Car rental exemption from business closures is confirmed

The Government has today published updated guidance on further business premises to close.

No10 has confirmed that the car rental sector was mistakenly omitted from the list of exempted retail businesses in the guidance published this morning, but this will be corrected later today, and car rental will continue to be exempt from closure.

Three-month extension to file business accounts

The Government has confirmed that from today, businesses can apply for a 3-month extension to file accounts with Companies House.

This joint initiative between the government and Companies House will enable businesses to prioritise managing the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As part of the agreed measures, while companies will still have to apply for the 3-month extension to be granted, those citing issues around COVID-19 will be automatically and immediately granted an extension. Applications can be made through a fast-tracked online system which will take just 15 minutes to complete.

Six-month MOT exemption introduced

Vehicle owners will be granted a 6-month exemption from MOT testing, enabling them to continue to travel to work where this absolutely cannot be done from home, or shop for necessities.

All cars, vans and motorcycles which usually would require an MOT test will be exempted from needing a test from 30 March 2020. This temporary legislation will be in place for 12 months.

Vehicles must be kept in a roadworthy condition, and garages will remain open for essential repair work. Drivers can be prosecuted if driving unsafe vehicles and should follow advice on keeping a vehicle in a good condition.

If you cannot get an MOT that’s due because you’re in self-isolation, the Department for Transport is working with insurers and the police to ensure people are not unfairly penalised for things out of their control.

Three-month driving test suspension

All practical driving tests and annual testing for lorries, buses and coaches have been suspended for up to three months.