Lenders relax evidence requirements for coronavirus loan scheme applications

To speed up the provision of finance to small and medium-sized businesses under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, the largest seven SME lenders (Barclays Bank UK, Danske Bank, HSBC, Lloyds Bank, NatWest, Santander and Virgin Money) have stated that rather than relying on businesses providing forecasts and business plans in applications, lenders will use their own information.

While the exact details of the changes are still to be released, the moves should make the loan scheme easier to access and make the application process quicker.

Coronavirus testing expanded to include all essential workers with symptoms

Coronavirus testing in England has now been expanded to include any worker who needs to leave home to travel to work and cannot work from home.

The guidance has now been updated and the full list for testing now includes:

• all those working on the frontline in health and social care (with or without symptoms)
• patients in the NHS and residents in care homes (with or without symptoms)
• all other essential workers with symptoms
• people who live with essential workers and have symptoms
• people over 65 with symptoms
• anyone who goes into work because they cannot work from home (for example, construction workers) and has symptoms

Information is published separately for those in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

VED consultation extended along with nine other tax policy consultations

HM Treasury and HMRC have set out new timelines for tax policy consultations extending the deadlines for responses to ten tax policy consultations and calls for evidence by three months.

The Call for evidence on Vehicle Excise Duty is amongst the delayed consultations, which has now been extended to 3 September 2020.

The government’s position on publication of tax policy documents will be kept updated through the public consultations tracker.

Guidance for cleaning of non-healthcare settings

The Government has issued revised guidance for businesses on how to safety clean areas in non-healthcare settings such as:

• workplaces
• offices
• waiting rooms
• hotel rooms
• student accommodation

The guidance describes the cleaning required, the appropriate disposal of materials, the cleaning of equipment and hard surfaces, and the personal protective equipment (PPE) that should be worn.

Wages for furloughed staff are now being paid through the Job Retention Scheme

Those who have already made a claim should receive payment within six working days from when a claim was submitted, and it will automatically be sent to the bank account you nominated.

Those who have not yet made a claim can still claim online for a grant for 80% of your furloughed employees’ salaries, up to a maximum of £2,500 per employee, per month. You will receive the funds six working days after you claim, provided your claim matches records that HMRC holds for your PAYE scheme.

Please continue to keep furloughed staff informed and ask them not to contact HMRC directly.

BEIS hosts webinar on financial support for small businesses

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is inviting businesses to register to join a free webinar hosted at 11am on Tuesday 5 May to find out how small business can access the coronavirus business support measures that have been made available to UK businesses.

HMRC hosts webinar on Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme

HMRC is inviting businesses to register to join a free webinar providing an overview of the SSP rebate scheme, including:

• who can claim
• when to start paying SSP
• employees you can claim for
• making a claim
• keeping records

The webinar is being ran several times between 29 April and 1 May, enabling you to choose the time that best suits you.