Coronavirus (COVID-19):
information for businesses

• New business rate discounts 
• Retail, leisure and hospitality business can ​​​apply for a business rates holiday for the 2020 to 2021 tax year
• Nurseries will get a business rates holiday for the 2020 to 2021 tax year. We’ll send revised bills to eligible businesses. 

• Businesses in receipt of small business rate relief can apply for a grant of £10,000 through the Small Business Grant Scheme
• Retail, leisure and hospitality businesses can apply for a grant of £10,000 or £25,000 depending on your business's rateable valueThe Small Business 
• The Small Business Discretionary Grant application process is open again with the deadline midnight Sunday 19 July. If you've applied in round 1, we'll contact you soon to inform you of the outcome. 

You may also be able to apply for a loan or grant through the:

• Bounce Back Loans scheme (GOV.UK), government-backed loans of £2,000 to £50,000 for small and medium businesses, interest free for 12 months
• Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (GOV.UK)
• COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility, help for large businesses through the purchase of their short-term debt (GOV.UK)
• government Future Fund
• Heritage Emergency Fund
• Sport England Community Emergency Fund
• Musicians' Union Coronavirus Hardship Fund
• Princes Trust and Natwest Enterprise Relief Fund
• Innovate UK, to help fund new ways to tackle global disruption
• Food Redistribution Fund
• National Lottery Community Fund, for organisations supporting people and communities affected by COVID-19

Read guidance for:

• working safely during coronavirus on GOV.UK
• health professionals on GOV.UK
• adult care providers
• suppliers to the council
• food businesses on GOV.UK
• businesses that want to offer takeaways and deliveries
• rules that have been relaxed make it easier for businesses to keep working on GOV.UK

GOV.UK has information about support for businesses, including:

• the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ('furloughing' workers)
• deferring VAT payments
• deferring income tax payments due through Self Assessment
• applying for more time to file your company's accounts with Companies House
• paying sick pay to employees (statutory sick pay relief package for SMEs)
• what to do if you can't pay your tax bill on time
• support for larger firms through the COVID-19 Corporate Financing Facility
• protecting high street businesses from aggressive rent collection and closure

Use the GOV.UK coronavirus business support finder to find out what support your business is eligible for.

The OutSet Micro-Business Covid-19 programme can offer support and guidance to businesses with fewer than 10 employees, including the self employed and freelancers.

Licences

Taxi licences: if your vehicle plate is due on or after 30 March, you can extend it for 6 months with no charge.

Premises licences: we're delaying collecting the annual licence fee for licensed premises that are due to pay it between 1 April and 1 July 2020.

Rent support

What is available for council business and community tenants.

Reopening

Read guidance for:

• reopening your business safely on GOV.UK
• working safely during coronavirus on GOV.UK
• reopening and adapting your food business on the FSA website

Hospitality businesses

• Guidance for reopening, bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants
• Ask to use outside space next to your business

Closures

Certain businesses must stay closed, in line with the government's order. GOV.UK has a full list of 

• businesses that must stay closed
• business that can reopen from 4 July

Tell us about a business that isn’t following the government’s order to close:

• call 0117 922 2500
• email health.safety@bristol.gov.uk

• Business West
• West of England Combined Authority
• The Federation of Small Businesses
• Enterprise Nation
• Creative England 
• Bristol Media
• National Council of Voluntary Organisations
• Voscur
• Bristol Food Union
• Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS)
• Bectu: the union for creative ambition
• Musicians' Union
• UK Hospitality
• Night Time Industries Association
• The British Institute of Innkeeping
• Equity 

Find out about:

• ‘furloughing’ staff through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme on GOV.UK: HMRC will reimburse 80% of wages for staff who’ve had to stop working but are still on the pay roll
• support with paying sick pay for staff who've been off work because of COVID-19, if you have fewer than 250 employees 

If you can’t work because you’ve had symptoms of COVID-19 or have self isolated, you can apply for:

• Universal Credit (UC) (GOV.UK)
• new style Employment and Support Allowance (GOV.UK)

If you’ve lost income because of COVID-19, you can apply for:

• the Self employment Income Support Scheme (GOV.UK)
• Universal Credit (UC) (GOV.UK), if you’re not eligible for the Self-employment income support scheme

GOV.UK has information about:

• deferring Self Assessment payments due on 31 July 2020 until 31 January 2021 
• support with tax that's due

Future Bright offers careers coaching, training and support to self employed workers whose ability to earn has been affected by COVID-19.

If you're looking for temporary or new staff, email ways2work@bristol.gov.uk with information about the vacancy and we'll help promote it on the Ways2Work website.