Coronavirus: Advice for salons and freelance businesses
As a family business that’s been supplying the professional hair and beauty industry for over 65 years, we will be doing all we can to maintain our service to you throughout this unprecedented period of uncertainty.
However, the well-being of both our customers and our teams is our biggest priority. We are closely following the advice of Public Health England and the World Health Organisation in order to bring you the most up-to-date information and advice, but most importantly, how that advice will impact you and your business and the actions you can take.
Bookmark this page – we’ll update it regularly with the latest advice. Further pages you may wish to bookmark are:
NHS Coronavirus Information & Advice
GOV.UK Coronavirus Information & Advice
Coronavirus Financial Support for Businesses
Coronavirus Financial Support for the Self-Employed
Coronavirus Financial Support in Scotland
Coronavirus Financial Support in Northern Ireland
Coronavirus Financial Support in Wales
(Please seek out the relevant financial information for your country) The amount of information out there can be overwhelming, so you can also visit our social media profiles where we’ll issue daily updates and suggested reading on how coronavirus is impacting our industry specifically.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus causes an illness known as COVID-19, which can affect a person’s lungs and airways.
What are the symptoms of coronavirus?
There are 2 main symptoms to look out for, according to the NHS. If you show either of these symptoms, you should stay at home. These are:
- High temperature
- New, persistent cough
When should I stay home? How long for?
If you experience either of the symptoms above, the current advice from the NHS is to self-isolate for the next 7 days. If you live with someone who has symptoms but you’ve not yet started to show them, you should self-isolate for 14 days from when the first person started having symptoms. If you develop symptoms in those 14 days then you should stay home for 7 days from the first day of your own symptoms.
This is new to us all, so advice is developing as we gain a better understanding. For the most up to date advice on staying at home visit the NHS self-isolation advice page.
If you do show symptoms it’s important to protect others – do not go to your GP, pharmacy or hospital and stay at home. If you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home, contact the 111 coronavirus service and they will advise what to do next.
Financial support for salons / freelancers
These are unprecedented times and it can be quite overwhelming. So, to help with this, we’ve brought together a round-up of the financial support available to you.
What financial support is available to salons during the coronavirus pandemic?
(Please seek out the relevant financial information for your country) The government have announced a range of financial support packages available to businesses and individuals that range from loans and grants to deferred bills. If you ran a salon you have several new options available:
Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans
The government announced that they will provide guarantees to lenders for loans to small and medium-sized businesses who otherwise may struggle to secure financing. If your business turns over less than £45m per year then you could be eligible. The loan scheme, which will include no interest payments for the first 12 months, is now up and running and more details on how to apply can be found at the British Business Bank website.
Business Rates Holiday
There will be a 12-month business rates holiday for those in the retail, hospitality and leisure industries, which you can apply for directly with your local authority. This basically means your business rates bill has been reduced to £0 for the next 12 months. More information can be found over here.
Government Grants
For those with a salon with a rateable value below £51,000 but over £15,000 can apply for a one-off cash grant of up to £25,000 by contacting their local authority.
Those businesses who are able to receive the small business rates relief and fall under that £15,000 limit are eligible to receive a one-off grant of £10,000. The best part – you don’t even need to apply. Local authorities are set to contact eligible businesses in early April. More information on these grants can be found here.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
In an unprecedented move the government announced that all UK businesses, big and small, can apply for support towards the wages of “furloughed workers”. What this means, basically, is that should you need to temporarily put any of your staff on leave due to reduced demand in the salon, the government will reimburse 80% of their wages up to £2,500 per month.
This means less people losing jobs, less pressure on employers to pay wages, but a full team ready and raring to go when this is all over and done with. Let’s face it, there’s going to be a lot of hair to cut, a lot of nails to shape and a lot of waxing to be done once this is over – the last thing you need is to be understaffed! More details here.
Deferred Tax Payments
I bet you’d have never thought you’d be hearing good news about tax!? VAT-registered businesses will have all payments deferred until at least 30th June 2020. Income tax payments for your own self-assessment have also been deferred, meaning that the bill you had due on 31st July 2020 has been pushed back to 31st January 2021.
These are both automatic offers, so you don’t need to apply or fill in any forms. More details can be found here.
Various Personal Support Packages
From mortgage holidays, renter protection, potential weekly cash payments and relaxed criteria for credit card extensions, it seems even the banks are trying to help! The best thing to do is communicate. If you’re worried or having financial issues, speak to your bank or credit card provider and discuss the situation with them to find the best solution. For more information on how to apply for the reimbursement, click here.
What financial support is available to hair, nails and beauty freelancers and the self-employed during the coronavirus pandemic?
