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COVID-19 UPDATE: Thursday 30th April 2020 (Issue No.25)

The Department for the Economy today published further information on the £10,000 Small Business Grant. They have published an online form for rental properties with a sole tenant and properties with a Total NAV of £1,590 or below.  

Further information is available below.

I have also provided information on temporary changes to the major application process, as well as information on two FREE business webinars organised by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). 

I hope you find these updates of value. If you have any queries which you can’t get answered, let us know. If I can, I will cover them in our next update.

You can contact me at:
colm@newrychamber.com

Stay safe.

Colm Shannon,
Chief Executive Officer
Newry Chamber of Commerce & Trade

£10,000 SMALL BUSINESS GRANT ONLINE FORM: 
FOR SOLE RENTAL PROPERTIES AND PROPERTIES 
WITH A TOTAL NAV OF £1,590 OR BELOW

The online form for rental properties with a sole tenant and properties with a Total Net Annual Value (NAV) of £1,590 or below is now open

Under rating legislation, the landlord is liable for rates on non-domestic rental properties with a Total NAV below £1,590.

For rental properties with a sole tenant and properties with a Total NAV of £1,590 or below, further information is required to ensure that the grant is being paid to the small business who occupies the property and not a landlord or letting agent.

An online form is now available to register for the £10k Small Grant or to provide further information if:

  • Your business is the sole tenant of a rental property where the landlord receives the rate bill;
  • Your business is the sole tenant of a rental property and the business receives the rate bill; and
  • Your business owns the property that it occupies and the property has a Total NAV below £1,590.

If you have enquiries about the £10,000 Small Business Grant Scheme, please call:

Telephone: 0300 200 7809 

The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm.

APPLY FOR THE £10,000 SMALL BUSINESS GRANT HERE.

DEADLINE TO APPLY: Wednesday 20th May 2020

WEBINARS: MANAGING YOUR BUSINESS DURING COVID-19

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is hosting two FREE webinars on managing your business during COVID-19, next week.

WORKSHOP 1: Support Measures For Small Businesses

Find out how small businesses can access COVID-19 business support measures that have been made available to UK businesses.

DATE: Tuesday 5th May 2020
TIME: 11am

The webinar will cover:

  • Eligibility for small business grants;
  • Applying for a loan;
  • Tax; and
  • Claiming for wages through the Furlough Scheme.

You will have the opportunity to ask questions during the webinar.

If you would like to put forward a question in advance you can submit it via email by Friday 1st May 2020.

EMAIL: sed@beis.gov.uk

REGISTER FOR THIS WEBINAR HERE.

WORKSHOP 2: Reporting, Regulations and Tax

DATE: Thursday 7th May 2020
TIME: 11am

The webinar will cover:

  • Right to work checks;
  • Filing reports and accounts; and 
  • Time to pay scheme.

You will have the opportunity to ask questions during the webinar.

If you would like to put forward a question in advance you can submit it via email by Tuesday 5th May 2020.

EMAIL: sed@beis.gov.uk

REGISTER FOR THIS WEBINAR HERE.

TEMPORARY CHANGES TO MAJOR PLANNING APPLICATION PROCESS

The Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has announced changes to the process for major planning applications, temporarily removing the requirement to hold a public event as part of the pre application community consultation. 

The changes will come into effect on 1st May 2020 and will apply for five months.

They will be accompanied by guidance for applicants suggesting alternatives to this important element of the consultation process.

Applicants will still need to comply with other requirements to ensure communities are aware of and can input to major development proposals for their areas, however, this will allow major planning applications to continue to be submitted during the COVID-19 outbreak.

You can find further information on the changes HERE.