Help for business owners

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme will support lenders to offer loans up to £5m with no interest due for six months:

Employers will be able to contact HMRC for a grant to cover most of the wages of people who are not working but who are 'furloughed' and kept on payroll, rather than being laid off
All employer across the UK - small or large, charitable or non-profit - will be eligible for the scheme
The government grant will cover 80 per cent of the salary of retained workers up to a total of £2,500 a month, with employers being able to top up salaries further if they choose to
Support with the cost of wages will be backdated to 1 March 2020 and will initially be available for at least three months, with the option for the scheme to be extended if necessary
If any of your employees have a zero-hours contract, please let them know they'll be able to access Universal Credit and the new Employment Support Allowance
If you employ fewer than 250 employees, you will be able to reclaim Statutory Sick Pay for employees unable to work because of Coronavirus. Other government support for businesses