the existence of the force majeure circumstances – please note this is not required if circumstances are related to COVID-19
3. A draft certificate will be emailed to you for approval
4. The letter on Norfolk Chambers headed paper will be stamped with the Chamber logo stamp and sent off to you

The cost of the Force Majeure Certificate will be £30+VAT for members and £60+VAT for non-members.   

If you have any queries please contact export@norfolkchambers.co.uk or call 01603 729706

Foreign and Commonwealth Office – UPDATE 09.04.20

The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office is providing a limited service at present for legalisation until further notice. If you have any queries please contact Julie Austin on export@norfolkchamber.co.uk regarding any legalisations you may have over the course of the next few weeks.

Pre-signed Movement Documents (ATRs & EUR1s)

Pre-signed movement documents (ATRs & EUR1s) submitted via e-cert will no longer be processed as the office has closed down. These documents could then be processed and ‘issued retrospectively’ when the office re-opens – we will then need transport documents as additional evidence for these applications.

We must stress that any documents posted to Norfolk Chamber of Commerce may not be dealt with in the short term until we can get a redirection in place. If you require to post documents please contact Julie Austin on export@norfolkchamber.co.uk to discuss.

Export Documentation

Documents processed through the e-zCert system will be as follows:

Express Service – any document received by 3pm will be processed and sent back the same day.

Standard Service – any document received by 12 noon will be processed and posted back to you.    Please bear with us if there are any delays in getting the documents back to you in these unusual circumstances.   We would suggest that you get your applications in as early as you can before the document is required so that you have them back in a timely manner.

Businesses must play their part to help limit the spread of Coronavirus.

Commenting on the Prime Minister’s speech last night, Chris Sargisson, CEO of Norfolk Chambers Said:

“As the UK goes into lockdown, ministers must be crystal-clear about which businesses can continue to operate, and those which must now shut their doors.

“The new restrictions make it all the more important that the package of financial support announced by ministers last week is delivered to firms and employees on the ground as quickly as possible.”

The latest government advice on staying at home and social distancing can be found here.

Guidance has been issued on the closure of all retailers that sell non-essential goods and other non-essential premises, as part of further social distancing measures. A full list of the businesses and premises that must remain closed is available. Takeaway and delivery services may remain open and operational. Online retail is still open and encouraged and postal and delivery service will run as normal. Retail and public premises which expect to remain open must:

• Ensure a distance of two meters between customers and shop assistants; and
• Let people enter the shop only in small groups, to ensure that spaces are not crowded.
• Queue control is required outside of shops and other essential premises that remain open.

The Government will look again at these measures in three weeks and relax them if the evidence shows this is possible. Everyone is instructed to comply with the rules issued by the government in relation to coronavirus, in order to protect both themselves and others.

On Friday evening, the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak announced a wider package of support for businesses struggling with the impact of the Corona Virus.  Including support to pay employee wages, deferral of VAT and tax.

Below is an outline of the support available, the eligibility criteria and how to apply.

JOB RETENTION SCHEME – UP TO 80% OF WAGE COSTS

Under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, all UK employers will be able to access support to continue paying part of their employees’ salary for those employees that would otherwise have been laid off during this crisis.

Eligibility: All UK businesses are eligible.

How to access the scheme

You will need to:

• designate affected employees as ‘furloughed workers,’ and notify your employees of this change – changing the status of employees remains subject to existing employment law and, depending on the employment contract, may be subject to negotiation
• submit information to HMRC about the employees that have been furloughed and their earnings through a new online portal (HMRC will set out further details on the information required)

HMRC will reimburse 80% of furloughed workers wage costs, up to a cap of £2,500 per month. HMRC are working urgently to set up a system for reimbursement. Existing systems are not set up to facilitate payments to employers.

DEFERRING VAT AND INCOME TAX PAYMENTS:

The government will support businesses by deferring Valued Added Tax (VAT) payments for 3 months. If you’re self-employed, Income Tax payments due in July 2020 under the Self-Assessment system will be deferred to January 2021.

