COVID-19: THE LATEST
For all the latest news and updates, visit our Covid-19 hub.
The Department of Health and Social Care has launched a toolkit for employers to help ensure employees get reliable information about COVID-19 vaccines.
Access the toolkit to get materials for you to run internal awareness campaigns, including key messages, posters, fact sheets and videos providing accurate, up-to-date information.
EU TRADE
If you are a UK business which trades with Europe, keep track of the latest changes and developments via FSB's transition hub.
NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES
Report: £25 billion small business tax admin burden
FSB’s new report on tax, A Duty to Reform: Making tax work for small businesses in a digital world, finds that tax admin costs £25 billion and 300 million hours for UK small businesses, and that the burden is higher for those firms which have switched to the Making Tax Digital initiative. We’re calling on the Government to protect small businesses from unfair profit-seeking behaviour from MTD software providers, and to nudge businesses towards relevant reliefs within the system. FSB National Chairman Mike Cherry said: “We’ve always said that – rolled-out in the right way – MTD could mean productivity gains over the long-term. However, for many of those who’ve already taken the plunge, the programme has so far yielded higher costs and greater complexity.”
Home Office online immigration services
The Home Office would like to speak to small businesses to help make their immigration online services easier to use for employers. If you have employed individuals who require a visa to work in the UK, used to in the past, or if you plan to in the future, your feedback could be really helpful in improving online services. You can help by signing up to take part in the research.
Self-assessment deadline reminder
The deadline for returning paper self-assessment forms for tax is 31 October (31 January 2022 for online returns). HMRC is reminding anyone who took out grants or payments from pandemic support schemes that they will have to declare these, as they are taxable.
Licensing rules change – private hire, scrap metal
The process for applying for taxi, private hire or scrap metal licences as of 4 April 2022 is changing, and HMRC has issued guidance for anyone whose business will be affected.
Cyber security webinar
FSB is holding a free webinar for small businesses on cyber security, in partnership with the North West Cyber Resilience Centre, on 21 October. There will be a live demonstration from an ethical hacker of how cyber criminals take advantage of security weaknesses. Sign up here.
Free STEM courses
The Department for Education is offering free places to study STEM subjects including Artificial Intelligence, Digitisation of Manufacturing, Digital Construction, Agricultural Robotics, and Cyber Security to working adults in England, via ten Institutes of Technology. Priority will be given to those working locally in relevant sectors, such as construction or healthcare.
NI imports guidance updated
The guidance on claiming a waiver on bringing goods into Northern Ireland from Great Britain or countries outside the UK or EU has been updated to explain that traders in National Cap sectors can now claim a waiver. There is also a new Customs Duty waivers form.
Corporation formation motivation
The Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has published a report looking into the reasons why people are motivated to incorporate a company, and the sources of advice they turned to when doing so.
Green finance gap
With just over two weeks until the COP26 summit, a new report from the Green Finance Institute has found that “a minimum of £44 billion to £97 billion in investment above current public sector commitments is required for the UK to meet nature-related outcomes in the next ten years”. The transition to a “net zero and nature-positive economy” will require significant private sector investment, the report says.
Joint and several liability guidance for directors
HMRC has published guidance for directors on joint and several liability notices for tax avoidance, tax evasion and repeated insolvency, following the provisions introduced by the Finance Act 2020 covering liabilities relating to any period ending on or after 22 July 2020.
Importance of role models
Research by Innovate UK and FSB has uncovered a gap in relatable role models for women entrepreneurs, and for entrepreneurs from ethnic minorities. Mike Cherry said: “As this research suggests, relatable role models have an important part to play in ensuring that the dream of starting a business is shared by young people in every part of the UK and from a fully diverse range of backgrounds. Without that, the UK will be failing to harness potential entrepreneurial talent, and in turn missing out on future jobs, growth and creative ideas.”
Innovation and productivity report
A BEIS report on ‘Drivers of innovation and productivity in the UK’ looks into how boosting R&D in different sectors and regions can help the UK to level up, to ensure that “no region is left behind in terms of business engagement in R&D, public support to universities and firms’ innovative activities, [and] upskilling and increasing productivity, in order to propel truly inclusive growth”.
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