Coronavirus (COVID-19) Businesses and Employers Bulletin - 3 July 2020

This bulletin is issued by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and provides the latest information for employers and businesses on coronavirus (COVID-19). All coronavirus business support information can be found at gov.uk/business-support

• Maintaining records of staff, customers and visitors to support NHS Test and Trace
• Safer working guidance and the re-opening of businesses and venues from 4 July
• New Updates and Guidance
• Requests for Business Intelligence and Assistance

Maintaining records of staff, customers and visitors to support NHS Test and Trace

Businesses in certain sectors should collect details and maintain records of staff, customers and visitors on their premises to support NHS Test and Trace. There is a higher risk of transmitting COVID-19 in premises where customers and visitors spend a longer time in one place and potentially come into close contact with other people outside of their household. To manage this risk, establishments in the following sectors, whether indoor or outdoor venues or mobile settings, should collect details and maintain records of staff, customers and visitors:

• hospitality, including pubs, bars, restaurants and cafés;
• tourism and leisure, including hotels, museums, cinemas, zoos and theme parks;
• close contact services, including hairdressers, barbershops and tailors;
• facilities provided by local authorities, including town halls and civic centres for events, community centres, libraries and children’s centres;
• places of worship, including use for events and other community activities.

More information and guidance on the information to collect; how records should be maintained; and when information should be shared with NHS Test and Trace, is available here.

Safer working guidance and the re-opening of businesses and venues from 4 July

All businesses and venues in England can reopen from 4 July, except for those detailed here or those impacted by the Leicestershire coronavirus lockdown.  New and updated guidance for re-opening safely is available for a number of sectors:

• Food and drink: From 4 July food and drink businesses in England can reopen.  Guidance for people who work in or run restaurants, pubs, bars, cafes or takeaways is available.
• Hairdressing and Barber services: From the 4 July, hair salons and barbers will be able to reopen across England. See the Close Contact safer working guidance for more information.
• Guidance on the phased return of sport and recreation: Guidance for providers of outdoor sport facilities, personal trainers and coaches, on the phased return of sport and recreation in England, has been updated.
• Higher education: reopening buildings and campuses: Guidance for higher education providers in England on when and how to reopen their campuses and buildings has been updated with information on full opening from 2020, social distancing, demographic, library, social gathering, performing arts and student accommodation guidance.
• Guidance on General Aviation flying during the coronavirus outbreak: Guidance on General Aviation (GA) flying during the coronavirus outbreak has been updated in line with easing of lockdown restrictions to confirm that dual and instructional flights, and the opening of GA businesses, will be permitted from 4 July. The guidance applies in England and is available here.

• Protective measures for holiday or after-school clubs and other out-of-school settings for children: New guidance on protective measures for providers of community activities, holiday or after-school clubs, tuition and other out-of-school settings offering provision to children during the coronavirus outbreak has been published here.

New Updates and Guidance

New

Travel Corridor Exemption list: 14 day isolation lifted for lower risk countries

Passengers returning to or visiting England, from countries or territories detailed in the travel corridor exemption list, will no longer need to self-isolate on arrival.  This comes into effect on 10 July 2020.  All passengers, except those on a small list of exemptions, will still be required to provide contact information on arrival in the UK.  Find out more here. To receive specific foreign travel advice, sign up to email updates here.  Information for travel into Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be published in due course by the Devolved Administrations.

Local measures to deal with the coronavirus outbreak

Decisions about measures to tackle local COVID-19 outbreaks will generally be made at a local level, supported by the work of the Joint Biosecurity Centre, Public Health England and NHS Test and Trace.  The Government will work with local leaders and communities to ensure affected areas have the support they need.  Information on local measures will be available from councils and Business Growth Hubs in the areas affected. 

Information on the Leicestershire coronavirus lockdown is available here.

CMA and trade bodies' joint statement against price gouging

The Competition and Market Authority (CMA) and various trade associations have issued a joint warning as they remain concerned that some retailers have been raising prices unfairly.

Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act

Guidance for private companies and other company types and information on how the measures introduced will affect your filings at Companies House is now available.

HM Treasury extends tax cut to PPE costs

The temporary scrapping of VAT on PPE has been extended until the end of October. More here.

Updates

Coronavirus job retention scheme and flexible furlough

Businesses can now bring furloughed employees back to work on a part time basis. Find out more here.

Self-Employment Income Support Scheme

Guidance on the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme has been updated with new examples for how a business could be adversely affected by coronavirus and with information on how different circumstances affect the scheme.

What to do if you’re self-employed and getting less work or no work

Guidance for people who are self-employed and getting less work or no work because of coronavirus has been updated to include information on interviews and assessments. Find out more here.

Scheme end: Deferral of VAT payments due to coronavirus

The VAT payments deferral scheme ended on 30 June 2020 as previously set out. More information is available here.

Requests for Business Intelligence and Assistance

Offer coronavirus support

Tell us how your business might be able to help with the response to coronavirus by using our online service.

Share the impact coronavirus is having on your organisation 

Let us know how the outbreak is impacting your business.  Please send your intelligence, including information and feedback on the safer workplace guidance, to intel@beis.gov.uk. Commercially sensitive information will be treated accordingly.  Please note that this inbox is only for receiving intelligence and does not provide business advice.  

Help us shine a light on the stories of key workers 

Tell us about key workers you know that are helping to keep the UK moving during the Coronavirus pandemic. Please fill in this online form for key workers in the following sectors: manufacturing, construction, consumer goods, scientists/researchers, servicing, postal workers, and  oil/gas/electricity/water/sewage/chemical workers. 

Other useful links

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 

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