The Coast to Capital Backing Business Grants is a £2 million fund that has been set up to provide grants to independent small businesses and social enterprises (excluding charities) in our area who have been affected by COVID-19.

Applications now open.

We anticipate that this fund will be able to help up to 400 organisations in the Coast to Capital area. Applications are open until the fund has been fully allocated. There are a number of other initiatives available through HM Government therefore, applicants are encouraged to make use of these where available to help their businesses.

If you are an independent small business or social enterprise (excluding charities) based in West Sussex, Brighton & Hove, or East Surrey (Epsom and Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate and Banstead, Tandridge) with 5-50 FTE (full time equivalent) workforce who has been trading for over 2 years and have an annual turnover of under £10m, you can apply for a grant of £5,000-£25,000 to fund specific measures to help you to adapt, evolve and innovate to the various economic impacts brought about by the pandemic.

Applicants must use the grant to implement one or more of the following measures:

• Adapt their operations to remote working. This might include acquisition of computer hardware or software or other physical measures to support the separation of staff and deliver sustained operations;
• Evolve their business model to boost and retain cash-flow. This might include firms which are no longer able to sell directly to customers and need to add new delivery or marketing functions;
• Innovate their business model to meet the new demands of consumers during the COVID-19 scenario.

The grant is available for all sectors, however we will be particularly interested to receive applications from businesses working in the sectors in which our economy has been particularly impacted by recent economic events (i.e. aviation and aviation supply chain, tourism, hospitality and leisure and the service economy).

Applicants will be required to submit the latest filed company accounts and latest management accounts along with the application form for the business.

The grants can be used for capital or revenue costs, or a mixture of both – there are no restrictions on the ratio of capital and revenue. The grant will be made in a one-off advance payment and will need to be evidence after spend has taken place.

The grant funding can be used to procure any professional assistance in order to introduce measures to adapt, evolve and innovate in their proposals. The Coast to Capital Growth Hub Team will be actively involved with the business during and post grant award to offer any business support requirements.

The grants cannot be used to pay for salaries or staffing costs.

The grant awarded does not have to be matched funded and can be for 100% of the cost of the investment or used with the businesses own funds to deliver the proposed outcome(s).

The grants will be made available on a first-come-first-served basis.

Coast to Capital’s decision on all grants will be final, there is no appeals process outside of the normal complaints policy which can be found on the Coast to Capital website.

Coast to Capital reserve the right to change the grant criteria and/or process at any time.

How to apply

The funding criteria can be viewed in the related resources box to the right.

1. Download and complete the eligibility checker, which can be found in the related resources box (to the right), and send to funding@coast2capital.org.uk
2. Once your eligibility has been verified by a member of the team, we will email you an application form to complete
3. If you are unable to successfully complete our eligibility checker, please contact our Growth Hub team for business support
4. Additional support relating to COVID-19 can be found on our Growth Hub website

Welcome to Inside Worthing Community Magazines

Inside Worthing is the umbrella name as for three publications within the Worthing area. All publications are A5, full colour glossy magazines that are free of charge to the reader. With a reputation for looking good enough to keep, some readers report that they have kept all back copies! The magazines and their distribution are funded by advertising, but the real heart of the magazines is Community. Charity and Community Interest Groups who use the magazines to publicise their activities with reduced rates and often free of charge.

Inside Worthing began as Inside Broadwater in January 2017. 7000 copies are printed every month and distributed to homes and businesses in Broadwater, Charmandean and Offington.

Inside Tarring was launched in January 2018. 5500 are printed every month and distributed to homes and businesses in Tarring..

Inside Durrington was launched in October 2019 with a distribution of 7000. Although there are some similarities to the magazines, each area has it’s own community buzz.

Inside Worthing is a rather grand title for what are essentially only three areas of Worthing, however, the name is future proof. In time there are hopes to develop community magazines for East Worthing, West Worthing, Central Worthing and Goring. If any of these areas are of interest, please get in touch!”

Click here to visit Inside Worthing's website 

Piglets Pantry rip up their business plan

So, coronavirus - didn't see that one coming, and whilst we have a disaster recovery plan this didn't quite cut the mustard. We are now in week 2 of pie-solation and finding our feet in this new strange world.

Up until 9 days ago we had a thriving business in the B2B market serving 67 Clients mostly in Stadia, Events, Hospitality and Leisure - all wiped out overnight. After the initial 24-hour shock had settled in it was time for Plan B.

