- Andersons’ consultants are continuing to support their clients during the pandemic. If you require any advice, please contact your usual consultant, or the office on 01664 503200 or email [email protected]
- The Government has introduced a number of initiatives to support businesses as a result of COVID-19, these include;
- Business Interruption Loan Scheme to provide loans of up to £5m, with no interest payable for the first 12 months. Applications are made through the banks.
- One-off cash grant of £10,000 to all businesses qualifying for the Small Business Rate Relief. This will be made automatic, through Local Authorities. Useful for farming enterprises which have diversified into the leisure sector and pay business rate
- The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is open to any employer and covers the wage cost of any worker ‘furloughed’ – sent home due to there being no work for them. Up to 80% of their wages are paid by the Government, up to a monthly limit of £2,500.
- The self-employed scheme to pay 80% of the average monthly trading profits over the last 3 years. It is only open to those with a trading profit of less than £50,000 per year. Funds will be in one single payment in June covering the three months of the scheme (March-May).
- VAT payments due between 20th March and 30th June are deferred. Businesses have until the end of the 2020/21 tax year to pay. The return still needs to be made though.
- Self-Assessment Tax payments due in July will be deferred until 31st January 2021.
Please call one of our consultants if you wish to discuss any of the above initiatives or require a farm budget to approach your bank. Contact details for consultants can be found on the main website.
- The 2020 Basic Payment Scheme claim window is now open. In England the deadline for submissions without penalties remains 15th May 2020 (there is strong pressure mounting to have this extended by a month). Wales has recently announced it has extended the deadline for SAFs to be submitted by one month until 15th June 2020. Consequently the entitlement transfer deadline has also been extended in Wales from 30th April to 15th May 2020. Entitlement transfers in England remain 15th May deadline.
- England, (Scotland) and Wales have all now confirmed that the Crop Diversification rule (two and three crop rule) will not apply for the BPS 2020. Ecological Focus Area (EFA) requirements remain.
- All 2020 BPS payments will be made in Sterling, there will not be an option to be paid in Euros this year. The exchange rate to convert Euro denominated entitlements to Sterling is expected to be the same rate as in 2019; €1=0.89092. There seems a strong chance that the 2020 payment will also set the ‘start point’ for payments during the Agricultural Transition.
- In England, the Countryside Productivity Small Grants Scheme (CPSG) Round 2 claim deadline has been extended to mid-night on 31st July 2020. Due to COVID-19 issues, suppliers are finding it difficult to deliver equipment by the original 31st May deadline.
- In Wales, the BPS 2019 Support Scheme and the Glastir 2019 Support scheme have re-opened. These are available to those who have not received either a full payment under the 2019 BPS and/or the 2019 Glastir Entry or Advance, or a payment under the previous Support Schemes. Eligible claimants will receive 70% of their estimated BPS payment or 50% of their expected Glastir payment. These are opt-in schemes and applications must be submitted by 17th April 2020 via RPWales online. A reminder that the Farm Business Grant in Wales closes on 10th April 2020.
