Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Businesses and Employers Bulletin  20 May 2020

This bulletin has been provided to us by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

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

• Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) business webinars – find out how to make your workplace COVID-secure
• National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Covid-19 SME Guidance
• New Updates and Guidance
• Transition - the future relationship between the UK and EU
• Coronavirus - Requests for Business Intelligence and Assistance

Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) business webinars – find out how to make your workplace COVID-secure

The UK Government, in consultation with industry, has produced guidance to help ensure workplaces in England are as safe as possible during the coronavirus pandemic. Join a free webinar, hosted by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to find out more about how to make your workplace COVID-secure.

The webinars cover a range of different types of workplace settings which are allowed to be open. Many businesses operate more than one type of workplace, such as an office, factory and fleet of vehicles. You may need to use more than one of the guides/webinars as you think through what you need to do to keep people safe.

• Wednesday 27 May, 11am: Factories, plants and warehouses – Guidance for people who run factories, plants and warehouses
• Wednesday 27 May, 3pm: Restaurants offering takeaway or delivery – Guidance for people who run restaurants offering takeaway or delivery services.
• Thursday 28 May, 11am: Shops and branches – Guidance for people who run shops, branches, stores or similar environments.
• Thursday 28 May, 3pm: Vehicles – Guidance for people who work in or from vehicles, including couriers, mobile workers, lorry drivers, on-site transit and work vehicles, field forces and similar.
• Monday 1 June, 11am: Construction and other outdoor work – Guidance for people who run outdoor working environments.
• Monday 1 June, 3pm: Labs and research facilities – Guidance for people who run indoor labs and research facilities and similar environments
• Tuesday 2 June, 11am: Offices and contact centres – Guidance for people who run offices, contact centres and similar indoor environments
• Tuesday 2 June, 3pm: Homes – Guidance for people working in, visiting or delivering to home environments as well as their employers

National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Covid-19 SME Guidance

NCSC has today published guidance to support businesses moving from physical to digital delivery as part of the ongoing Covid-19 response. The guidance has been created specifically to support businesses who are relying more heavily on IT services to run their business.

The NCSC is committed to equipping all UK businesses with the best cyber security advice. The support package includes guidance on home working, video teleconferencing and spotting email scams related to Covid-19. All additional and pre-existing guidance for business can be found on the NCSC webpage.

New Updates and Guidance

New

Pick for Britain helps bring workers and employers together

The UK Government and Prince of Wales have urged students and furloughed workers to apply for seasonal farm work. As part of efforts to support British farmers and growers to recruit workers throughout the harvest period, the UK Government launched the Pick for Britain website in partnership with industry to help match up available opportunities with local jobseekers.

Check the tax rules on waiving your income or donating to charity

HMRC advice for people choosing to give up their income to support their business or donate to charity during the coronavirus pandemic.

Updates

Apprenticeship programme response

Updated with information on training and assessing apprentices in line with the Government’s new safer working guidelines, calculating wages for furloughed apprentices, off-the-job training, and redundant apprentices.

Capacity Market: proposal to relax the rules temporarily in response to COVID-19

The UK Government response to this consultation has been published. The response outlines how the Government intends to implement the majority of proposals outlined in the coronavirus (COVID-19) easements consultation. The easements will be temporary and only remain in place as long as necessary.

Transition - the future relationship between the UK and EU

The UK is in a transition period until the end of 2020 while the UK and EU negotiate additional arrangements. The current rules on trade, travel, and business for the UK and EU will continue to apply during the transition period up to 31 December 2020. New rules will take effect on 1 January 2021.To help businesses keep up to date, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy publishes a free, sister Transition Bulletin alongside the Covid-19 Bulletin for Business. Details of how to subscribe can be found below. The next Transition bulletin will be published on Thursday 21 May 2020.

Subscribe to the Transition Businesses and Employers Bulletin by visiting Gov Delivery Subscriptions: i) Add Subscriptions, and ii) check 'Transition Bulletin' to subscribe to receive regular email updates.

Coronavirus - 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

Some aspects of business support are devolved. Specific information for businesses and employers in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales is available. In England, Growth Hubs can advise on local and UK Government business support. You can also find helpful business case studies and other useful information on the Coronavirus Business Support Blog.