Latest Covid Update for Business

Here is a round up of some of the business related news relating to Covid, with thanks to the Tourism Alliance.

Hardship Arrangements For Those Unable To Pay For Managed Quarantine Or Testing

DSWP has amended its guidance on hardship arrangements and added a new section for people who have been found not to be eligible being able to have their application reviewed if they feel there are exceptional circumstances.

These exceptional circumstances might include if the person:
o    Has received notices threatening legal action due to non-payment of bills or housing costs
o    Is subject to an attachment of earnings order
o    Has to allocate any savings they have to essential childcare costs or costs for care of an elderly relative
o    Has circumstances change so that their essential outgoings are unavoidably higher than usual
o    Is subject to a bankruptcy order

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hardship-arrangements-for-those-unable-to-pay-for-managed-quarantine-or-testing

Travel Guidance To France Updated
More Brexit than covid related, but the government has updated it’s guidance for people travelling to France. The guidance to for people to make sure that their passport is stamped when they enter or exit the Schengen area through France as a visitor. Border guards will use passport stamps to check you’re complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area. If relevant entry or exit stamps are not in your passport, border guards will presume that you have overstayed your visa-free limit.

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/entry-requirements

EU Settlement Scheme Guidance Updated

The guidance on the EUSS has been updated to explain when it may be possible for EU nationals to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme in situations where their absence from the UK exceeds the permitted period but was caused by coronavirus. This will be particularly helpful for businesses that had European employees that left the UK during the pandemic and have yet to return.

While the deadline to apply  for EUSS was 30 June 2021, application are still being accepted if either:
o    The applicant has a later deadline such as joining a family member in the UK who was living in the UK by 31 December 2020
o    The applicant has ‘reasonable grounds’ (eg illness) for being unable to apply by 30 June 2021

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-eu-settlement-scheme-guidance-for-applicants

Public Guidance On Testing Changed
It is worth noting that the primary guidance for the public on staying safe from coronavirus has been updated with the removal of the guidance for people to take twice weekly LFTs and instead adopt a “risked-based” approach to testing which is based on their vulnerability and the type of setting that this are visiting.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do

Updated Air Passenger Guidance
The guidance for passengers hubbing through England has been updated to say that they no longer need to complete a UK passenger locator form provided that they remain airside.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-air-travel-guidance-for-passengers