New Local Restrictions Support Grant scheme opens for applications
We’ve launched the Local Restrictions Support Grant scheme after receiving over £7 million of Government funding to support local businesses.
This new scheme is aimed at those businesses required to close due to the national restrictions which started on 5 November 2020.
One-off grants will be awarded to eligible businesses to support them during the four-week closure and help them with the ongoing challenges presented by coronavirus. Eligible businesses include those
with properties with a rateable value of £15,000 or under will receive grants of £1,334
with properties with a rateable value of between £15,000 and £51,000 will receive grants of £2,000
with properties with a rateable value of £51,000 or over will receive grants of £3,000
We have also been awarded a further £10 million for the Additional Restrictions Grant, a discretionary grant scheme that will support those businesses required to close or have been severely affected by the national restrictions, but which do not pay business rates.
We are working up the detail of how to award the money to businesses in Wiltshire who are most in need of financial support and will publish these details and launch this additional scheme shortly.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme extended to 31 March 2021
This scheme, also known as the furlough scheme, has now been extended to 31 March 2021.
The government will pay 80% of employees’ usual wages for the hours not worked, up to a cap of £2,500 per month. This level of support will be reviewed in January.
November 2020 – claims must be submitted by 14 December 2020
December 2020 – claims must be submitted by 14 January 2021
January 2021 – claims must be submitted by 15 February 2021
February 2021 – claims must be submitted by 15 March 2021
March 2021 – claims must be submitted by 14 April 2021
Restaurants, pubs and cafes takeaway service extension
Restaurants, pubs and cafes will get automatic freedoms to provide takeaway services for another year, giving these businesses the confidence they need to continue to serve customers and retain their staff.
Is your Wiltshire business staying open or offering delivery/click and collect services during lockdown?
If so, let us know about it!
Please use Twitter to post a tweet detailing your services, add @wiltscouncil and #WiltshireTogether and we’ll retweet it to our 24,000+ followers!
Upcoming webinars open to all businesses
Swindon and Wiltshire Growth Hub are hosting the following free webinars as part of their ‘This Way Up: Leadership, Digital, Finance’ programme.
Data for Story-telling and Sales
Wednesday 18 November, 10am to 11am
Some simple and effective rules of data-driven storytelling that help everyone tell more compelling, evidence-based stories, whoever they need to convince.
Getting to know your sales
Thursday 26 November, 10am to 11am
Simple sales process providing a clear-cut method to making confident sales.
Building a confident Sales Strategy
Thursday 3 December, 10am to 11am
Even during a pandemic, a strategy can be relied upon to provide a clear direction for your business.
Free webinar – 24 November
There have been a host of new government measures announced recently to give people a route into work and provide a pool of talent for employers to draw on from Kickstart and Apprenticeship incentives to Traineeships and industry placements.
CIPD and SDN are hosting a free webinar to take you through:
These new initiatives
Short-term priorities vs long-term workforce planning – how could these initiatives support both?
Hear from employers who are drawing on these initiatives and the role they will play in developing their workforce
Hear from a Kickstart gateway organisation, working with employers to offer Kickstart placements and how this is working in practice
The webinar will take place on Tuesday 24 November from 3-4pm. Anyone unable to make this time can register for the webinar recording.
The National Careers Service is holding its next Virtual Jobs Fair on Monday 16 November 2020. Local jobs, apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities in the Dorset, Wiltshire, Swindon and Oxfordshire area will be promoted from 1pm to 2pm.
If your business has any vacancies you would like to promote, please email full details including links to marketing@adviza.org.uk by Friday 13 November 2020.
