Hounslow Chamber webinars
All are free, run for 60 minutes and start at 10:00 am:


25 th  June - Green Energy

Panellists include:
  • Derek Myers, CEO of Beond Group, initiators of Zero Carbon Project, are on a mission to help West London - the UK’s 2nd largest business district, become the greenest economy in the UK.
  • Cllr. Katherine Dunne, Cabinet Member for Communities and Climate Emergency.
  • Colin Pearson, Brunel University, renewable energy in buildings
  • Mark Ormiston, Ormiston Wire, his ‘green’ journey
  • Mukesh Aggarwal, EWA Controls, filtration systems


2 nd July - Business Task Force: concentrating on the easing of lockdown in the hospitality sector

Panellists include:
  • Jane Jones, director of marketing at Fullers
  • Damian Frewer, GM, Holiday Inn Brentford Lock
  • Cllr. Katherine Dunne, Cabinet Member for Communities and Climate Emergency


If you have missed our webinars, you can watch them now:  https://hounslowchamber.org.uk/10015
Prime Minister announces easing of lockdown restrictions

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has today (Tuesday 23 June) set out further changes to lockdown measures in England to enable people to see more of their friends and family, help businesses get back on their feet and get people back in their jobs.

From Saturday 4 th  July, the Prime Minister has announced that pubs, restaurants and hairdressers will be able to reopen, providing they adhere to COVID Secure guidelines.

From the same date, he has set out that two households will be able to meet up in any setting with social distancing measures, and that people can now enjoy staycations in England with the reopening of accommodation sites.

In order to begin restoring the arts and cultural sector, some leisure facilities and tourist attractions may also reopen, if they can do so safely – this includes outdoor gyms and playgrounds, cinemas, museums, galleries, theme parks and arcades, as well as libraries, social clubs, places of worship and community centres.

Following a review, the Prime Minister has also set out that where it is not possible to stay two metres apart, guidance will allow people to keep a social distance of ‘one metre plus’.   This means staying one metre apart, plus mitigations which reduce the risk of transmission.

As we begin to reopen the economy, it’s important that we do not increase the risk of transmission which is why “close proximity” venues such as nightclubs, soft-play areas, indoor gyms, swimming pools, water parks, bowling alleys and spas will need to remain closed for now. The Government is continuing to work with these sectors to establish taskforces to help them to become COVID Secure and reopen as soon as possible.

While the infection rate continues to fall, the Prime Minister has been clear that the public must continue to follow social distancing guidelines to keep coronavirus under control. The Government will keep all measures under constant review and will not hesitate to apply the handbrake, or reverse measures, should the virus begin to run out of control.

These changes apply in England only.
From 1‌‌ July 2020, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is changing.

Employers will be able to bring previously furloughed employees back to work part time and decide the hours and shift patterns they work to suit the needs of their business. From 1‌‌ August, employers will be asked to contribute towards wages costs.

For the latest information, join the following live webinar:

Extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and flexible furloughing – we’ll take you through the changes, flexible furloughing, claim periods and key dates.


If you haven’t managed to join, we've also added more dates for our popular live webinar:

Coronavirus COVID-19 Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme  – you can get the latest on who can claim, who you can claim for, how to make a claim, what you may be entitled to, and more.


You can ask questions using the on-screen text box.

We will endeavour to bring you the most up-to-date information to keep you fully informed of changes as they develop.

Get help. Protect your business. Save jobs.
Calling all Ealing businesses - see below the link to the Discretionary Grant from Ealing Council. There is still time to apply!
 
latest update from HR Dept , click here
CHANGE TO HIGHER RATE STAMP DUTY LAND TAX – COVID

The higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), which adds a 3% surcharge to the usual rates of SDLT, will be due where an individual (either on his own, jointly or his spouse or civil partner) purchases additional residential property with a value of £40,000 or more and certain other conditions are met. There is relief from the surcharge where the new property is intended to be the replacement home, provided the existing home has been disposed of.

Due to Covid-19, many house sales have been delayed. As a result, HMRC has announced on 3 June that a refund may still be granted if the new home was purchased on or after 1 January 2017 and the three year period has passed. To be able to get the refund after three years has passed, the purchaser must evidence that the delay in selling their previous main residence is due.

Where an individual has met all the conditions for the surcharge because they have not been able to dispose of their previous main residence, the higher rates will apply initially but an application can be made for a refund of the surcharge if the previous main residence is disposed of within three years.

Current Stamp Duties
Surcharge liability

The surcharge applies to anyone who is buying an additional property. You will also have to pay the higher rate of stamp duty if the property you are buying replaces your main residence, but the main residence has not yet been sold. In this instance though, you can apply for a refund provided the previous main a residence is sold within 36 months.

The surcharge even extends to homes abroad. If you already own a home in Spain and buy additional property in England, you will have to pay the higher rate of stamp duty.

Exempt properties

Some properties are also exempt from the surcharge – but it’s a limited number. Caravans, mobile homes and houseboats are not currently liable for stamp duty. The government is also excluding all properties worth less than £40,000. Residential properties worth less than £40,000 do not count when determining if an additional property is being bought.

Overseas stamp duty 

The UK government are considering introducing a 2% stamp duty surcharge on properties purchased by non-UK residents. This is due to ‘some evidence’ that house prices are being inflated by buyers from overseas.

A the non-UK resident is someone who has spent under 183 days in the UK over the previous 12 months. However, if that person spends a minimum of 183 days in the UK, year after purchasing the house, they can apply for a refund.
Garner & Hancock Solicitors invite you to join us for our Free weekly webinar on Wednesday 24 th June 2020 at 3:00 pm

Why Have a Shareholders Agreement ?
Hosted by Tony Croxson Solicitor – Commercial and Business Law
Please join Tony on Wednesday 24 June 2020 at 3:00 pm  

To register please click link below.

If you have missed any of our webinars please click on this link  https://garner-hancock.co.uk/webinar/  to go to our library of previous webinars subjects including Wills and Powers of Attorney, Buying and Selling a Property During This Time and various other relevant legal issues.
Virtual Studios (click here)

launches in just over a week on 27 June and runs until 5 July. 

During Virtual Studios, artists will be posting videos about themselves and their work on Instagram with the hashtag #virtualstudioswest
Good News:
Traffic jam on the golf course.
West London Local Chambers & Hounslow Chamber of Commerce are the primary support, networking, and representation organisation in west London for SMEs.

We support the interests, the commercial aspirations and the investment from businesses in Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham - the Chamber is the voice for all businesses located in the borough