24 hours later, late-night tech discussions and our website was live. 48 hours later and we had a seamless connectivity to our production systems (which is just as well, manual data entry as an MD is not a high point of my life).

72 hours later and the orders steadily came flooding in, combined with support from our amazing friends at Brighton & Hove Albion the outpouring of love from our local fans, PR and Press coverage and a smart #SOS #Survival #Pack idea and we were in business.

Later the first week, we launched 10% discount codes for all our loyal fans and a very special 50% discount code for the amazing NHS staff. We are also supporting and helping people that cannot buy certain items to keep them safe and well.

Day 7 completed and finished designs on our #Easter #Indoor #Hamper promoting the #StayatHome campaign echoed by the Government. Again offering 10% and a pre-order service to support everyone at home.

Day 8 - First stab at Facebook Advertising we launched our AD on Saturday and as we speak, it is getting lots of attention.

What does the future hold? Every day is a new dawn and a new opportunity to look at the business in a different light. We cannot know how long this is for, but we will continue to support everyone during this difficult time.

Joanna Hunter - Food Lover & Owner of Piglets Pantry www.pigletspantry.co.uk

New law: Carrying over holiday

The government has introduced a temporary new law to deal with coronavirus disruption.

Employees and workers can carry over up to 4 weeks’ paid holiday over a 2-year period, if they cannot take holiday due to coronavirus.

For example, this could be because:

• they’re self-isolating or are too sick to take holiday before the end of their leave year
• they’ve been temporarily sent home as there’s no work (‘laid off’ or ‘put on furlough’)
• they’ve had to continue working and could not take paid holiday

Some employers will already have an agreement to carry over paid holiday. This law does not affect any agreements already in place.

If an employee or worker leaves their job or is dismissed during the 2-year period, any untaken paid holiday must be added to their final pay (‘paid in lieu’).

If someone is temporarily sent home because there’s no work

If someone is temporarily sent home because there’s no work they’ll continue to build up (‘accrue’) holiday in the usual way.

Agreeing how extra holiday is carried over

If employers do not already have an agreement in place, they can decide whether they’ll allow extra holiday (more than the 4 weeks’ paid holiday) to be carried over.

Extra holiday may include:

• the remaining 1.6 weeks of statutory annual leave
• holiday that’s more than the legal minimum

Employees and workers should check their employment contract or talk to their employer to find out what they’re entitled to.

Reaching an agreement

If the workplace has a recognised trade union, or there are employee representatives who work with the employer on these matters, the employer should involve them in agreeing changes. 

If any agreement is made, it’s a good idea for it to be in writing.

Employers should get legal advice if they’re not sure whether to allow extra holiday to be carried over. 

Bank holidays

If employees and workers cannot take bank holidays off due to coronavirus, they should use the holiday at a later date in their leave year.

If this is not possible, bank holidays can be included in the 4 weeks’ paid holiday that can be carried over. This holiday can be taken at any time over a 2-year period.

Article from Acas: https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus/using-holiday?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Coronavirus%20guidance%20%20Carrying%20over%20paid%20holiday&utm_content=Coronavirus%20guidance%20%20Carrying%20over%20paid%20holiday+CID_5c218c0ee4901de111f2e503dce50ac5&utm_source=Acas%20National%20Email%20Marketing%20Live&utm_term=View%20further%20details%20and%20Acas%20guidance

Gatwick Airport will consolidate operations into the South Terminal from 1 April and limit runway opening hours to protect staff, passengers and the business from the impact of COVID-19

27/03/2020

The severe and unparalleled impact of COVID-19 on the global aviation sector has led Gatwick to make the difficult decision to consolidate passenger processing and facilities into the airport’s South Terminal and to limit scheduled flights on its runway to between 1400 and 2200, with effect from 1 April 2020.

 As a responsible business, the airport has made this decision to protect the health and safety of passengers and staff, and to shield the business following a dramatic fall in airline traffic. 

The airport’s operations will be consolidated into the South Terminal and the runway will remain open for emergency landings and diversions only outside these hours.

 The temporary closure of the North Terminal will last a minimum of one month and the situation will be kept under regular review.  A decision taken on reopening the North Terminal when airline traffic increases and Government public health advice – including on social distancing – is relaxed.

 The decision to scale back the airport’s operations has been discussed with the airport’s airline partners and any passengers booked on flights due to depart or arrive at Gatwick during this period are advised to contact their airline.

