Westminster Business News 14 January 2021

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14/01/21

England is currently under National Lockdown restrictions. Cases of coronavirus continue to rise across London. It’s vital that we all play our part in limiting the spread of coronavirus by:

Following the National Lockdown: Stay at Home restrictions
Get tested and isolate if you, or staff, have symptoms
Remembering Hands, Face, Space.

Please visit the Government’s website for the latest information on restrictions and exemptions.

Key Updates

Apply for an Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG): This scheme is now open online for the first round of applications. There is a maximum of 2600 grant awards, over three rounds, based on one award of £2000 per business. The first round of 867 grants is now open for applications and will close once the maximum number of eligible, complete applications are met.

Central Government has based this funding on the number of residents, not the number of businesses per borough and Westminster’s allocation is limited to only £5.2m. The Council leader, Cllr Rachael Robathan, will continue to advocate for Government to make the funding mechanism fairer for Westminster businesses. You can read her most recent statement by clicking here . Due to the limited funding available, awards will be made on a first come, first served basis to eligible businesses that provide valid completed application forms together with all of the requested documentary evidence.

Eligibility Criteria: the Council has determined that the following businesses will be eligible to apply for a grant:

Non-ratepayers in non-essential retail, leisure, personal care, sports facilities and hospitality business (including, hotel and bed & breakfast accommodation & leisure businesses) which are effectively forced to close or have been severely impacted by the restrictions and have not previously received a Discretionary Grant Fund award from the council
Ratepayer or Non-Ratepayer businesses that supply (first tier) the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors and that have not received any other business grants from the council
Ratepayer or Non-Ratepayer businesses in the Events sector that have not received any other business grants from the council

For full details on this scheme and to make an application please visit our website by clicking this link. Dates of further rounds will be updated on the website and in this e-newsletter in due course.

Our City Inspectors team were out and about today as part of our programme to visit every shop in the city and to make sure safety measures are in place. We're pleased to see lots of signage reminding shoppers to wear a face-covering when shopping for essentials.

If your business is currently open to the public, we have created the following assets for you to print and display in your premises to remind people to shop safely by wearing a face covering, and informing them of the number of people allowed into your premises at one time, to enable social distancing.

Face covering poster
People allowed in store poster
Full range of social distancing signage

If you would like additional support or assistance, please visit our website or contact businessunit@westminster.gov.uk.

Businesses providing essential goods and services: As we enter the most challenging point of the pandemic to date, it is crucial that we all continue to do all we can to help limit the spread of coronavirus. Under the current national restrictions, businesses providing essential goods and services can stay open, including food shops and supermarkets. Below are some steps which premises must take to protect their staff and customers at this time:

✅  Complete a COVID-19 risk assessment and share it with staff
✅ Keep your spaces clean by increasing how frequently you clean work areas and equipment between uses
✅  Remind customers and staff to wear face coverings
✅  Encourage and facilitate social distancing by making it easy for everyone to do so
✅ Take part in NHS Test and Trace by keeping a record of all staff and contractors.

If you need to leave home to go to work, you can get regularly tested, even if you feel well. Tests are free, easy and you get the results in 30 minutes. Find out more at westminster.gov.uk/testing

Support for your Business

Free Digital Skills Training: We've launched a new series of digital skills training to support our high street businesses to digitalise their operations, generate online sales and deliver their goods/services during lockdown. Upskill your business today by attending this series of free training sessions, delivered by Three and Imperial Business College. The sessions will take place from late January to early February. Book your place today by following the Eventbrite links below.

One-to-one appointments: In light of the ongoing restrictions and their impacts on businesses, the Westminster Business Unit and Employment Service are offering dedicated, one-on-one telephone appointments for concerns in relation to COVID-19. Our business unit can help connect you with a range of support and advice to help your business at this time. To book a 15-minute telephone appointment, email the Business Unit at businessunit@westminster.gov.uk or call the phone line on 020 7641 2070 to arrange a slot with an Officer from the Business Unit.

Digital Accounting Masterclass: This free masterclass from Raj Grover, Xero Accredited Advisor and senior lecturer at London School of Accountancy, will bring you up to speed on digital accounting in 2021. The online session will take place at 10:30AM on January 19, 2021. Book your place by clicking this link and registering via Eventbrite.

London Business Hub Property Advice Service programme: Are you a small business looking for free advice on business rates, understanding your lease, landlord negotiations and finding commercial premises in these troubling times? London Business Hub are running a series of free webinars and one-to-ones.

Webinar dates: 9 February & 9 March 2021. Time: 10.30AM-12.30PM.
To register or to find more information please visit the London Business Hub website.

Self-employment Income Support Grant: This scheme has been extended. It aims to support self-employed individuals whose income has been negatively impacted by COVID-19.  The scheme extension provides support to the self-employed in the form of two grants, each available for three month periods covering November 2020 to January 2021 and February 2021 to April 2021. For more information on the scheme please visit the GOV.UK website.

For more information on ways Westminster City Council, the UK Government and the community can help, please follow the links below:

Whilst we are dealing with a greater volume of queries than usual, if you do need bespoke advice, don’t hesitate to contact our Business Unit as they may be able to help.

Visit the Business Westminster website