VAT – the deferral will apply from 20 March 2020 until 30 June 2020.

Eligibility: All UK businesses are eligible.

How to access the scheme

This is an automatic offer with no applications required. Businesses will not need to make a VAT payment during this period. Taxpayers will be given until the end of the 2020 to 2021 tax year to pay any liabilities that have accumulated during the deferral period. VAT refunds and reclaims will be paid by the government as normal.

INCOME TAX – For Income Tax Self-Assessment, payments due on the 31 July 2020 will be deferred until the 31 January 2021.

Eligibility: If you are self-employed you are eligible.

How to access the scheme

This is an automatic offer with no applications required.

No penalties or interest for late payment will be charged in the deferral period.

HMRC have also scaled up their Time to Pay offer to all firms and individuals who are in temporary financial distress as a result of Covid-19 and have outstanding tax liabilities.

BUSINESS RATES HOLIDAY FOR RETAIL, HOSPITALITY AND LEISURE BUSINESSES  

We will introduce a business rates holiday for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England for the 2020 to 2021 tax year.

Businesses that received the retail discount in the 2019 to 2020 tax year will be rebilled by their local authority as soon as possible.

Eligibility – You are eligible for the business rates holiday if:

• your business is based in England
• your business is in the retail, hospitality and/or leisure sector

Properties that will benefit from the relief will be occupied hereditaments that are wholly or mainly being used:

• as shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues
• for assembly and leisure
• as hotels, guest & boarding premises and self-catering accommodation

How to access the scheme

There is no action for you. This will apply to your next council tax bill in April 2020. However, local authorities may have to reissue your bill automatically to exclude the business rate charge. They will do this as soon as possible.

You can estimate the business rate charge you will no longer have to pay this year using the business rates calculator.

Further guidance for local authorities is available in the expanded retail discount guidance.

CASH GRANTS FOR RETAIL, HOSPITALITY AND LEISURE BUSINESSES 

The Retail and Hospitality Grant Scheme provides businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors with a cash grant of up to £25,000 per property.

For businesses in these sectors with a rateable value of under £15,000, they will receive a grant of £10,000.

For businesses in these sectors with a rateable value of between £15,001 and £51,000, they will receive a grant of £25,000.

Eligibility – You are eligible for the grant if:

• your business is based in England
• your business is in the retail, hospitality and/or leisure sector

Properties that will benefit from the relief will be occupied hereditaments that are wholly or mainly being used:

• as shops, restaurants, cafes, drinking establishments, cinemas and live music venues
• for assembly and leisure
• as hotels, guest and boarding premises and self-catering accommodation

How to access the scheme

You do not need to do anything. Your local authority will write to you if you are eligible for this grant.

Guidance for local authorities on the scheme will be provided shortly.

Any enquiries on eligibility for, or provision of, the reliefs and grants should be directed to the relevant local authority. Find your local authority.

SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES THAT PAY LITTLE OR NO BUSINESS RATES

The government will provide additional Small Business Grant Scheme funding for local authorities to support small businesses that already pay little or no business rates because of small business rate relief (SBBR), rural rate relief (RRR) and tapered relief. This will provide a one-off grant of £10,000 to eligible businesses to help meet their ongoing business costs.

Eligibility – You are eligible if:

• your business is based in England
• you are a small business and already receive SBBR and/or RRR
• you are a business that occupies property

How to access the scheme

You do not need to do anything. Your local authority will write to you if you are eligible for this grant.

Guidance for local authorities on the scheme will be provided shortly.

Any enquiries on eligibility for, or provision of, the reliefs and grants should be directed to the relevant local authority.  Find your local authority.

CORONAVIRUS BUSINESS INTERRUPTION LOAN SCHEME 

A new temporary Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, delivered by the British Business Bank, will launch early next week to support primarily small and medium-sized businesses to access bank lending and overdrafts.

