The #RaiseTheBar campaign continues to ask Government to increase the business rates threshold from £51,000 to £150,000 to allow retail, hospitality and leisure businesses across England and Wales a fighting chance of survival.

The guidance provided to local authorities on the expanded retail discount response 2020 – 2021, supporting operation and delivery of the scheme.

From 1st April, high streets will begin to receive £22 billion, with grants of up to £25,000 already being paid into bank accounts of high street businesses.

Information on the new business rate discounts following the 2020 Budget and the Chancellors Statement 17 March. There will be extra relief available to certain business ratepayers to help alleviate effects from the coronavirus.

If you think the impact of COVID-19 will cause delays in filing your company accounts, you can now apply for an automatic and immediate 3-month extension. You must apply for the extension before your filing deadline.

Employees will now be able to carry their annual leave entitlement over into the next 2 years so that they don’t miss out due to COVID-19. These new measures will ensure workers won’t lose their leave entitlement.

Temporary changes to the VAT payments due between 20 March 2020 and 30 June 2020have been announced to help businesses manage their cash flow.

The UK Government’s free-to-use online skills toolkit allows people to develop their skills during the current lockdown. The toolkit includes a selection of high-quality courses.

LifeSkills is a free programme designed to help young people develop the skills they need for the 21st century workplace and includes valuable content for educators, parents and young people.

The Lloyds Bank Academy is packed with free digital skills learning for any level, with the option to learn online or face-to-face. Gain skills for everyday life, as well as skills to boost business.

The team at Bristol Mind have put together a series of short, free videos from a variety of local trainers and experts, offering advice and support to help you look after your wellbeing during the pandemic.

Use Google Digital Garage to learn at your own pace, with flexible and personalised training courses that are designed to build your confidence in the digital world. Get access to: – Online courses – Free webinars – Certification – Workshops

UK Learns provides a curated selection of online courses, from data science to childcare, to help the UK workforce and businesses acquire new skills and earn qualifications and accreditations. Many are free of charge, some for a limited period.