On Monday 4 January the Prime Minister announced a national lockdown and instructed people to stay at home to control the virus, protect the NHS and save lives.

The new guidance urges everyone who is able to, to work at home if they possibly can. Only people whose job requires them to go to an office or location, such as the construction sector, should do so.

Read the full details of the announcement here:

www.gov.uk/government/national-lockdown/

Full details of what you can and cannot do:

www.gov.uk/guidance/

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced one-off top up grants for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses worth up to £9,000 per property to help businesses through to the Spring. A £594 million discretionary fund has also been made available to support other impacted businesses.

This comes on top of £1.1 billion of further discretionary grant funding for councils, Local Restriction Support Grants worth up to £3,000 a month and extension of the furlough scheme.

This follows the Prime Minister's announcement that these businesses will be closed until at least February half-term in order to help control the virus and, together with the wide range of existing support, provides them with certainty through the Spring period.

The cash is expected to benefit over 600,000 business properties, worth £4 billion in total across all nations of the UK.

Check what support is available to your business:

www.gov.uk/business-coronavirus-support-finder

The Council is currently waiting for official guidance from the Government in relation to grants for the National lockdown.

Once this has been received further information will be made available to you. Keep checking our social media and the council web pages for updates.

Some other grant schemes which were operating before the lockdown are still open, and you may still be eligible to apply for them depending on your business’s circumstances.

Check this webpage and apply online:

www.runnymede.gov.uk/Grants-for-Business-Rates

Never has there been more need to network and find support. Here are a few organisations ready to assist:

Enterprise M3 Growth Hub: The Enterprise M3 Growth Hub has been developed by business, for business. All businesses at any stage of their development can access and benefit from the Enterprise M3 Growth Hub's services including the Information Bank, the Resource Network and the Helpline.

www.enterprisem3growthhub.co.uk/

Hampshire Chamber of Commerce provides regular events and training to support existing and start-up business owners. Their next event is “Building Resilience in your Business” on January 20.

You can book your free place via their eventbrite page here.

Surrey Chamber of Commerce also provides regular events and training to support existing and start-up business owners, including its own Start-Up clinics.

Details are available here: www.surrey-chambers.co.uk/

The Business Support Helpline for England provides a range of advice and support:

• Email: [email protected]
• Telephone: 0800 998 1098 (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 6 pm)
• Speak to an adviser on webchat about support for your business.

The Business Support Helpline for England is also on:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• YouTube

Enterprise Nation is a community of small businesses and business advisers which aims to signpost potential business owners to resources, expertise, and connections to help you get it right.

You can find them www.enterprisenation.com/

Information with thanks to EnterpriseM3

Picture credit

Stay at home and do not travel to work if you have symptoms of Coronavirus.

You can only get a free NHS test if at least one of the following applies:

• you have a high temperature
• you have a new, continuous cough
• you’ve lost your sense of smell or taste or it’s changed
• you’ve been asked to get a test by a local council
• you’re taking part in a government pilot project
• you’ve been asked to get a test to confirm a positive result

You can also get a test for someone you live with if they have symptoms.

If you’re getting a test because you have symptoms, you and anyone you live with must self-isolate until you get your result. This also applies to anyone in your support bubble (where someone who lives alone - or just with their children - can meet people from 1 other household).

You must also self-isolate if you cannot get a test.

To see if you are eligable for a free test and more about the testing process visit

www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

Using social media has become an important tool through lockdown. We've seen some really inventive ideas and ways of engaging with customers although doors may be closed.

We will be posting regular updates on our website, as well as sending out our e-newsletter and messages on Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.

Join us on Instagram www.instagram.com/business_runnymede/ and check out our Lockdown tab in stories, where we are sharing local businesses which have adapted to the lockdown.

Come and say hello and follow us! We are happy to share your posts and profiles.