Bank lobby chief says changes to coronavirus loan scheme may be necessary April 15, 2020 The head of Britain’s banking lobby group has said the government’s coronavirus business loan scheme may need to change in order to increase lending to smaller businesses. UK Finance chief executive Stephen Jones told the Treasury Select Committee today that the government may need to guarantee 100 per cent of loans for small businesses, instead [...]
UK ‘probably’ at coronavirus peak, says chief medical officer April 15, 2020 The UK is likely now in the peak of its coronavirus outbreak, according to the government’s most senior health adviser. Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said at today’s daily press briefing that the UK was “probably reaching the peak overall” of the country’s outbreak and “that’s what the flattening” of the increase in new cases [...]
Brexit trade talks set to resume next week with no deadline extension April 15, 2020 The UK’s chief Brexit negotiator David Frost and his Brussels counterpart will meet for their next round of official trade talks next week. Frost and chief EU negotiator Michel Barnier will hold week-long negotiating rounds via video conference on the weeks commencing 20 April, 11 May and 1 June. The pair met today to outline [...]
Coronavirus furlough scheme extended to allow for more wage subsidies April 15, 2020 The government’s coronavirus furlough scheme has been extended to ensure thousands of more employees are eligible for wage subsidies. The Treasury announced today that the eligibility date has been extended to 19 March from 28 February. The Job Retention Scheme sees the government pay out 80 per cent of wages, up to £2,500 a month, [...]
Scottish government does U-turn on coronavirus business grant scheme April 15, 2020 The Scottish government has changed its coronavirus business grant scheme to make it more generous for hospitality, retail and tourism chains after mounting criticism from the private sector. SNP finance minister Kate Forbes unveiled £220m of new grants today in a bid to close the gap between relief available for Scottish and English businesses. English [...]
Universal Credit boss promises improved payment delivery for new claimants April 15, 2020 A higher proportion of new benefits claimants will receive their payment on time than before the coronavirus outbreak, according to the boss of Universal Credit. In normal times, 87 per cent of new Universal Credit claimants get their first payment on time, which is after five weeks from applying, according to figures from the Department [...]
Rishi Sunak says there is ‘no trade off’ between economy and public health April 14, 2020 Rishi Sunak has said there is no trade-off between public health and the economy in the wake of new estimates suggesting GDP will drop by 35 per cent this quarter. Speaking at today’s press briefing, the chancellor said the coronavirus lockdown was necessary to protect the long-term future of the economy. This is in contrast [...]
‘Unfair’ Covid-19 business grant scheme means more Scottish firms could go under April 14, 2020 Concerns are growing among Scottish businesses that the SNP government’s failure to match Westminster’s coronavirus economic support will force a string of retail and hospitality chains to go bust. English hospitality, tourism and leisure chains have been offered government grants of up to £25,000 per property, as long as the building’s rateable value is less [...]
Coronavirus: UK ventilator orders still waiting on approval April 14, 2020 No ventilators provisionally ordered by the government through its private sector call to arms have been given regulatory approval. The government has ordered tens of thousands of mechanical ventilators, from companies such as Dyson, to add to the 10,000 already circulating in the NHS used to treat seriously ill coronavirus patients. The orders are subject [...]
Coronavirus: UK job vacancies plummet in March April 14, 2020 The number of UK permanent job vacancies has been cut in half by the coronavirus outbreak, according to new figures. Jobs data, released today by growth analytics platform cube19 for the Association of Professional Staffing Companies (APSCo), showed that permanent vacancies in the last week of March were down by 50 per cent year-on-year. Contract vacancies [...]