The government will provide lenders with a guarantee of 80% on each loan (subject to a per-lender cap on claims) to give lenders further confidence in continuing to provide finance to SMEs. The government will not charge businesses or banks for this guarantee, and the Scheme will support loans of up to £5 million in value.

Businesses can access the first 12 months of that finance interest free, as government will cover the first 12 months of interest payments.

Eligibility – You are eligible for the scheme if:

• your business is UK based, with turnover of no more than £45 million per year
• your business meets the other British Business Bank eligibility criteria

How to access the scheme

The full rules of the Scheme and the list of accredited lenders is available on the British Business Bank website. All the major banks will offer the Scheme once it has launched. There are 40 accredited providers in all.

You should talk to your bank or finance provider (not the British Business Bank) as soon as possible and discuss your business plan with them. This will help your finance provider to act quickly once the Scheme has launched. If you have an existing loan with monthly repayments you may want to ask for a repayment holiday to help with cash flow.

The scheme will be available week commencing 23 March.

SUPPORT FOR LARGER FIRMS – CORPORATE FINANCING FACILITY 

Under the new Covid-19 Corporate Financing Facility, the Bank of England will buy short term debt from larger companies.

This will support your company if it has been affected by a short-term funding squeeze, and allow you to finance your short-term liabilities.  It will also support corporate finance markets overall and ease the supply of credit to all firms.

Eligibility – All UK businesses are eligible.

How to access the scheme

The scheme will be available early in week beginning 23 March 2020.

We will provide information on how to access the scheme here shortly.

More information is available from the Bank of England.

TAX TIME TO PAY SERVICE 

All businesses and self-employed people in financial distress, and with outstanding tax liabilities, may be eligible to receive support with their tax affairs through HMRC’s Time To Pay service.

These arrangements are agreed on a case-by-case basis and are tailored to individual circumstances and liabilities.

Eligibility – You are eligible if your business:

• pays tax to the UK government
• has outstanding tax liabilities

How to access the scheme

If you have missed a tax payment or you might miss your next payment due to COVID-19, please call HMRC’s dedicated helpline: 0800 0159 559.

If you’re worried about a future payment, please call them nearer the time.

For full details on all the government support available click here.

NEW ANGLIA GROWTH HUB

Another source of support for your business is the New Anglia Growth Hub.  It is Government funded and ready to offer free advice to all businesses in Norfolk.  If you feel your business has been affected by Coronavirus, whether you are experiencing supply chain issues, order or booking cancellations, a reduction in sales, or any other challenge, contact the Growth Hub to speak to one of our qualified business advisers.

Email growthhub@newanglia.co.uk or telephone 0300 333 6536 (Mon- Fri 9am-5pm)

Greater Anglia have announced that they will be introducing a reduced timetable from Monday 23 March, as everyone across Greater Anglia works flat out to provide transport for people delivering essential services. With the coronavirus situation, customer demand has reduced, whilst staff availability in Greater Anglia and Network Rail Anglia has also started to be affected, making changes to the timetable necessary – as they need to provide a timetable that they can continue to offer on a consistent basis.

The timetable that will operate from Monday onwards is closer to a Sunday timetable, but with extra early morning and later evening services, to deliver an effective public transport service for key workers.  Reducing the number of trains in service also creates opportunities for additional cleaning activities on trains, and in depots, and allows more targeted cleaning at stations.

The service level will deliver enough seats to meet the current demand levels and the timetable will be kept under regular review to react to any further developments.

The entire Greater Anglia team is absolutely committed to keeping the region moving, while also keeping themselves safe.

