COVID-19 Update 2nd December 2020

• Visitor Economy Guidance

By now you will have all read through the updated primary guidance for Visitor Economy businesses. Please let know if you have any feedback or queries on the guidance – at the moment we are trying to work through a range of issues such as:

• • the anomaly between the dates that people can travel over the Xmas period (23 to 27^th Dec) and the dates that accommodation providers in Tier 3 can accept guests (22^nd to 28^th Dec)
  • whether it is legal to travel between the home nations on those dates

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/the-visitor-economy

• FCDO Festive Travel Tips

The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (former FCO) has published five travel tips for people planning to travel overseas during the festive period. They are:

1. Check the travel restrictions that apply to you. If you live in the UK, there are different restrictions in place in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
2. Read the FCDO’s foreign travel checklist, which includes information on preparing for an overseas trip. If you are travelling to the European Union (EU), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland into the New Year, new rules will apply after the UK Transition Period ends on 31 December. Read the FCDO’s advice on how to prepare for a visit to Europe from 1 January 2021.
3. Check the travel advice for the destination you are planning to go to. These pages include information on entry, screening and quarantine requirements that could affect your journey.
4. Sign up for travel advice email alerts, so you automatically receive the latest travel advice updates for the destinations you want to know about.
5. Get a travel insurance policy and make sure you are happy with the level of cover it provides. From 1 January 2021, European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) may no longer be valid for travel to the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. Make sure your travel insurance covers you for any pre-existing health conditions.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/festive-travel-tips-for-people-considering-overseas-travel

• CJRS Step By Step Guide

The Government has produced a new, easy to follow and very useful seven step guide for employers on how to claim their employees wages  during the extended CJRS period.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/940367/Coronavirus_Job_Retention_Scheme_step_by_step_guide_for_employers.pdf

They have also produced a handy chart with the deadline dates by which employers have to submit claims over the next four months

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/940368/Coronavirus_Job_Retention_Scheme_-_key_dates.pdf

• Deferred Vat Scheme Opt-In Deadline

The guidance on the extension of the VAT referral scheme has been updated to inform businesses that if they want to take advantage of the extension of payments through to the end of March 2022, they have to opt into the scheme by the end of March 2021

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/deferral-of-vat-payments-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19

• Eligibility for SEISS

The Self Employment Income Support Scheme guidance has been updated to clarify how people can verifying their eligibility for the grant with HMRC after having a new child.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-different-circumstances-affect-the-self-employment-income-support-scheme