SEARCH ABOUT US CONTACT LOG IN JOIN NOW Membership Events & Training International News & Magazine Policy Business Support Circular Edinburgh DYW Covid-19: Business Support This page is updated with information that helps to support and inform businesses during the pandemic and through the recovery phase. We also encourage you to continue checking official updates from the Scottish Government, UK Government and City of Edinburgh Council websites. Following updated Scottish Government guidance, the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce will be returning to a hybrid model of office working from mid-September. We have produced a detailed risk assessment for the return to work to ensure the safety and well-being of our staff. This can be accessed here. What the Chamber has been doing on your behalf during the pandemic: Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic we have been campaigning for support for our members, and as part of BCC and SCC we made some key asks, and achieved some crucial policy decisions from both the Scottish and UK governments. Here you can see just a small selection of the policies we’ve been campaigning for. You can also read some examples of our correspondence with key ministers and policymakers, such as our joint letter with the Aberdeen and Glasgow Chambers of Commerce to request additional business support from the Scottish Government; our letter asking MSPs to reject the Scottish Government’s decision to delay the revaluation of non-domestic rates; and our letter protesting the UK Treasury’s surprise decision to end the tax-free shopping scheme. You can find these here. We have also been taking action at a local, Scottish, and UK level: At a local level: We have a weekly call with the CEO of the City of Edinburgh Council, and are in daily contact with key stakeholders across the city, to be able to inform you of any significant actions that will affect you We are speaking to as many of our members as possible to capture the impact this is having on their businesses. We are working hard to ensure the right support is available and can be accessed as soon as possible. This support is time critical for many businesses. At a Scottish Government level: Through our engagement with Scottish Chambers of Commerce, we have regular direct links to the most senior levels of government who have requested updates on how businesses are being impacted. We have engaged with ministers and senior policymakers at all levels to make them aware of the support needed by businesses and the urgency of this support. We are continuing our dialogue with them to close gaps in support provision where possible, and to ensure their economic re-start and recovery plans meet the needs of businesses across our membership and beyond. At a UK Government level: As part of the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) network, we are able to feed information and concerns from members directly into UK Government. Our priority is to ensure that businesses get clear, actionable information at speed in order to take critical decisions – and that government takes action on the pressing needs of our business communities. Since the start of the crisis, BCC have been in constant contact with Downing Street, with senior Cabinet Ministers, with the Governor of the Bank of England, and with the banking industry. They are in the room, at the table, and we are making it clear that businesses and their employees need ongoing support. BCC, working with other big business support groups such as the CBI, IoD, FSB and others have been instrumental in securing many of the measures already announced such as the CJRS, CBILS and business rate/VAT/Tax concessions and deferrals. Please feedback any relevant issues affecting your business to the policy team here at the Chamber, and we will ensure these are fed back to Scottish and UK Government by sending us at email at policy@edinburghchamber.co.uk Various packages of support and funding are still available from the UK and Scottish Governments. This includes a range of funding, rates relief, and regulatory measures to support businesses through the pandemic. Support for jobs Job creation schemes Support with tax Support with cashflow Help with Sick Pay Regulatory changes: Other support packages Helpful resources Chamber support The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended again, this time until the 30th September 2021. The scheme is open to all businesses – not just those forced to close. Businesses will have flexibility to furlough employees full-time, or on a part time basis, and employees will continue to receive 80% of their salary for hours not worked, up to a cap of £2,500 per month. However, from the 1st July, employers will need to contribute 10% of the cost, and 20% in August and September. Claims for each month should be submitted by day 14 of the following month The Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) provides support to the self-employed in the form of a series of grants, each available for three month periods. This will continue with a fourth grant covering the period February to April, and a fifth grant for May onwards. The fourth grant will provide 3 months’ support at 80% of average trading profits, up to a cap of £7,500. The fifth grant will also provide 3 months’ support, but support will become more targeted – if turnover has fallen by 30% or more, the grant will remain at 80%. If turnover has fallen by less than that, the grant will provide 30% of average trading profits, capped at £2,850. SEISS will now also be open to those who became self-employed in tax year 2019-2020. Business Comment Business Comment is the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce’s bi-monthly magazine. It provides insight on Edinburgh’s vibrant business community, with features on the city’s key sectors, interviews with leading figures and news on new business developments in the capital. Read More Here About Contact Join Now Complaints Cookies & Privacy Policy This site uses analytical cookies to improve the user experience and help us understand how it's used. Read our Privacy Policy here. © 2021 Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, 40 George St, Edinburgh, EH2 2LE Responsive Website Design, Development & Hosting by mtc.