(Please seek out the relevant financial information for your country) Unfortunately, some of the finance options for businesses with a physical salon are not available to freelance workers, such as business rates holidays and cash grants. However, the government have announced support for the self-employed.
Self Employed Income Support Scheme
If you’re self-employed and have lost income due to coronavirus, this scheme will allow you to claim a grant for 80% of your average trading profits up to a maximum of £2,500 per month for three months (this may be extended). You can apply if you:
- Have submitted your Income Tax Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19
- Traded in the tax year 2019-20
- Still trading when you apply, or would be if not for coronavirus
- Intend to continue to trade in the tax year 2020-21
- Have lost trading/partnership trading profits due to coronavirus
- Have trading profits of under £50,000 per year
The government will then use the average trading profits on any self-assessment tax returns submitted between 2016 and 2019. The grant will reflect 80% of those average trading profits up to a maximum £2,500 per month for 3 months and will be paid in one instalment.
The scheme is not yet taking applications, but it is expected that the first grants will be paid in June. For more information on the scheme, visit GOV.UK.
Deferred Tax Payments
Income tax payments due on your self-assessment have been deferred, meaning that the bill you had due on 31st July 2020 has been pushed back to 31st January 2021. This is an automatic offer, so you don’t need to apply or fill in any forms. More details can be found here.
ESA and Universal Credit
You’ll know already that self-employed workers are not eligible for statutory sick-pay. However, the Employment Support Allowance covers those unable to work due to a risk to public health. So, should you find yourself with symptoms and unable to work you may be entitled to this. Under 25’s can receive up to £57.90 per week and over 25’s up to £73.10. It’s a start, at least. You also have the option to apply for Universal Credit whilst self-isolating. More details can be found here.
Personal Support
If you have a mortgage, contact your bank to apply for a mortgage holiday of up to 3 months. This means no mortgage payments for 3 months, with minimal impact on future payments if you have a long term remaining and no impact on credit scores.
If you rent, the government have imposed a blanket ban on rental evictions to give you security in your home should you have difficulties paying rent.
Speak to your credit providers – many banks and credit card companies are allowing emergency limit increases and waiving fees for late payments to help support those in financial difficulty.
What are the differences in financial support for salons and freelance businesses in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Many of the same financial support packages listed above still apply across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – particularly the personal support such as universal credit and the coronavirus job retention scheme.
Businesses in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland could also potentially benefit from the following schemes and announcements:
- Support for businesses who are paying sick pay to employees.
- Support for businesses through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme via the British Business Bank. The scheme will be interest free for 12 months.
- Businesses will receive government grants worth up to 80% of wages to keep workers in jobs. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will pay up to £2,500 per worker each month, helping those who are self-isolating or caring for loved ones.
- VAT payments for the next quarter will be deferred, so no business will pay any VAT for the next three months.
- The Self-employment Income Support Scheme will support self-employed individuals (including members of partnerships) whose income has been negatively impacted by COVID-19.
To check which of these you may apply for, visit the government coronavirus advice page for Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
Additionally, the Scottish government has announced a package of measures worth £2.2 billion to support Scottish businesses.
- Changes have been made to business ratesin Scotland for 2020-2021 along with extra rates relief.
- Businesses in Scotland can apply to the Business Support Fundfor a grant to help them deal with the impact of the outbreak.
- Business can use the Scottish Enterprise business support finderto find out what is available to them.
The Welsh government has set out a range of support measures for Welsh businesses:
Those in Northern Ireland whose salon has a rateable value below £51,000 but over £15,000 can apply for a one-off cash grant of up to £25,000 by contacting their local authority. Those businesses who are able to receive the small business rates relief and fall under that £15,000 limit are eligible to receive a one-off grant of £10,000. More information on these grants can be found here.
What are we doing at Capital to support you, our customer?
We’ve put a number of measures in place to ensure we can continue to provide our services throughout this difficult period.
Free next day delivery*
When you spend £50 or more online (ex VAT), we’ll give you free delivery* and wherever possible next day* making it easier and more affordable to get the products you need quickly.
Training Courses
As you might expect, training courses have been cancelled until May 1st 2020 (and may be extended further). All training course orders have been cancelled and refunds are being issued. We will be in touch when new dates are released later in the year once the situation has subsided.
In the meantime, we do have a range of amazing online training courses you can take from home. So if you’re stuck in isolation – now might be the time to brush up on your skills. We are looking at how we can improve these and will update this page and our social media channels when we have more to offer. We will continue to monitor the situation and follow direction given by the government and will take whatever action is necessary to protect the health of our customers and our teams.
In the meantime, from all the team at Capital, stay safe.
