The national restrictions end and the new Tier system comes into play from 1 minute past midnight on Wednesday 2 December 2020. The first review is scheduled for 16 December.
The Government’s decisions on tiers have been made by ministers based on recommendations by government scientists and medics, taking into account:
Infection rates in all age groups and in particular among the over 60s
How quickly case rates are rising or falling
The number of cases per 100,000 in the general population
Pressure on the NHS - including current and projected NHS capacity - including admissions, bed occupancy and staff absences
Local factors and exceptional circumstances such as a local but contained outbreak
The poster image below provides a summary of restrictions for Tier 3.
non-essential retail, including indoor and outdoor markets and car boot sales;
certain leisure and sporting facilities such as gyms, sports courts and facilities, leisure centres, fitness and dance studios, golf courses, swimming pools, riding centres, outdoor playgrounds – subject to the rule of 6. Indoor group activities and classes should not take place at tier 3;
personal care and close contact services such as hairdressers and barbers, beauty salons, tattoo parlours, nail salons, spas and beauty services, massage parlours and tanning salons;
public buildings, such as libraries, community centres and halls. They should not host events for private hire, such as birthday parties or most other social activities in tier 3;
allotments;
places of worship – communal worship can now resume, subject to the rule of 6.
All businesses and venues that are open are expected to follow these updated COVID-19 secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers.
Everyone who can work from home should do so. Where people cannot do so – including, but not limited to, people who work in critical national infrastructure, construction, or manufacturing – they should continue to travel to their workplace. Public-sector employees working in essential services, including education settings, should continue to go into work where necessary.
LOCAL RESTRICTIONS SUPPORT GRANTS FOR BUSINESSES
If you pay rates to TWBC and you have been closed during the national lockdown from 5 Nov to 2 Dec then you could be eligible for a grant.
All the information to apply to the Council is on our webpage including the link to the online form.
Furthermore, now we are to be placed in Tier 3, additional funding will be available for businesses who have to remain closed. Keep an eye on the Council website for information when we have it.
ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS GRANT FOR BUSINESSES (DISCRETIONARY)
The Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) funding pot was announced by Government to be distributed by Councils on a discretionary basis. This grant is to support closed businesses that do not directly pay businesses rates, as well as businesses that have not been directly ordered to close, but are impacted due to being in the supply chain for closed businesses.
Here is the link for the grant criteria and application form on the Council website.
If you would like to speak to a member of the Economic Development team about either the Local Restrictions Support Grant or the Additional Restrictions Grant, please email businesscovid19@tunbridgewells.gov.uk
THE KENT & MEDWAY GROWTH HUB
The Kent & Medway Growth Hub COVID helpline remains in place to help protect local resources and provide additional support to Kent businesses.
The hub sent us this update:
"...we have expanded our Team and have made the following additions:
Seconded a Trading Standards Adviser to assist with specific EU transition questions as well as general updates on Covid closure regulations
Engaged a Retail Specialist Adviser
Engaged an EU Transition Business Adviser to assist with customs, import and export questions.
To find out what is applicable to you join the free online conference about the transition plus LIVE Q&A with the experts on Wednesday 2 Dec 9.30am - 4.30pm.
The new rules affect many small businesses as well as travel to the EU. Make sure you are ready for the end of the Brexit transition.
This one-day online conference will be full of practical information and advice on what businesses need to do now in order to be prepared for the changes on the 1st January 2021.
Do you have questions that you would like to ask the experts?
Have you thought about this... or perhaps that...
Have you wanted to know the finer detail?
Now is your chance to hear exactly that!
You will also be guided through the jargon and complexities involved to ensure you understand what change is required including:
plans for keeping Kent moving;
how to export food to the EU;
trade transition and tariffs;
VAT and customs duty changes;
product standards, compliance and certification; and,
how Chamber Customs can take the pain out of customs obligations.
Government is urging businesses to take those actions that are essential whether there is an agreement or not at the end of 2020, such as engaging a customs agent and reaching out to the European trading partners to check on their readiness. A checking tool is available on the .gov.uk website to help you work out what you need to do for your individual circumstances.
The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has written to specific business sectors with tailored advice for key actions to take.
There is a forum service to support business and industry on the government website.
The Border Control Post (BCP) will be at Sevington in the borough of Ashford and thus under their responsibility. There are 45 information points across the country to help disseminate advice to hauliers, the Kent site is at Ashford International Truck Stop.
There are new grants for traders who are new to Customs, importing or exporting and who plan to hire an intermediary for their customs declarations. You can apply for up to £1,000 to train staff so they know what information to give to customs intermediaries. Grants for IT, training and / or recruitment are also still available for companies intending to do their own customs declarations. For more details, click on this link.
