Christmas Grants & Other Business Updates: 03/12/20

This week has seen the re-opening of non-essential shops and therefore there is no better time to ‘Shop Smarter Buy Local’ to support your local shops and businesses.  We have also been speaking to staff and have decided, for obvious reasons, that we cannot have a Christmas do this year (we hope we will be able to arrange something next year!).  Instead we are giving each staff member a sum of money to spend with local retailers, to ensure we actively support local businesses during this difficult time.  Please do what you can to ensure the Christmas trading period is a good one and buy local where you can.

Now to this week’s news. Please refer to our previous blogs for more detailed information:

• Self Employment Income Support Grant
  • HMRC systems are now open to make claims. Make sure you refer to last week’s blog for information on the conditions for the third tranche of the grant, as they have changed from previous tranches.
• Local Restrictions Support Grant
  • These grants will continue to be available for those businesses who are legally required to close (Local Restrictions Support Grant) and those that are not required to close, but are severely impacted (Additional Restrictions Grant)
  • We have this week received news that clients in both Mid Devon and East Devon areas have received monies from these grants
  • We published the details and sums available under the 2 different schemes (Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) and Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG)) in previous blogs and have been continuing to monitor the status of various District Councils. Still very surprised that a few Councils are not yet accepting ARG applications:
    • Teignbridge
      • Now accepting LRSG applications. Follow the Teignbridge link >
      • For ARG, still showing that they are putting measures in place i.e. not yet accepting applications
    • Mid Devon – Site is excellent, shows a helpful guide, and applications for both grants opened on 11 November. Click this link for Mid Devon >
    • Exeter City Council
      • Now accepting LRSG applications. Follow the link for Exeter >
      • For ARG, still showing that they are putting measures in place i.e. not yet accepting applications
    • Torbay – Now accepting applications for both. Follow the link for Torbay >
    • East Devon – Now accepting grant applications for both the LRSG and ARG. Follow the link for East Devon >
    • West Devon
      • Now accepting LRSG applications. Follow the link for LRSG West Devon > Please note that site says they have been experiencing problems with the application form due to high demand
      • Now accepting ARG applications. Follow the link for ARG West Devon >
    • Torridge
      • Now accepting LRSG applications. Follow the LRSG Torridge link >
      • Now accepting ARG applications. Follow the ARG Torridge link >
    • If you want us to monitor any other Councils on this, please let us know and we will include in future updates
    • If you have made an application, please let us know your experience (and the outcome!) so that we can update others. We know some have made applications and successfully received the grants as noted above, but would like to hear from other areas if money has been received. Let us know your experience.
  • Other News
    • Christmas Grant for ‘wet led pubs’ – The Prime Minister announced earlier this week that he is providing a £1,000 Christmas Grant to ‘wet led pubs’ in Tier 2 and Tier 3 areas. This is in addition to other sums, but details of the scheme have not yet been announced
    • Smarter Accounting Christmas Period Arrangements – As is normal for us, the Smarter Accounting Offices will close at some point on Christmas Eve (normally around lunchtime) and remain closed for the Christmas Period. The Offices will re-open on Monday 4 January 2021.

The deadline for the filing of 2019/20 self-assessment tax returns is still 31 January 2021. Currently 2019/20 figures are not being used in any of the grant calculation methods, however, it is possible this could change. Therefore, we recommend that if you have not yet brought in your records that you do so as a matter of urgency.

The Smarter Accounting Offices will continue to be staffed but will not be open for face to face meetings. We can always make other arrangements for video conferencing, telephone calls and at times garden meetings if required. If you are dropping off or collecting records via the office, please notify us in advance and wear a facemask.

Please be aware that we are reviewing our policy regards COVID 19 on, at least, a weekly basis.

Just a reminder, we provide more regular updates via Facebook. Therefore, if you want the latest news then like our Facebook page >

Best wishes and stay safe!