Applications invited for government's £500 coronavirus fund

Applications can now be made for support from the second phase of the Welsh Government’s £500m Economic Resilience Fund.

Economy, Transport and North Wales Minister Ken Skates released detailed information last week about this tranche of the fund, worth £200m, including eligibility criteria for businesses and charities to enable them to prepare to apply. The fund offers further financial support in dealing with coronavirus crisis and will be vital in helping organisations manage cash flow pressures. It has been designed to address gaps not currently met by schemes already announced by the UK Government, Welsh Government and Development Bank of Wales. This is a unique additional funding stream for Wales. The first stage saw the £100m Development Bank of Wales’ loan scheme fully subscribed in little more than a week with applications currently being processed. This phase is targeted at micro businesses, SMEs and large businesses of critical social or economic importance to Wales. Applications can be made through the Business Wales website. More than 120 Welsh Government and Business Wales contract staff have been diverted onto processing the many applications that are expected to ensure that money reaches businesses as quickly as possible. Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates said: “Funding from the second phase of our Economic Resilience Fund is going to be absolutely essential for businesses, charities and social enterprises in seeing them through this incredibly tough period. “Last week, I announced the eligibility criteria for the fund, and businesses have used this time to study whether they qualify for financial support. Those who feel they do can apply through the Business Wales website from today. “We will be processing applications as fast as possible and we have moved staff into roles for exactly this purpose - to get money out quickly to businesses who need it. “We are going to support as many firms as possible through this £200m tranche of funding, but I have been clear that it will not reach everyone. “We are doing all that we can as a Welsh Government and although we fully understand how difficult times are, we need the UK Government to go further and provide the money needed for Welsh firms, of all sizes, to survive and recover.” To be eligible for this second stage of support from the Economic Resilience Fund, businesses, charities and social enterprises, must meet criteria including: Micro businesses, including start-ups, employing up to nine employees could be eligible for up to £10k support. This includes sole traders employing staff. Businesses in this bracket could qualify for support from the fund if they: > Have experienced in excess of a 40% reduction in turnover since 1 March 2020 > Can demonstrate that efforts have been made to sustain business activity > Are not pursuing other forms of Welsh Government non-repayable grant funding support > Are not be entitled to business rate relief grant Small and medium sized firms with between 10 and 249 employees could be eligible for grants of up to £100,000 if they: > Have experienced in excess of a 60% reduction in turnover since the first day of March > Are not be eligible for business rate relief grants, or if they are, that amount would be deducted from their allocation from this fund > Have a sustainable business plan to trade beyond the Covid-19 pandemic > Confirm no future compulsory redundancies will be made as long as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is in place > Are not be pursuing any other form of Welsh Government non-repayable grant funding support Funding will also be available to support large businesses with more than 249 employees. Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis to consider where funding can be deployed most effectively to compliment other sources of support. The application process for businesses qualifying for financial support from the Economic Resilience Fund can be found at: https://fundchecker.businesswales.gov.wales

Councillor notifies of changes to T3 bus timings

Llangollen county councillor Graham Timms has sent over the following information about timetable changes next week to the T3 bus service, run by Lloyds Coaches, which runs through town:

Report illegal fly-tippers to us urges county council

Don’t waste our time with waste crime – that’s the message from Denbighshire County Council as it responds to a national increase in fly-tipping across the country.

Some local authorities across the UK have seen examples of fly-tipping during the current coronavirus outbreak and resources that are already stretched to the limit are having to take action to clear areas from the rubbish being dumped by a minority of people.

There are also concerns nationally about some companies using coronavirus as a reason to provide illegal waste removal services and targeting households with offers to dispose of rubbish.

Councillor Brian Jones, Cabinet Lead Member for Waste, Transport and the Environment,  said: “Fly-tipping is a blight on the county’s landscape when it happens and it’s an issue that has been raised by our residents as one of the main issues they would like us to address.

“We are so fortunate to live in such beautiful surroundings and the vast majority of Denbighshire residents act responsibly and do not dump waste in areas such as fields, roadsides and open countryside.

“However, the council has dealt with incidents of fly-tipping in the past, caused  by a minority of individuals who think it’s acceptable to dump waste wherever they want. It’s against the law and will not be tolerated in Denbighshire.