Details of the reduced timetable are available on the Greater Anglia website.  An outline summary of the route by route frequency is shown below:

Half-hourly

Hertford East to Stratford

Southend to London

Hourly

Norwich to London intercity services

Ipswich to London (in addition to the intercity service)

Clacton to London – but no services to or via Colchester Town

Cambridge to London

Norwich to Cambridge – trains will not run through to Stansted Airport, so passengers can change at Ely or Cambridge for onward connections

Norwich to Sheringham, Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Norwich to Lowestoft

Ipswich to Lowestoft, Ipswich to Felixstowe and Ipswich to Cambridge

Thorpe-le-Soken to Walton-on-the-Naze

Manningtree to Harwich

Marks Tey to Sudbury

Witham to Braintree (shuttle all day with no direct trains to London)

Wickford to Southminster

Stansted Airport to London

Two-hourly

Ipswich to Peterborough

Greater Anglia have advised that will continue to do all they can to provide an excellent service for everyone who does travel by train and to support customers, colleagues and the communities they serve, during this challenging and difficult period.  

As schools are set to close their doors today (Friday 20 March) as part of coronavirus measures, the government has now published its list of ‘key workers’ whose children will be prioritised for education provision.

The Department of Education’s list of key workers includes jobs within health and social care, education and childcare, local and national government, utilities, communication and finance, food and necessary goods, public safety and key public services.  Click here to see the list of key workers.

Closing of the schools will also have an impact on businesses across our region, as firms look to balance maintaining their businesses with staff who now have to work out childcare logistics.  Norfolk Chambers are here to help and support.  Our team will remain available to you and continues to connect, support and give voice to every business in Norfolk. 

• Business Support: Norfolk Chambers’ membership gives businesses access to free HR, legal, tax and health & safety advice – much of which may be useful to you during the current COVID-19 situation. The Norfolk Chambers’ team is on hand to help you get the maximum benefits from your Chamber membership.  For more information: hello@norfolkchambers.co.uk or we have a live-chat facility on our website during working hours.
• Events: In view of the latest advice, we have taken the decision to postpone all events/training courses until the end of April 2020.  We will reconsider our position on events at this point.  In the meantime, if you are booked onto an event during this period, we will be in touch to advise you about your booking.  For any queries relating to our events, please contact hello@norfolkchambers.co.uk or 01603 625977
• Export documentation: This expert service continues to operate, but please note there may be a slight delay on the speed of service.  We would encourage you to consider using the electronic e-zCert system to process your documentation wherever possible.  We have also put contingency plans in place to ensure continuous service.   For any queries relating to this please contact: export@norfolkchamber.co.uk or call 01603 625977 and we will arrange a call back.
• Communications: All of our communications channels remain open to support members boost their customer reach and access support. For further information on using Norfolk Chamber’s website and accessing our social media platforms: hello@norfolkchamber.co.uk or 01603 625977
• Campaigning and policy: Norfolk Chambers continues to lobby hard on your company’s behalf. We very much welcome any feedback that you may have on how Covid-19 is impacting on your business and also suggestions of what the Government could do to help you to navigate this difficult period.  Please contact Nova Fairbank on email: nova.fairbank@norfolkchambers.co.uk or Tel: 01603 729713.

As you are aware, the response to Coronavirus/COVID-19 means that the advice to business is likely to change.  We will ensure that Norfolk Chambers keeps you updated as the situation changes.  The latest advice from Government on what businesses need to do and the support available to them can be found here.

A new virtual networking hour to help businesses to promote their products, services and expertise is being launched by Norfolk Chambers of Commerce from Tuesday 23 March 2020. 

The #NorfolkChamberHour on Twitter is launching in response to the disruption caused by coronavirus, with face-to-face events cancelled across the region and many firms resorting to home working.

The networking hour on Twitter will take place each day between 2pm and 3pm.

Businesses can network, connect and promote goods, services and expertise using the hash tag #NorfolkChamberHour.

The impact of coronavirus is likely to change the way many of us do business for the foreseeable future. It is important that businesses have a way to communicate with each other through difficult times and support each other.

