In light of the ever-changing situation around Covid-19, we wanted to share with you what support and help there is available.
Clear Vision Support
We’re happy to support our clients on a case by case basis without charging. So, for example, if you are in an industry that has been severely affected already (for example travel, tourism, hospitality) we’d be delighted to help with some short-term cash flow projections or just act as a sounding board. Please let us know if you need any support like this and we can chat it through.
Although our office is still open It is likely that at some point most of the team will be working from home. All team members will have remote access to our office servers and telephone lines will be open as usual. Should your call go through to voicemail, please leave us a message, we will return your call.
If you need to drop something into the office, please call 01249 712074 before you leave to make sure there will be someone in to meet you.
All meetings going forward will be moved to the telephone or our video software, Zoom. We’ll ask what you prefer when we book the appointment.
Talking to several clients this week it is clear that some are already experiencing cancelled orders/events/contracts, supply chain issues and some challenges with cashflow.
Recommended actions you can take if you foresee experiencing some challenges with your cashflow:
Review Your Overheads
If you are predicting cashflow difficulties it is sensible to review your overheads in the business and pause any spending you feel may not be necessary at this time.
The first thing to do is categorise expenditure (both personal and business) into “essential” and “nice to have”. Once you have those numbers you can better appraise your situation and we can support you further with short term cash flow forecasts.
Contact Your Bank
Contact your bank, either your dedicated manager if you have one or your business call centre, to discuss your options should you need a new or increased overdraft limit, asset finance, credit cards or other forms of temporary finance.
Other Potential Funding Sources
Please note these are only a few of the options available to you and these do not form a recommendation by Clear Vision Accountancy Ltd.
Capital On Tap – https://www.capitalontap.com/en/
Funding Circle – https://www.fundingcircle.com/uk/
Iwoca – https://www.iwoca.co.uk/
NatWest Rapid Cash – https://rapidcash.natwest.com/
Satago – https://www.satago.com/
Government Support
In the Budget 2020, the Chancellor announced that a ‘Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme’ (CBILS) will temporarily replace the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG), becoming available over the coming weeks.
It will operate in a similar way to EFG and be provided by the British Business Bank, but will offer more attractive terms for both businesses and lenders, with the aim of supporting the continued provision of finance to UK businesses during the Covid-19 outbreak.
As it stands, we do not know any more than this. More information will be available in the coming days and weeks, please click on the link below for updated advice:
https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/ourpartners/supporting-business-…
HMRC and the Payment of Tax
HMRC have launched a helpline to help businesses concerned about paying their tax due to coronavirus (COVID-19). Again, this appears to be a “work in progress”. You will find more details below, but if you have any concerns about making payment to the tax authorities please call us immediately for support.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tax-helpline-to-support-businesses-af…
Official Guidance for Employers
For HMRC’s guidance for employers, please follow the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-bus…
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) Support
To support businesses experiencing increases in costs or financial disruptions, the Government will bring forward legislation to allow small and medium-sized businesses and employers to reclaim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) paid for sickness absence due to COVID-19. The eligibility criteria for the scheme will be as follows:
- This refund will cover up to two weeks’ SSP per eligible employee who has been off work because of COVID-19. Employers with fewer than 250 employees will be eligible
- The size of an employer will be determined by the number of people they employed as of 28 February 2020. Employers will be able to reclaim expenditure for any employee who has claimed SSP (according to the new eligibility criteria) as a result of COVID-19
- Employers should maintain records of staff absences, but employees will not need to provide a GP fit note
- The eligible period for the scheme will commence the day after the regulations on the extension of Statutory Sick Pay to self-isolators comes into force
- The Government will work with employers over the coming months to set up the repayment mechanism for employers as soon as possible. Existing systems are not designed to facilitate employer refunds for SSP.
The information above has been taken from the following source:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa…
Again, it is unclear how this will be organised and how quickly the payroll software will catch up with the situation.
We are more than happy to discuss your individual circumstances and advise on the best way forward.
We appreciate these are unprecedented and challenging times to be in business and we all face a period of uncertainty. No one can predict the future but we believe we can all pull together as businesses and support each other.
The Clear Vision team are here to help you. If you need a sounding board, some advice or a steer in the right direction, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Keep safe and well
The Clear Vision Team