Monthly Archives: September 2020

Hot Business News Today

Business body calls to extend tax-free shopping to EU visitors after Brexit

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Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
Retailers in the West End of London want to extend tax-free shopping to EU shoppers after Brexit.
This will help them to get through the slump in sales following a slow recovery from the coronavirus lockdown. Footfall on London’s main shopping streets is down on pre-COVID 19 levels. It rose 12.7 per cent in the week to August 22nd, but this is still down 62 per cent on this time last year. Meanwhile, footfall is down 50 per cent in other regional cities and 30 per cent in outer London, according to Springboard.
A good chunk of this shortfall has been attributed to a lack of international tourists. New West End Company says that it relies on these visitors for over half of its £10bn annual revenue.
The organisation’s chairman, Peter Rogers, is calling for tax-free shopping to be extended to EU visitors once the Brexit transition period ends in December. His letter has signatures from over 70 executives including retail groups like Harrods and H&M.
>See also: How to cope with the slow return to trade post-lockdown
Why would extending tax-free shopping help businesses?
Statistics from NWEC, international tourists spend over £6bn, over half of which is tax-free.

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Hot Business News Today

How to claim your Kickstart Scheme grant

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Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
The government has launched its Kickstart Scheme, an incentive for businesses who help at-risk young people get back into work.
It was first announced in the Chancellor’s Summer Statement back in July. We explain what the scheme is, how it works and how to apply.
>See also: Rishi Sunak Summer Statement what it means for small business
What is the Kickstart Scheme?
With the Kickstart Scheme, you can create six-month job placements for young people who are on Universal Credit and are at risk of long-term unemployment.
The job placements you create should encourage workers to develop skills and experience that will be useful to them in the jobs they undertake after the placement.
It’s available to businesses in England, Scotland and Wales.
How does the Kickstart Scheme work?
Funding will cover 100 per cent of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week along with associated National Insurance contributions and the employer’s minimum automatic enrolment contributions. A sum of £1,500 per job is also available for set-up costs, support and training.
You’ll get the funding if your application is successful. One thing you should know is that is that applications must be for a minimum of 30 placements. If

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