This new virtual networking hour is a daily opportunity for businesses to log on and promote products, services and expertise that could help other firms and, in turn, their own during this uncertain period.

The #NorfokChamberHour will be operated from our @NorfolkChamber Twitter account

Commenting on the decision by the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee to cut interest rates to 0.1%, Suren Thiru, Head of Economics of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), said:

“The decision to cut interest rates to their lowest ever levels and restart quantitative easing reflects an increasingly dire near-term outlook for the UK economy.

“This may give a short-term boost to market confidence, but will have little long-term effect unless it translates to practical support for businesses. It is critical that the Bank of England works with financial institutions to ease cash flow challenges for firms on the ground in this increasingly turbulent period.”

As the overall Corona Virus (COVID-19) situation, escalates, Norfolk Chambers is trying to ensure the International Documentation Team can continue to provide you with a good level of service.  We have put a contingency plan in place, which will minimise disruption, but will involve some changes to working hours and our ability to turn around documents as quickly as we have previously done.

As of Monday 23 March, we will only be processing same day e-zCert ‘standard’ documentation between the hours of 8.30am – 12 Noon.  Any documents received after this time will still be processed, but will be completed by the following day.  All e-zCert ‘express’ documents will be processed between 8.30am and 3pm

Julie Austin, International Trade Manager at Norfolk Chamber said:

“We are advising all customers to use our electronic platform – e-zCert. This will ensure almost all physical interactions between customers and our documentation team are eliminated but that documents can still be obtained quickly and easily.”

Customers can apply for their documents through the system by:

1. Selecting which document you are applying for
2. Filling in each required box with information verifiable from your back-up
3. Uploading appropriate back-up documents to evidence information stated on the form
4. The document is then checked by us to ensure it contains all required information and matches the back-up provided by you
5. If everything is in order the document is then approved by us and returned to you via the system

The ‘Express’ function of our system enables documents to be printed at customers’ premises. Blank forms can be purchased by customers in packs of 10 and the documents are applied for, checked, and approved through e-zCert.

For all customers using the e-zCert system for the first time we offer a free checking service to ensure they are confident when using it for documentation. If you would like to move across to the new system we highly recommend registering and familiarising yourself with it prior to any escalation of the COVID-19 situation.

You can find up-to-date advice from the Government here, advice from ACAS here, and resources from Public Health England to display at your workplace here.

If you have any questions about the e-zCert system or our international documentation services please get in touch with Julie Austin, International Trade Manager on 01603 729706 or at Julie.Austin@norfolkchambers.co.uk

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak presents a significant challenge to businesses around the globe. Norfolk businesses who have been affected, or feel they are likely to be affected by Coronavirus, are urged to seek advice and the Government has supplied a series of resources to inform employers on the latest developments and advice on protecting themselves and their employees.  The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak outlined yesterday afternoon, the Government’s £330bn package of support for businesses.

 Below the key points from yesterday’s government briefing:

• Keen to boost science and research and get trials going and search for vaccine
• Will do ‘what it takes’ to support the economy
• Will support millions of businesses, jobs and incomes and will respond with urgency

1.  The government will stand behind small and large businesses – package of Government loans, £330bn of guarantees equivalent to 15% GDP.  Any business who needs access to cash, rent, supplies etc, available on Government credit.  If demand is higher, they will look to increase capacity.  Support delivered through 2 schemes (BOE lending facility, low-cost commercial paper) and (Business Loan Scheme rather than £1.2 million now up to £5m with no interest due for 6 months) – both available from next week.

Potential support package for airlines and airports – the government will look to help most affected sectors.

2.  For those in leisure, pubs, etc. – cash grants of £25,000 for particular businesses. Business rates holiday for all those in sectors (irresponsive of rateable value).  Cash grants increasing from £3k to £10k.

3.  Mortgage lenders offering 3 month mortgage holiday.  The government to work with other parties to help protect jobs and incomes.

For more information on the government support for businesses – please click here to access the government COVID019 Hub.