The Infobrexit Entreprises site, launched in partnership with the regional chamber of commerce, contains basic information on importing / exporting; customs formalities; tax; HR; and data. Businesses can also submit questions which will be dispatched to government services or business support organisations for a response.
Online events
Kent County Council Trading Standards and its partners have launched a series of events on the new legal requirements in force from 1st January 2021. Trading Standards warn that goods refused entry to the EU will leave businesses liable for costs of examination, storage and re-working. They may also face breaches of contract in cases of non-delivery. The webinars cover getting your goods ready for export (9th December) and a last-chance Q&A event on 23rd December. Events that have taken place for the food and drink sector and product safety can be watched again online.
3rd December – The French Customs Service will hold a webinar in English on how their IT solution – the smart border - and how to prepare to use it to keep trade flowing.
3rd December: The Department for International Trade will hold a webinar on changes that businesses need to be aware of when trading with EU and non-EU countries, with a particular focus on import tariffs and the Generalised Scheme of Preferences; continuity trade agreements; the WTO Government Procurement Agreement; export of Dual use items; trade remedies; market access barriers.
10th December – Food & Drink Federation – Brexit Essentials(£ non-members): This event will look to provide assurance on the right steps to take to ensure smooth trade and supply chains; secure the future of staff; and check regulatory issues.
If you are based in Hawkhurst then do email the Hawkhurst Business Group to join for mutual support
DESIGNING NEW VISITOR EXPERIENCES
Visit Kent and Chris Brant from Unmissable England took attendees through several sector based webinars to discover the essential ingredients needed to develop an unmissable visitor experience, identifying the opportunities for new experiences in Kent, allowing you to reach new markets and increase the success of your business.
This is the link to the recordings of each event, a downloadable copy of the presentations and any additional useful resources including our full product options analysis [pdf] which identifies opportunities for developing new experiences across Kent.
If you have any questions, would like to discuss how you can work with Visit Kent more closely or be involved in the Experience project, please contact the Visit Kent team or read the information online about how to apply for our Experience Development Programme - deadline for which is 8 Jan 2021.
Creating value through innovation
As part of Visit Kent's free Covid-19 Business Recovery Response Webinar series, the next session on Creating Value Through Innovation - in the Tourism and Leisure Sector is with partners from University of Kent and Santander on Monday 14 December, 10am - 12pm.
With the ongoing pandemic, tourism businesses have been forced to adapt and innovate in response to the changing guidance and consumer behaviour but how can you implement these changes in a financially viable way?
How do you set a price point, whist being careful not to price yourself out of the market but with nothing to compare against? With capacity capped, how does this affect the pricing model? Where can you add value and create new revenue streams?
This webinar will look at these questions, explore best practice examples and discuss potential solutions, with experts speakers including:
Adam Smith, University of Kent
Dr Juliane Thieme, University of Kent
Deirdre Wells, CEO, Go To Places
Tom Dixon, Managing Director, Canopy and Stars
Rob Russell, CEO, AC Group
Santander
You will have the opportunity to bring your own questions to the initiated discussions in the Q&A session. Register your free place.
LOCATE IN KENT - FUTURE FORWARD PROGRAMME
On Thursday 3rd December from 9.30am-10.30am join Locate In Kent for a free Future Forward webinar and get exclusive early bird access to their 2021 programme. Hear from their delivery team who will share top tips, advice and information about how Future Forward 2021 can support business success.
They will be joined by a team of industry experts, including top accountants from Kreston Reeves and Azets, an HR professional and marketing and manufacturing specialists.
Their experts will tell you how:
Investing in marketing can make a huge difference right now
You can become a processes guru and save time and money
To avoid getting sucked into an accounting black hole (nobody wants that, right?)
Future Forward 2021, due to launch in January, will be delivered by a team of expert advisers who will guide your organisation towards a plan for future success. Qualifying businesses will receive 12 hours of FREE consultancy to build resilience, carve out new opportunities and take on the challenges that you may now be facing. Sign up to join their webinar now
The West Kent Kickstart scheme is still open for applications.
This scheme provides funding to employers to create new 6 month placements for young people on Universal Credit or at risk of long term unemployment.
Funding will cover 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, associated National Insurance contributions and employment minimum automatic enrolment contributions. There is also additional funding for training to support young people to build on their experience and move into sustained employment afterwards.
Business that can offer less than 30 placements need to apply via a ‘Gateway’ that will submit a group of applications to the Department for Work & Pensions on your behalf.
This is being offered by a number of different organisations in the area which have slightly different offers for employers:
If you have employees who are having to self-isolate or you are, and are losing income, we urge you to take a look at the Test and Trace Support payment system as financial assistance may be available from TWBC.
