Both Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City councils are liaising closely with the UK and Scottish Governments and will provide clear and concise information for all businesses to ensure timely access to accurate information about all available support. Whilst assurances on the timeframe and possible developments of this crisis cannot be offered, we can assure businesses and employers that we recognise the pressing need for guidance and support mechanisms.
Together with partner organisations, both local authorities will work, as far as is practically possible, to lessen the negative impact that is being felt from the effects of COVID-19. We appreciate that this is a very difficult time for your business and are here to support you.
Business GatewayClick here to find a list of free business resources that may be useful to you at this time. All workshops are now being live streamed and adviser appointments carried out remotely.
Download an overview of the available support.Contact Business Gateway Aberdeen City & Shire:
01224 289 725Business Support Grants & Rates ReliefIf you are a small business based in Scotland, you can access grants and business rate relief measures which will be administered by local authorities.
Small Business Bonus and Rural Relief schemes continue for all eligible businesses:
•
Small Business Bonus Scheme•
Rural ReliefBusiness Support Fund provided by the Scottish Government and administered by local authorities:
• If you are eligible for either the Small Business Bonus or Rural Relief schemes, you may also be eligible for an additional £10,000 grant from the Scottish Government from 1st April 2020
• If your property has a rateable value between £18,000 and £51,000 you may be eligible for a £25,000 hospitality, leisure and retail property grant
Apply to either of the above grants mentioned (forms updated to include self-catering/ caravans):
• All businesses in the retail, hospitality and tourism sectors will be eligible for one year’s 100% non-domestic rates relief from 1st April 2020. You do not need to apply for this, it will be automatically applied when your rates bill is raised.
Contact Aberdeen City Council's Business Rates team: 01224 346146
Contact Aberdeenshire Council's Business Rates team: 01346 415824
Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme - Guidance for Employers *updated 26 March 2020All UK employers will be able to access temporary support to continue paying part of their employees’ salary for those employees that would otherwise have been laid off during this crisis. The scheme is open to all UK employers that had created and started a PAYE payroll scheme on 28 February 2020. The government expect the first grants to be paid within weeks.
Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme - Guidance for Employees available here.
Please note that this scheme is not being administered by local authorities. HMRC will be launching an online application portal by the end of April and employers will need to apply directly.
Self-employment Income Support Scheme *added 26 March 2020
This scheme allows self-employed (and partnerships) to claim a taxable grant worth 80% of your trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for the next 3 months. This may be extended if needed.
Please note you cannot apply for this scheme yet. The scheme is not being administered by local authorities. HMRC will contact you if you are eligible for the scheme and invite you to apply online. Individuals do not need to contact HMRC.
Scottish Government support
Scottish Government
announced measures worth £2.2 billion to limit the impact of COVID-19.
Scottish Enterprise support
A number of new measures to limit the impact of COVID-19 on the Scottish business community have been announced.
Visit this page for details on national support initiatives. Details on how to apply will be published when made available.
Business Disruption Checklist
Scottish Enterprise has prepared a checklist outlining steps businesses should be taking to prepare for disruption.
Download the checklist.
Tax Helpline
If you are concerned about being able to pay your tax due to COVID-19, call HMRC’s dedicated helpline on 0800 015 9559. Lines are open from Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm and on Saturday, 8am to 4pm.
Filing Accounts with Companies House
Businesses will be given an additional 3 months to
file accounts with Companies House to help companies avoid penalties as they deal with the impact of COVID-19.
Aberdeenshire Council Employment Connect
Employment Connect have provided a list of useful contact numbers and websites.
Aberdeen City Council: Support for Individuals
Skills Development Scotland
Support for individuals, employers, partners and colleagues.
Find out more.
FSB
Advice and guidance for small businesses and the self-employed.
Click here.
Term Funding Scheme
Banks and Building Societies can participate in the Bank of England’s Term Funding Scheme announced on 11 March with additional incentives for SMEs
TFSME. Companies can ask their funders about the implications for business lending.
If you are either a small or medium sized business, you can access:
The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme delivered through the British Business Bank. If you are UK based and have a turnover of no more than £41m per year, you can apply for up to £5m of funding.
• Some eligibility criteria can be
found here.
• A full list of participating lenders can be
found here.
If you are a large business, you may be able to access:The
Covid Corporate Financing Facility is a scheme for larger firms via the Bank of England. A Market Notice explains some of the detail of how the facility will work
CCFF Market Notice. Application forms and pricing are available on the Bank of England's website.
Guidance for UK Businesses Trading Internationally
This is new guidance for UK businesses who are trading internationally.
Find out more about the support.
InsuranceThe Association of British Insurers have issued a statement on
business insurance cover here and have a
COVID-19 Q&A here which includes business insurance, trade credit, income protection and pensions and investments.
Business Water Bills
A
package of measures worth £60 million has been agreed between the Scottish Government and the water industry to help businesses facing difficulties with water charges.
Oil & Gas Sector
Industry updates from
Oil & Gas UK.
Support for Seafood Sector
The seafood sector is to receive an
initial package of more than £5 million in financial support to assist businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak.
Announced on 3 April 2020,
financial support is to be made available for seafood processors to help them through economic pressures related to COVID-19 through a new £10 million scheme. Businesses will be required to apply for support and meet the relevant criteria – further details of which will be published in the coming days.
Public Houses & Restaurants
Information on the relaxation of enforcement where public houses and restaurants offer a takeaway service during the current outbreak of coronavirus
can be found here.
The Third Sector Resilience Fund
Now open for applications, the primary intention of the fund is to help third sector organisations to stabilise and manage cash flows over this difficult period.
Read more.
Creative Community
Funding and resources available to those in the
creative community are outlined here.
TourismGuidance for tourism businesses and their current and future visitors is available from:
Contact information
Aberdeen City Council:
businessgrowthteam@aberdeencity.gov.ukAberdeenshire Council:
econdev@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
