Businesses with supply chains which rely on Trade Credit Insurance and who are experiencing difficulties maintaining cover due to Coronavirus will get support from the government, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, John Glen has announced.

Trade Credit Insurance provides cover to hundreds of thousands of business to business transactions, particularly in non-service sectors, such as manufacturing and construction. It insures suppliers selling goods against the company they are selling to defaulting on payment, giving businesses the confidence to trade with one another. But due to Coronavirus and businesses struggling to pay bills, they risk having credit insurance withdrawn, or premiums increasing to unaffordable levels.

To prevent this from happening, the government will temporarily guarantee business-to-business transactions currently supported by Trade Credit Insurance, ensuring the majority of insurance coverage will be maintained across the market. This will support supply chains and help businesses to trade with confidence as they can trust that they will be protected if a customer defaults on payment.

From 8am today, Wednesday 13 May 2020, self-employed individuals or members of partnerships whose business has been adversely affected by coronavirus are able to apply for a Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grant, worth 80% of their average monthly trading profits, up to a maximum of £7,500), paid in a single instalment.

Check if you are eligible for the scheme here.

People will be able to make their claim on a specified date between 13-18 May, based on their Unique Tax Reference number. HMRC has assigned eligible self-employed individuals a specific date to apply on and this can be checked on HMRC’s online checker at any time. People will not be able to apply before their claim date but can make a claim after that day.

• The claims process is simple, and those eligible will have the money paid into their bank account by 25 May 2020, or within six working days of completing a claim.

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will remain open until the end of October, the Chancellor announced yesterday. The scheme will continue to apply across all regions and sectors in the UK economy. Furloughed workers across the UK will continue to receive 80% of their current salary, up to £2,500.

From the start of August, furloughed workers will be able to return to work part-time with employers being asked to pay a percentage towards the salaries of their furloughed staff. The employer payments will substitute the contribution the government is currently making, ensuring that staff continue to receive 80% of their salary, up to £2,500 a month.

• The scheme will continue in its current form until the end of July. Changes to allow more flexibility will come in from the start of August. More specific details and information around implementation will be made available by the end of this month.

This guidance provides advice on how passengers should make journeys safely. The advice sets out that if people who cannot work from home and have to travel for work, they should first consider alternatives to public transport. Those driving their own cars have been asked to avoid busy areas. For those who have to use public transport, the guidance recommends:

• Keeping 2 metres apart wherever possible;
• Wearing a face covering if you can;
• Using contactless payment where possible;
• Avoiding rush hour travel where feasible;
• Washing or sanitising your hands as soon as possible before and after travel;
• Following advice from staff and being considerate to others.

All the latest guidance for people using transport or working in the transport sector during the coronavirus outbreak can be found here.

Join us on May 25th at 7PM as singer Tom Carpenter hosts a virtual concert in aid of Mates in Mind, the leading UK charity raising awareness, addressing the stigma of poor mental health and promoting positive mental wellbeing across workplaces.

Live-streamed from his home, the hour-long evening of entertainment will see the 25-year-old jazz & pop singer, who was named “great” by Sir Tom Jones, cover much-loved classics from the likes of Michael Bublé interspersed with Tom’s personal experience with mental health as well an exclusive live performance of his brand-new single ‘Being You’.

Access the event on the day through Tom’s Facebook channel here.

The Government has extended the criteria under which people in England can receive testing for Coronavirus to include those who cannot work from home but are showing symptoms. This widening will now mean that construction workers that show symptoms would be able to get tested. Details of how to apply for testing can be found here.

The Construction Industry Coronavirus Task Force has published a new website to showcase industry’s response to Covid-19. Case studies are in four categories – building NHS capacity; donating PPE; safeguarding workers; and helping communities. If you would like to add a case study to the site, please e-mail hustongilmore@ceca.co.uk.