In these unprecedented and exceptional times, we are making major changes to the way we operate from tomorrow, Wednesday 18 March.
Due to the escalating situation in the UK, we have decided to accelerate our working from home approach. We are encouraging all our team to work from home from tomorrow until further notice. However our office will remain open on a much reduced basis for now .
The health and safety of our colleagues and their families, clients and others is our priority. By encouraging colleagues to work from home we are looking to minimise concerns people might have about travelling into, and working from, the office, and supporting social distancing.
We are focused on maintaining client service and delivery and believe that we can carry out practically all engagements.
Audit visits at clients sites will continue where both safe and practical to do so, and much of the work can occur remotely.
All of our team will be available on email and for virtual meetings. You should email your primary team contact in the first instant. Incoming calls to us should be answered remotely by our front desk, who will message the appropriate team member to contact you.
We are all in this together and stand shoulder to shoulder with our clients to help, advise and support them as much as we can to get through this crisis.
If you cannot pay your VAT, self-assessment or corporation tax bill due to effects of coronavirus, HMRC has set up a dedicated helpline.
Under the government’s Time to Pay scheme it may be possible to defer your payments or spread your payments over a long period of time.
Call the dedicated HMRC Coronavirus Helpline at 0800 015 9559 – it’s open Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm, Saturday 8am to 4pm
Read more about this HERE
In addition the Government is setting up the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.
and further details can be found via the British Business Bank, the facilitator for the scheme: HERE
All the big banks have announced that they want to offer full support for small businesses during the crisis – each has set up dedicated advice services.
If you or your business has financial problems, the best advice is to contact your bank as early as possible – they are likely to be besieged with similar requests, so the earlier you speak to your bank the better.
Some banks are offering mortgage holidays, others may increase your overdraft facility or loan facility during this period.
For our perspective on the “COVID-19 economy”, please read this opinion article that we wrote for the travel industry yesterday, but pretty much relevant to all…
Elman Wall Blog 