“We are also concerned about some individuals who offer to remove waste illegally and use the situation with coronavirus as a reason for making money. 

"Residents who are arranging such services should ask the companies to show their waste carriers licence, to obtain a receipt and to find out where the waste is heading.  

"All waste must to be taken to a licensed site. If the company cannot provide these details then residents should get in touch with the council.

“We fully recognise that law-abiding residents will be frustrated that our waste and recycling parks are closed and the recent good weather has promoted people to have a clear out at home.  We are asking people to be patient. 

"We are in unprecedented times and we are all needing to live with changes which can be frustrating, but essential if we are to play our part in protecting our communities from spread of coronavirus."

If anyone knows of individuals or incidents of fly-tipping, they should contact the council on 01824 706000, or report it online: www.denbighshire.gov.uk

Latest Citizens Advice column

Q: My income has dropped due to coronavirus and I’m struggling to keep up with all of my bills. I rent my house from a private landlord and pay all the usual bills - electricity, water, and Council Tax. How best can I juggle them, and is there any help I can get from the government?

A: If your income is reduced because of coronavirus, you should check whether you’re entitled to sick pay or to claim benefits. You can check your eligibility for both sick pay and benefits on the Citizens Advice website.  If you’re already on existing benefits, these might also increase.

If you’re struggling to pay rent, talk to your landlord straight away. You should explain the situation and could ask for more time to pay, a temporary reduction in rent, or ask to catch up any missed payments by instalments. If you contact your nearest Citizens Advice an adviser can help you explain things to your landlord. If you can’t come to an agreement with your landlord, it’s a good idea to pay what you can afford and keep a record of what you offered.

The government passed an emergency law which means landlords have to give you three months notice to end certain tenancy types from 26 March. The court service has suspended all possession action for 90 days from 27 March. This means that even if you have been served a notice for eviction it’s unlikely it can be enforced during this time. You can find out more about what to do if you’re being evicted for rent arrears on the Citizens Advice website.

If you already claim Housing Benefit, you should tell the council your income has reduced. If you don’t claim it already, you might be entitled to help with housing costs from the government.

When it comes to your utilities, you should contact the provider as soon as possible. Depending on the type of bill, they may be able to arrange a payment plan, or have schemes in place for people in financial hardship. You should also talk to your local council, as your income has changed you might be entitled to a council tax reduction.

If you’re struggling to pay multiple bills, it’s important to sort out what’s known as ‘priority bills’ like energy bills or council tax over credit card bills. This is because the immediate consequences of not paying these things are much more serious. Citizens Advice website can help you with this.

Businesses urged to take advantage of government funding

Denbighshire businesses are being encouraged to take advantage of a Welsh Government funding scheme.

The Economic Resilience Fund has been created to address gaps not currently met by schemes previously announced by the UK Government, Welsh Government and the Development Bank of Wales, and is a unique additional funding stream for Wales.

The current phase of the fund, worth £300 million, is targeted at micro businesses, SMEs and large businesses of critical social or economic importance to Wales.

Cllr Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire County Council and Lead Member for the Economy, said: “I would encourage Denbighshire businesses to take advantage of this fund as soon as possible.

“This is additional support on offer from the Welsh Government and covers some of those businesses not previously eligible. The funding is limited, so it is vital Denbighshire businesses make their applications as soon as they can.

“We have been working with the Welsh Government to ensure the county’s businesses are being heard at this time and that the right support is being made available.”

More than 6,000 grant applications were received by the Welsh Government within the first 24 hours of this phase of the fund, which offers grants of up to 10,000 for micro-enterprises and up to 100,000 for SMEs and is designed to get money to businesses with the minimum of delay.

* To apply visit https://fundchecker.businesswales.gov.wales/

Consider use of accommodation sites before calling police

North Wales Police and Denbighshire County Council are reminding residents that some caravan sites, hotels and guest houses in the region may be accommodating key workers or vulnerable people during the current coronavirus outbreak.

They say reports have been received that some of these locations are still being used in but point out that councils have the ability to agree exemptions to allow certain groups of people to live in these locations on a temporary basis.

