Next week, many of the present lockdown regulations in England are being relaxed. But cautionary guidance has also been published. It recommends:

1. Meeting in well-ventilated areas where possible, such as outdoors or indoors with windows open.
2. Wearing a face covering where you meet people you do not normally meet in enclosed and crowded spaces.
3. Washing your hands with soap and water or using hand sanitiser regularly throughout the day.
4. Covering your nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze.
5. Staying at home if unwell, to reduce the risk of passing on other illnesses onto friends, family, colleagues, and others in your community.
6. Considering individual risks, such as clinical vulnerabilities and vaccination status.

If anything has been learned in the last eighteen months, it is to expect the unexpected. Fingers crossed that the proposed relaxations in social distancing will not mean an unwelcome and unmanageable rise in hospital admissions.

Businesses in the hospitality and entertainment sectors will be holding their breath. Firstly, will government follow through with the stage 4 relaxations to COVID regulations on the 19th, and secondly, how long will they last?

Of course, there is no way of knowing. Which makes long-term planning difficult, but all business owners should keep a weather eye on the statistics on the coming months.

We recommend adopting a flexible planning process. Rather than fixing your financial plans, review and revive them on a regular basis. Key events that could impact your plans in the coming months could include:

• Continuing COVID uncertainties,
• Bank interest rate rises,
• Continuing supply issues as we become adjusted to the EU withdrawal.

If you need help creating or revising your financial plans, please call, we can help.

One of the largest fixed costs associated with business premises are rates payments to local authorities.

The present system for reviewing rates in England is somewhat antiquated, the last review in England was 2017.

The government had previously undertaken to move to more frequent revaluations, having introduced legislation to bring forward the next revaluations to 2021 – based on 2019 property values. Due to COVID, and to help reduce uncertainty for firms, this was delayed, with the next revaluation set to take effect in 2023 – based on 2021 values.

To regularise the process and move to a three-year review, the government are now undertaking a formal consultation that is timed to conclude Autumn 2021.

If the government are successful, perhaps we will move to a fairer and faster system for valuing rates based on the current use and value of properties rather than that applicable up to five years previously.

If, at the next rates review in England, your rates assessment is increased, you may be able to claim a transitional relief. This means that changes to your rates bill will be phased in gradually if you are eligible. Your council should automatically adjust your bill if you are eligible.

Additional rates reliefs currently available to business rates payers in England include:

• Small business rates relief
• Rural rates relief
• Charitable rates relief
• Enterprise zones
• Exempted buildings and empty buildings relief
• Hardship relief
• Transitional relief
• Retail discount
• Local newspaper relief
• Nurseries discount

Contact your local authority to make sure you are receiving any reductions to which you may be entitled. They will also be able to reassure you that you have had any COVID support grants that you may have been able to claim.

Employers will need to start contributing to work not done by furloughed employees from 1 July 2021.

The update from HMRC is reproduced below:

From 1 July 2021, the level of grant will be reduced, and you will be asked to contribute towards the cost of your furloughed employees’ wages. To be eligible for the grant you must continue to pay your furloughed employees 80% of their wages, up to a cap of £2,500 per month for the time they spend on furlough.

The table below shows the level of government contribution available in the coming months, the required employer contribution and the amount that the employee receives per month where the employee is furloughed 100% of the time.

Wage caps are proportional to the hours not worked.

You can continue to choose to top up your employees’ wages above the 80% total and £2,500 cap for the hours not worked at your own expense.

If you still have employees on furlough now would be a good time to engage in a formal planning process to work out how your business will manage the transition back to you covering all wage costs from 1 October 2021.

Realistically, this should involve preparing a business forecast for at least the next twelve months.

We can help

Let us help you prepare the necessary forecasts and consider your options.

1 July 2021 – Due date for Corporation Tax due for the year ended 30 September 2020.

6 July 2021 – Complete and submit forms P11D return of benefits and expenses and P11D(b) return of Class 1A NICs.

19 July 2021 – Pay Class 1A NICs (by the 22 July 2021 if paid electronically).

19 July 2021 – PAYE and NIC deductions due for month ended 5 July 2021. (If you pay your tax electronically the due date is 22 July 2021).

19 July 2021 – Filing deadline for the CIS300 monthly return for the month ended 5 July 2021.

19 July 2021 – CIS tax deducted for the month ended 5 July 2021 is payable by today.

1 August 2021 – Due date for Corporation Tax due for the year ended 31 October 2020.

19 August 2021 – PAYE and NIC deductions due for month ended 5 August 2021. (If you pay your tax electronically the due date is 22 August 2021)

19 August 2021 – Filing deadline for the CIS300 monthly return for the month ended 5 August 2021.

19 August 2021 – CIS tax deducted for the month ended 5 August 2021 is payable by today.

You must declare goods that you take with you to sell outside the UK – for example if they are in your baggage or in a private vehicle.

There is a different process if you take goods abroad temporarily (for example samples for a trade fair) or use a courier or freight forwarder.

Most countries have a limit on the value of goods you can bring in duty free.

If you are taking goods to another country temporarily for business reasons and you think you’ll be over the duty free limit, you can usually get an ATA Carnet to avoid paying duty. This includes things like:

• samples to show at trade fairs or sales meetings
• publicity materials
• recorded film and audio
• equipment you need for work like laptops, cameras or sound equipment
• goods for educational, scientific or cultural purposes
• personal effects and sports goods

If you are taking a vehicle, get a CPD Carnet instead.

If your goods have a total value of £1,500 or less, you may be able to make any customs declaration required online. Otherwise, you will need to make a full export declaration.

You will need to show customs your declaration before you can leave and if you are taking restricted goods, take the licence or certificate with you.