Commenting on the package of support, Nova Fairbank, Head of Policy for Norfolk Chambers said:

“Whilst the announced measures are on an impressive scale, we feel this is not immediate enough for most businesses.  Rishi Sunak’s announcements certainly involve big numbers in order to boost business confidence and support over the medium-term through loan guarantees.   “However, Norfolk Chambers’ members and the wider business community, especially in the most vulnerable sectors such as hospitality and logistics, need significant help with their cashflow now to pay their staff and keep trading.   “This means the government must implement a moratorium, of at least three months, on those taxes which will eat away at companies’ margins: business rates, commercial rents, NI employer contributions and VAT.  This would deliver an enormous boost to thousands of businesses. And unlike the administration of loan guarantees, this approach would benefit the business community positively much sooner.”

For more information on the government support for businesses – please click here to access the Government COVID-19 Hub.

The latest advice from Public Health England is that:

•  If you or anyone in your home has a high temperature or a new and continuous cough, then you should stay at home for 14 days.
• Everybody should avoid all unnecessary social contact with others and all unnecessary travel.
• Everybody should start working from home if they possibly can.
• Everybody should avoid pubs, clubs, cinemas and restaurants.

Norfolk Chambers are here to help and support:

Norfolk Chambers team will remain available to you and continues to connect, support and give voice to every business in Norfolk. 

• Business Support: Norfolk Chambers’ membership gives businesses access to free HR, legal, tax and health & safety advice – much of which may be useful to you during the current COVID-19 situation. The Norfolk Chambers’ team is on hand to help you get the maximum benefits from your Chamber membership.  For more information: hello@norfolkchambers.co.uk or we have a live-chat facility on our website during working hours.
• Events: In view of the latest advice, we have taken the decision to postpone all events/training courses until the end of April 2020.  We will reconsider our position on events at this point.  In the meantime, if you are booked onto an event during this period, we will be in touch to advise you about your booking.  For any queries relating to our events, please contact hello@norfolkchambers.co.uk or 01603 625977
• Export documentation: This expert service continues to operate, but please note there may be a slight delay on the speed of service.  We would encourage you to consider using the electronic e-zCert system to process your documentation wherever possible.  We have also put contingency plans in place to ensure continuous service.   For any queries relating to this please contact: export@norfolkchamber.co.uk or call 01603 625977 and we will arrange a call back.
• Communications: All of our communications channels remain open to support members boost their customer reach and access support. For further information on using Norfolk Chamber’s website and accessing our social media platforms: hello@norfolkchamber.co.uk or 01603 625977
• Campaigning and policy: Norfolk Chambers continues to lobby hard on your company’s behalf. We very much welcome any feedback that you may have on how Covid-19 is impacting on your business and also suggestions of what the Government could do to help you to navigate this difficult period.  Please contact Nova Fairbank on email: nova.fairbank@norfolkchambers.co.uk or Tel: 01603 729713.

As you are aware, the response to Coronavirus/COVID-19 means that the advice to business is likely to change.  We will ensure that Norfolk Chambers keeps you updated as the situation changes.  The latest advice from Government on what businesses need to do and the support available to them can be found here.

Responding to the package of government announcements to help businesses affected by Coronavirus, BCC Director General Dr Adam Marshall said:  

 “Businesses will welcome the scale of the Government’s latest response, as well as the specific support it is offering to some of the worst-affected parts of our economy. These measures could be a lifeline for many businesses across the UK who are now experiencing wholesale disruption as a result of the pandemic. 

 “The key to the success of these measures is whether they get cash to businesses on the front line, fast. Companies need practical details, at great speed, for these interventions to have the desired impact, and to reassure firms across the UK.   

 “Both the Prime Minister and the Chancellor were clear that the Government would do whatever it takes over the coming days to support businesses, their employees, and the economy. Further measures will be needed to help all firms and their employees meet this unprecedented challenge.”