Conservative led Wiltshire Council responds to yesterday's announcement from the government outlining a package of targeted measures to support businesses and jobs through the winter.
The measures include:
- support for businesses to bring employees back to work and save jobs with a new Job Support Scheme which will be introduced from 1 November. Employees will need to work a minimum of 33% of their usual hours and for the hours not worked the employer and the government will each pay one third of the employee's usual pay
- extending the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme to April 2021
- help for the hospitality and tourism sectors through a continuation of the reduction in VAT (5%) to end of March 2021
- support for businesses' finances and cashflow through an extension to the application period to 30 November 2020 for four government-backed loans schemes - Bounce Back Loan Schemes, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Future Fund
- changes to the terms of repayment for Bounce Back Loans and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans so businesses can repay their loan over a period of up to ten years
- new payment scheme to ease the burden of paying deferred VAT by giving businesses the option to spread their payments in 11 equal instalments over the 2021-2022 financial year
- more time to pay Self-Assessment tax liabilities
Philip Whitehead, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: "We are pleased the government has listened to calls to extend help for businesses affected by coronavirus over the winter months. These new measures will go some way to reassure businesses that support will be available to help them and their staff through these challenging times.
"We will consider the full guidance of these schemes when available and will feedback any issues or concerns we have direct with government to ensure we can protect Wiltshire's jobs, businesses and economy.
"We are committed to doing all we can to support businesses in the county and would encourage any business concerned about the impact COVID-19 is having on their livelihood to contact us as soon as possible for help and advice."