 Stewart Wingate, Chief Executive, Gatwick Airport, said: “Gatwick is a resilient but also responsible business and during these extraordinary times we need to take unprecedented measures to protect the health and wellbeing of our staff and passengers, while also shielding the business from the impact of Coronavirus. 

 “I would also like to take this opportunity to thank my staff for their continuing hard work through this difficult time and to reassure them that we are taking these difficult decisions now, so that we are in a position to recover quickly and get back to generating jobs and economic benefits for the region and wider economy well into the future.  

 “During these extraordinary times, we have also seen remarkable acts of kindness and community spirit in support of people who may need some additional help.  To add to this, we will also be providing some opportunities so that any of our staff, who have time during this period of reduced operations, that choose to, can help support people in our local communities.”

Coronavirus – an advisory webinar for employers 

Acas hosted a webinar covering:

·        Steps that can help reduce the spread of the virus

·        Effective ways of communicating with employees

·        Self-isolating, time off, sickness certification and sick pay

·        Altering working hours, shift patterns and working arrangements

·        Remote working and the use of technology

View the recording here 
  

New ‘Helping Hands’ service supports most isolated hospice patients

St Barnabas House is piloting a new service, ‘Helping Hands’, which aims to provide social and practical support to hospice patients who don’t have a network of friends and family to help them during this unsettling and challenging time.

In addition to doing everything they can to ensure hospice services at St Barnabas House continue to run as smoothly as possible, staff have rallied together to volunteer their time to support the new ‘Helping Hands’ initiative. From fundraising to finance, team members from across the organisation are helping deliver essential shopping, collecting prescriptions and delivering medication, as well as making friendly phone calls to keep in touch with patients and help tackle loneliness.

St Barnabas House employee, Claudia Pearce, works in the fundraising team but is now also helping deliver food shopping to patients.

Claudia says, “It’s really nice to do something positive and help vulnerable patients in this uncertain time. In my last shop, I couldn’t get loo roll, so I popped some in the bag from home as I didn’t want anyone to be without!”

In just one week, over 77 referrals have been made to support the hospice’s most isolated patients, with the service initially piloting with men and women who usually attend the Day Hospice once a week for social activities, respite care and emotional support.

Day Hospice patient, Don Pearman, aged 88, lives alone in Worthing and is benefitting from weekly welfare chats.

Don says, “Thank you for all that you are doing for me. I do miss my visits to Day Hospice, but roll on the day when I can return to St Barnabas, my second home.”

Whilst the St Barnabas Day Hospice, hospice café and retail outlets have closed following government advice, other front line hospice services continue to run as usual, with some added measures in place.

Rosemarie Finley, CEO at St Barnabas House, says, “Our priority remains with our patients and their families and we are doing everything within our power to ensure as many hospice services continue as possible.

“As well as the new Helping Hands service, outpatient appointments, therapy services, community palliative care team and Hospice at Home visits are currently still continuing, but with pre-visit calls to ensure patients aren’t experiencing any coronavirus symptoms and still wish to have a visit.

“At the hospice itself, we have opened five new beds, bringing the total number to 25. People are still able to visit their loved ones (assuming they are not experiencing any coronavirus symptoms), but we have moved to essential visiting only and ask that only two visitors come at a time.

“Thank you to everyone in the local community for your continued support. We have been extremely moved by your kind messages and offers of support during this difficult time.”

The situation is changing all the time. For the most up-to-date information about St Barnabas House and Covid-19, please visit www.stbh.org.uk/covid-19

Councils to create neighbourhood teams for vulnerable 

An unprecedented effort to co-ordinate help for the vulnerable during the coronavirus crisis is to be launched by Adur & Worthing Councils.

Working with other authorities, including West Sussex County Council, the NHS and the voluntary sector the Councils are to create a network of support groups across Adur and Worthing. 

These will help with practical tasks such as help with food such as delivering parcels, help to access health care as well as giving guidance on financial assistance or just to make contact.

A survey of the population through an online form in district and borough is about to get underway which will ask a series of key questions with the aim of:

• Understanding the extent of the numbers of vulnerable people living in our communities.
• Prioritising and then delivering support to those deemed most in need.

Vulnerable residents will be invited to fill in an online questionnaire or ring a telephone hotline and answer some basic questions about their situation.