Councillor Mark Young, Denbighshire’s Cabinet Lead Member for Safer Communities, said: “We applaud the fact that people are being vigilant and want to do the right thing for the health and well-being of local residents and communities.  

"The majority of these locations should be closed, but in some cases, it has been agreed for them to provide temporary accommodation."

Sgt Beth Jones said: “We understand that people are concerned in the current situation, as a result we are working with our partners to ensure the public have an easy to follow reporting method.  

"By reporting these concerns directly to the council they will be dealt with by the right authority quickly and will reduce the demand on the police control room for non-policing matters. We would like to thank the public for their support and understanding during these unprecedented times.”

* Anyone who is concerned that businesses are operating without prior agreement of the councils, they should contact Denbighshire County Council on 01824 706000 or 0300 123 30 68 outside normal office hours.

If you think that a shop or a business is open to the public in contravention of government guidelines or is not operating safe distancing regulations then again you are asked to contact the county council.

If you see a gathering of people who are not from members of the same family or currently living together either in a public place or at a private venue then notify North Wales Police immediately on 101.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme goes live today

The UK Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme went live today, with businesses able to claim up to £2,500 a month towards staff wages.

Employers can apply for direct cash grants through HMRC’s new online portal - with the money expected to land in their bank accounts within six working days.

The job retention scheme, announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak as part of a package of support to protect jobs and businesses, allows employers to claim for a cash grant of up to 80% of a furloughed employees wages, capped at £2,500 a month.

Millions of people across the UK are expected to benefit from the scheme, with businesses including Pret a Manger, Brewdog and Timpsons using it to ensure staff keep their jobs and are paid whilst many high street businesses are closed.

HMRC’s easy to use portal has a step by step application process and up to 5,000 staff will be manning phone lines and webchat services to ensure any questions can be answered.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said:

Our unprecedented job retention scheme will protect millions of jobs across the country and is now up and running.

It’s vital that our economy gets up and running again as soon as it’s safe – and this scheme will allow that to happen.

Last week the Chancellor announced the scheme will be extended for a further month until the end of June, to reflect continuing Covid-19 lockdown measures.

Commenting on news that applications are now open for the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Adam Marshall, BCC Director General, said:

The opening of the Job Retention scheme is an important milestone for businesses, who can now begin to access the cash they need to pay their staff and protect livelihoods.

The government deserves credit for the speed, scale and flexibility of its response to the challenges facing our business communities. The focus should now be on delivering this support to firms on the ground.

Our research indicates that two-thirds of firms have furloughed some portion of their workforce. With April’s payday approaching, it is essential that the application process is smooth and that payments are made as soon as possible. Any delay would exacerbate the cash crisis many companies are facing and could threaten jobs and businesses.

Jonathan Geldart, IoD Director General, said:

These are immensely challenging times for the economy, and the Government is rightly responding with exceptional measures. This scheme is crucial to protecting jobs and ensuring the recovery, when it comes, can take off as quickly as possible.

We applaud the efforts of the scheme’s staff who will be working with businesses in desperate need of support, and we will continue to work with ministers to ensure that support reaches all who need it.

Rain Newton-Smith, CBI Chief Economist, said:

The Chancellor has already shown a willingness to do whatever it takes and act at speed during unprecedented times.

Rolling out the job retention scheme will make a huge difference to tens of thousands of firms and millions of people, protecting jobs and living standards throughout the UK.

Ensuring support gets to where it’s needed most – fast – is of the utmost importance.

We’ll continue working closely across government departments as thoughts turn to restarting and reviving our economy.

Emma McClarkin, Chief Executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said:

As a sector employing one million people, we greatly welcome the extension of the Job Retention Scheme into the summer. It will help pubs that are struggling through this crisis who are key employers in regions and communities across the whole of the UK. Rest assured the action taken by Government has prevented job losses.

To hear that the COVID-19 Job Retention Scheme portal is now live for employers to use is a welcome step too for our sector.

The Job Retention Scheme is part of an package of measures announced by the Chancellor to support the country through the coronavirus pandemic. He has already supported employers with a £30bn injection of cash by deferring VAT payments for the next quarter, has launched a scheme for the self-employed, loans for businesses and a rise in Universal Credit.