HLAS

The £500 Test and Trace Support Payment is for people on low incomes who have to self-isolate due to coronavirus (COVID-19). You may be eligible if you are employed or self-employed, cannot work from home, and will lose income as a result. You can only apply if you’ve been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, notified to self-isolate by the NHS COVID-19 app, or you’re the parent or guardian of a child who has been told to self-isolate. If you’ve been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, you’re legally required to do so. If you’ve been [...]

This guidance is for apprenticeship training providers (providers), employers, end-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) and apprentices. It describes: how and when apprentices can safely train and undertake an assessment in the workplace, education and assessment settings the temporary flexibilities which apply during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic It should be read alongside: the safer working guidance the further education (FE) operational guidance the government’s coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance and support for businesses the apprenticeship funding rules the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education guidance the public health guidance to support exams The aim is to help employers and apprentices start, continue and complete their apprenticeships wherever possible. Some of [...]

Advice for employers carrying out right to work checks during the coronavirus pandemic has been updated and replaces previous guidance issued on 20 April 2021. The temporary COVID-19 adjusted right to work checks will now end on 20 June 2021, and from 21 June 2021 employers will revert to face to face and physical document checks as set out in legislation and guidance. This is aligned with the easing of lockdown restrictions and social distancing measures, as set out in the roadmaps for all regions of the UK. Updated advice for employers carrying out right to work checks during the [...]

A new sticker scheme will allow businesses to easily show they are testing their staff regularly has been launched. A new scheme for businesses offering workplace testing for staff through NHS Test and Trace has been launched across the UK. It will show customers, employees and the wider public the businesses that are going the extra mile to keep their staff and the public safe. In addition to workplace testing, business owners and staff should all follow essential behaviours such as ‘Hands, Face, Space, Fresh Air’ and, where applicable, checking customers and visitors in using the NHS COVID-19 app. Businesses that [...]

The government’s new Help to Grow programme is now open for registrations and will launch in June. The programme will help small and medium sized businesses across the UK learn new skills, reach new customers and improve profits. The Help to Grow Management scheme offers small businesses a 12 week programme delivered by leading business schools across the UK, accredited by the Small Business Charter. The programme will combine a practical curriculum, with 1:1 support from a business mentor, peer-learning sessions and an alumni network. Designed to be manageable alongside full-time work, this programme will support small business leaders to [...]

The guidance on what to do if you or someone you employ is contacted by NHS Test and Trace, including self-isolation, sick pay and financial support has been updated following the recent relaxations in lockdown rules. See: NHS Test and Trace in the workplace - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) - Help and support if your business is affected by coronavirus Watch videos and register for the free webinars to learn more about the support available to help you deal with the economic impacts of coronavirus. A catch up webinar for the SEISS – fourth grant has been added. This [...]

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have performed an analysis of labour market outcomes for young people (aged 16 to 24 years), how the young people were impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Their findings are unsurprising in many ways and optimistic for the future employment prospects of the younger workforce. The main points are: Young people's employment rate saw a large decline in 2020 compared with 2019, while their unemployment and economic inactivity rates increased. After an initial fall in young people in full-time education in the first few months of the pandemic, the proportion of young people in [...]

The government have announced a new zero rate of secondary Class 1 National Insurance contributions (NICs) for eligible employers on the earnings of eligible employees working in a Freeport tax site. In Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), this measure will provide those employers with physical premises in a Freeport tax site (Freeport employers) with a zero rate of secondary Class 1 National Insurance contributions on the earnings of new employees who spend 60% or more of their working time within Freeport tax site. This rate can be applied on the earnings of all new hires up to £25,000 per [...]

HMRC is warning organisations about the use of mini umbrella companies in the labour supply chain and the need to carry out due diligence to protect the organisation from financial and reputational damage. Without a careful review of their labour supply chain the end user could find themselves liable for tax, national insurance and VAT avoided by entities inserted in the labour supply chain between them as end user and the workers engaged via the umbrella structure. This was highlighted in a recent BBC programme which identified 48,000 umbrella companies set up to exploit the £4,000 employment allowance. These companies [...]

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) have published their latest figures on the economy showing that: Monthly gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 2.1% in March 2021, but remained 5.9% below its level in February 2020, which was the most recent month not affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The rise in GDP was led by a month-on-month rise of 1.9% in services in March 2021, but this sector remained 7.2% below its February 2020 level; the monthly rise in services was led by the education sector (contributing 0.54 percentage points of the growth). Monthly production grew by 1.8% between [...]