Category: Coronavirus

This decision follows continued lobbying by the PPA, as well as industry groups including the Events Industry Alliance (EIA).

The Government has partnered with Lloyd’s on the scheme, which is worth over £750 million and will be supported by a number of insurers in the Lloyd’s market including: Arch, Beazley, Dale, Hiscox and Munich Re.

Companies running events, including B2B events, will have the option of purchasing cover from September 2021 until the end of September 2022. There will be no cap on costs claimed per event. The scheme will also run alongside companies’ standard events insurance.

If events do have to be cancelled after organisers have covered the agreed excess, the Government and insurers have an agreed a risk share per claim. This starts with Government paying 95% and insurers 5%, progressing to them covering 97% and 3% respectively and finally Government covering 100% of costs. The split depends on the losses incurred by the insurer from the scheme to date.

Although this is a positive step, the PPA will be monitoring for further details of the scheme and lobbying Government to ensure that the scheme covers the most likely causes of event cancellation. For example, it appears that the scheme does not cover reductions in capacity or cancellation due to the reintroduction of social distancing restrictions, or speakers or event staff being compelled to self-isolate (as an event would still be legally able to happen). Therefore, the scheme still leaves the live events sector exposed to a higher level of risk.

Chris Skeith, CEO of the EIA, said: “This new insurance scheme will hopefully play an important role in our ability to do that as we reopen in a safe and responsible manner.”

House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee chairman Julian Knight commented: "Though it is a shame that it has come too late for some this summer, this scheme will provide the confidence the sector needs to plan and invest in future events."

The PPA will continue to monitor for further developments and publish updates on events insurance when more details become available.

(View Archive COVID-Hub Index for all links from March 2020)

PPA Advice and Support

How the PPA are providing support to members through this crisis

• PPA support for members

General Government Advice & Business Support

Official advice and legislation from government

• Budget 2021 Support
• Recovery Loan Scheme
• Updated government guidance on business events in England
• New tier system details
• Furlough scheme extended
• Kickstart Scheme for 16-24 year olds
• Changes to be made to IP La
• UPDATED guidance on self-employed income support scheme
• UPDATED guidance on VAT Tax deferral
• UPDATED guidance on business evictions
• UPDATED guidance on CBILS
• Government Guidance to help employers, employees and the self-employed work safely during COVID
• Gov UK guidance on working safely during COVID-19 in offices and contact centres (Pages 10-13, 14-15 & 24)
• Government webinars to support your business
• The Coronavirus bill – what it will do
• EU Guidance on coronavirus
• Temporary quarantine exemption for senior executives

Public Health Guidance

Official guidance from Public Health England

• Social Distancing
• Stay at home Guidance

Advice for Magazine Publishers

Consolidated information regarding COVID-19 and the supply chain

• WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) – COVID-19 Policy Tracker
• Goldkey Media reroute copies
• Industry charity, NewstrAid services on offer
• Flume Resources for sales teams
• Guild remote working resources guide
• FIPP: How to set up a remote work process
• ABC rule changes and guidance
• Marketforce Sales Analysis: Short and long term impact on the magazine industry

PPA Associate Member Updates

Updates regarding COVID-19 & the supply chain

• Jellyfish – digital marketing agency

Resources for Event Organisers

• CREO (Coronavirus Response for Event Organisers) set up by PPA Associate Member Guild to support event organisers.

Royal Mail

• Updates on Royal Mail postal service

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Ways to maintain your health and happiness

• NABS: How to support your wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak

Legal Advice

Legal guidance on responding to the COVID-19 outbreak

• COVID Employment Law Implications
• Lewis Silkin COVID-19 hub

For more information, please contact owen.meredith@ppa.co.uk OR amy.owens@ppa.co.uk

He began by stating that the threat from COVID-19 remains substantial, with the number of people in hospitals having only just fallen from their peak during the first wave. However, he noted that 17.5 million vaccines have been given so far, and that data is showing the vaccines to be effective in reducing hospitalisations in the UK. He stated that lifting lockdown, whenever this occurs, will lead to more cases, hospitalisations and deaths, but said that it is “crucial” that the roadmap out of lockdown is “cautious but irreversible”. Mr Johnson stated his aim that everyone in the first nine priority groups would be offered a vaccine by April 15, and that every adult in the UK would be offered a first dose of the vaccine by the end of July.

He then confirmed that all parts of England will come out of lockdown at the same time, with outdoor exercise being prioritised. However, he stated that each stage of restrictions being lifted would be dependent on four tests:

• The vaccine deployment program continues successfully;

• That vaccines help to reduce hospitalisations and deaths;

• That hospitalisations do not rise to a level that places unsustainable pressure onto the NHS; and

• That assessments on risks of new variants do not change.