This week around 1.5 million extremely vulnerable people (which the government is calling the shielded) across the UK received letters from the NHS informing them of their status. They will be contacted directly by the government and West Sussex County Council to ascertain their needs. People who have not received a letter and but consider themselves extremely vulnerable should still register here https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable

However many others falling just outside this group may also have needs during the crisis and Adur & Worthing Councils are setting up neighbourhood groups across the community to coordinate support. Councils believe vulnerable people may be residents who are over 70, those living alone or caring for someone, those suffering acute isolation, financial hardship or are at risk of imminent homelessness or domestic violence.

Within these groups the support will be focused most on those people who are living on their own and who are self-isolating at home, without support networks of friends and family.  Councils anticipate many needs will be around basic groceries and access to medicines.  

In a joint statement the leader of Adur District Council, Cllr Neil Parkin and the leader of Worthing Borough Council, Cllr Daniel Humphreys, said, ‘Many extremely vulnerable people will have been directly contacted by letter telling them of the help that is available but there are many others who we need to talk to to find out the extent of the help they need.

‘By asking people to contact us and answer some simple questions we can begin to prioritise need and then by setting up these neighbourhood help structures we can begin to get support to them.

‘It is right and proper that our Councils lead the way on this but we will be working with voluntary groups and we will be asking for others to volunteer to help out efforts.'

They added that they were extremely grateful for members of the community who are already out helping.

Councils will appoint neighbourhood team leaders and ask for help from the voluntary sector and many of those groups that have arisen during the virus crisis so that a co-ordinated programme of help can be delivered backed by comprehensive information from the online and telephone surveys on who has the most need.

Anyone who feels they may be in a vulnerable or who has a relative in such a position who is unable to help themselves can contact Adur & Worthing Councils in the following ways.

• By going online and filling in the online form.
  https://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/coronavirus/community-support/
• By calling 01903 221222 for support to register for help

After the answers are assessed those deemed in need of urgent support will be contacted by either by the neighbourhood team or by telephone

The Worthing Food & Drink Group 

The Worthing Food & Drink Group was set up to share all the great places in Worthing to Eat & Drink, with over 6,000 members, if you are not a member please join our group, our local businesses need us more than ever  

We now have an extensive list of businesses offering all kinds of delivery, you can find the main list  pinned to the top of the group on Facebook. Click here to see.

Local businesses, as well as wholesalers, are offing goods such as Milk, Bread, Pasta, Fresh Veg. Below are a few of the businesses who are delivering currently. Please click here to see the full list.

• Ashley James Meat Company
• Adams Wholesale
• Browns Seafood Sussex
• Codon & Sons Greengrocers
• Come Dine With You & Private Catering
• Café Montague
• Dave Brown & Son Family Butchers
• Cob & Co
• Coden & Sons
• Grocery Runner
• Kendricks Coffee
• Giuseppes Lite
• No Fuss Just Wines
• Plxies Greengrocers
• Shannons Ltd
• Swandean Meats
• Strand Pet Supplies

Self-employment Income Support Scheme – Claim a grant through the coronavirus (COVID-19)

Use this scheme if you're self-employed or a member of a partnership and have lost income due to coronavirus.

Who can apply

You can apply if you're a self-employed individual or a member of a partnership and you: 

• Have submitted your Income Tax Self Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19

• Traded in the tax year 2019-20

• Are trading when you apply, or would be except for COVID-19

• Intend to continue to trade in the tax year 2020-21

• Have lost trading/partnership trading profits due to COVID-19

• Having trading profits/partnership trading profits in 2018-19 of less than £50,000 and these profits constitute more than half of your total taxable income

• Having average trading profits in 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19 of less than £50,000 and these profits constitute more than half of your average taxable income in the same period

Your self-employed trading profits must also be less than £50,000 and more than half of your income come from self-employment. This is determined by at least one of the following conditions being true:

• Having trading profits/partnership trading profits in 2018-19 of less than £50,000 and these profits constitute more than half of your total taxable income
• Having average trading profits in 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19 of less than £50,000 and these profits constitute more than half of your average taxable income in the same period

If you started trading between 2016-19, HMRC will only use those years for which you filed a Self-Assessment tax return.

If you have not submitted your Income Tax Self-Assessment tax return for the tax year 2018-19, you must do this by 23 April 2020.

HMRC will use data on 2018-19 returns already submitted to identify those eligible and will risk assess any late returns filed before the 23 April 2020 deadline in the usual way.

For further information visit: