NEW: Support measures for business announced

The Chancellor announced a business support package to help those businesses impacted by the latest Omicron variant of Covid-19. 

UK wide, the Government is reintroducing the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme (SSPRS), for businesses with fewer than 250 employees. The scheme will reimburse the cost of Statutory Sick Pay for Covid-related absences, for up to 2 weeks per employee. Firms will be eligible for the scheme from today and they will be able to make claims retrospectively from mid-January.

England 

• Businesses in the hospitality and leisure sectors in England will be eligible for one-off grants of up to £6,000 per premises. 

• To support other businesses impacted by Omicron – such as those who supply the hospitality and leisure sectors – the government has allocated an additional £100 million to the Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) fund for local authorities to distribute in England.

• Final application and payment dates for the hospitality and leisure grants and the ARG will be confirmed in guidance published by BEIS.

• To provide continued support to the cultural sector, £30 million further funding will be made available through the Culture Recovery Fund to support organisations such as theatres, orchestras and museums through the winter to March 2022.

• Factsheets are available here.

The Chancellor also announced £80 million for the Scottish Government, £50 million for the Welsh Government and £25 million for the Northern Ireland Executive to provide additional support to businesses in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as they see fit. 

Scotland: New restrictions announced
 
New restrictions were announced by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on 21st December 2021:
 
• From December 26 - Limit on the number of people that can attend public events that will run for three weeks (including Boxing Day). The limits on people are: 
- indoor standing events - 100;
- indoor seated events - 200;
- outdoor seated and standing -500.

• From December 27 - People are being asked to limit contacts for a week. This guidance will be reviewed in the first week of January.

• From December 27 - For a three-week period there will also be protections in hospitality and leisure settings including table service only for venues serving alcohol, indoor hospitality asked to ensure on-metre distancing between but not within groups attending together.

• There is also advice to limit groups to no more than three households.

The Scottish Government has also announced a £100 million financial package to support businesses experiencing cancellations, the £100 million support package is broken down into:

• £66 million for eligible hospitality businesses. Eligible hospitality businesses that previously received support through the Strategic Framework Business Fund (SFBF) will receive a top up payment and will be contacted directly by their local authority. Guidance and eligibility for the hospitality sector is on the Scottish Government website.

• £20 million for the culture sector.  Further information expected soon.

• £8 million for food and drink supply chain businesses including wholesalers.  Food and Drink wholesalers can apply for funding through a re-run of the Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund in January 2022. Final details of the funding available and how to apply is still being finalised. Eligible hospitality businesses will be contacted directly by their local authorities and will not need to apply for support.

• £3 million for the wedding sector including the supply chain. Further information expected soon

• £3 million for the worst affected businesses in the tourism sector, including international inbound tour operators. Further information expected soon

• We are expecting further details of support for the events sector

• Further information is available on Find Business Support website.


Wales: New restrictions announced

New restrictions were announced by First Minister Mark Drakeford on 21st December 2021

From December 26:

• sporting events will be played behind closed doors, fans will no longer be allowed to attend either indoor or outdoor sporting events.

From December 27:

• Nightclubs will be closed 

• two-metre social distancing will be mandatory in offices, and 

• Measures including one-way systems and physical barriers will be introduced in businesses to protect customers and staff.

To support businesses impacted in Wales:

• A £3m Spectator Sports Fund will be available to support clubs and sporting venues affected by decisions to hold sporting events behind closed doors. Further details about the fund will be available following discussions with the sector

• The Welsh Government is making £5.25m available to assist Wales' arts organisations, museums, libraries and independent cinemas through the winter months

• The fund, which will cover the period from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022, opens for applications on Wednesday 12 January 2022 and applicants will need to have submitted an online application no later than the deadline of 5.00 pm on Wednesday 26 January 2022

• Further details about the Cultural Winter Stability Fund and how to apply will be announced in the New Year

Northern Ireland 

We anticipate further announcements about support for business in Northern Ireland. On 16th December the Executive said that they would meet again this week to review data and consider next steps.

Current advice is that indoor gatherings should have no more than 30 people present, and working from home is also recommended where possible.