Monthly Archives: March 2021

Hot Business News Today

Regular testing is available to make your business a safer workplace

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Originally written by NHS Test and Trace on Small Business
As we move towards March 29 and the first easing of restrictions, we look forward to taking these next steps safely. However, as we get to that point, business leaders must plan ahead in order to create safe working environments that will help stop the spread of the virus.
At the time of writing, over 25 million people in the UK have received their first vaccination, which shows huge progress already. While the vaccine does offer us long-term protection, it can’t do everything that is needed on its own. Workplace testing offers us a way forward now, so it is important that business owners act soon.
For free testing until the end of June, register your business before March 31. Simply follow this link. This is open to businesses that aren’t open yet and now includes those with fewer than 50 employees.
The critical role of regular rapid workplace testing
If we are to stop the spread of the virus, we must break the chains of transmission. Millions of people are already using regular rapid testing to help protect those around them. If you are someone that needs to leave the house to go to

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Hot Business News Today

How the newly self-employed should navigate the complex SEISS process

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Originally written by Anna Jordan on Small Business
Rishi Sunak recently announced that an extra 600,000 self-employed business owners would be able to claim the fourth and fifth Self Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grants.
The one condition is that applicants must have submitted a tax return by March 3 2021.
But vague details, complicated processes, tight deadlines and worries around scammers mean that many could be missing out, warn financial experts Old Mill.
One example is when those who apply get contacted by HMRC and are sent an email with instructions on how to verify their identity. They then have two days to upload digital copies of their bank documents and ID to the HMRC Dropbox. If they don’t, the Dropbox link will expire and the applicant will fail the pre-verification.
“There are a number of areas where things can go wrong (just opening a brown envelope from HMRC for instance), and I have real concerns that some people may have difficulties negotiating these pre-verification checks or inadvertently miss deadlines,” said Chris Bowles, director of Old Mill.
“There’s also a fear that many traders will see this HMRC call as another sophisticated attempt to obtain sensitive personal information at a time when attacks from scammers

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