He noted that at each stage these four tests will be checked, and that there will be a five week gap between each stage of restrictions being eased.

Commenting on the plan, PPA CEO Owen Meredith said: “Businesses will welcome this announcement as it provides a clear path out of lockdown against which plans can be made. However, there remains uncertainty within the roadmap, with each step subject to the four tests outlined by the Prime Minister. To allow businesses to plan ahead, particularly organising large scale events -which are a vital revenue stream from many publishers, the Chancellor must back our call for COVID-cancellation insurance. Only with this support can businesses invest in the future and help rebuild the economy.”

Step 1: 8th March

• Schools and Colleges to open for all students.

• Recreation with one other person outdoors allowed.

• Regular visitor allowed for every care home resident.

29th March

• 'Rule of 6', or two households, allowed to meet outdoors.

• Outdoor sport and leisure facilities to reopen.

• Organised outdoor sport allowed.

• 'Stay at Home' order no longer legally mandatory; ‘work from home where possible’ and travel should be minimised.

Step 2: No earlier than 12th April

• Indoor leisure facilities to reopen, for use individually or within household groups.

• Outdoor attractions – including zoos, theme parks and drive-in cinemas – to reopen.

• Libraries and community centres to reopen.

• Personal care premises – including hairdressers and salons – to reopen.

• All non-essential retail to reopen.

• Outdoor hospitality to reopen (with no requirement for a substantial meal to be served with alcohol, and no curfew; requirement to be seated will remain)

• Domestic overnight stays permitted in self-contained accommodation (i.e. without communal living or wash areas)

• Event 'pilots' to begin, Events Research Programme to examine how such events can take place without the need for social distancing using other mitigations such as testing

• Weddings and receptions can have 15 attendees (previous: 6)

Step 3: No earlier than 17th May

• 30 person limit outdoors; 'Rule of 6' or two households allowed to meet indoors.

• Indoor entertainment and attractions to reopen.

• Indoor hospitality to reopen (with no requirement for a substantial meal to be served with alcohol, and no curfew; requirement to be seated will remain)

• International travel to be allowed.

• Some large events to be allowed (Indoor events, 1000 people max; outdoor other events, 4000 people max; outdoor seated events, 10,000 people max)

• Remaining accommodation, including hotels, hostels and B&Bs to reopen.

• Weddings and receptions can have 30 attendees.

• A "further ease" on "limits on social contact, enabling the public to make informed personal decisions."

Before Step 4 begins, the government will complete a review of social distancing and other long-term measures that have been put in place to cut transmission. This will inform decisions on the timing and circumstances under which the rules on 1 metre plus, the wearing of face coverings and other measures may be lifted. This will also inform guidance on working from home – which should continue wherever possible until this review is complete.

Step 4: No earlier than 21st June

• No legal limits on social contact.

• Nightclubs to reopen.

• Larger events to be allowed.

• No attendee limits on all life events.

2.4 Business Meetings and Events

Permitted venues, including exhibition and conference centres, can hire out function and event spaces for essential work, education and training purposes, where these events cannot reasonably be conducted remotely. However, venues cannot not host conferences, exhibitions, trade shows, private dining events or banquets.

The legal gathering limits do not apply to essential work, education or training events. Attendees are not limited to gathering in groups of up to 6 people or 2 households.

Business meeting/event show-rounds, viewings and site visits for the purpose of viewing the venue for a future booking can take place at venues which are permitted to open at each step of the roadmap, or where a relevant exemption applies. From Step 2, this will include conference centres and exhibition halls, including conference centres located within hotels. Viewings of other venues can only take place from Step 3 – no earlier than 17 May.

Catering can be provided at meetings and events for essential work, education and training purposes. This does not extend to activities that are not strictly related to the essential work, education or training, such as private dining or social purposes with work colleagues.

Essential events must not contain social elements such as receptions, and hospitality areas remain subject to restrictions.

Across Tier one and two, business events will be able to resume, which is a key area the PPA has been lobbying the government to act on. We continue to advocate for a government backed COVID-cancellation insurance scheme to allow events organisers to plan ahead with confidence.

In all Tiers, government advice remains that everyone who can work from home should do so.

In Tier One:

• you must not socialise in groups larger than 6 people, indoors or outdoors, other than where a legal exemption applies. This is called the ‘rule of 6’

• businesses and venues can remain open, in a COVID secure manner,other than those which remain closed by law

• public attendance at outdoor and indoor events (performances and shows) is permitted, limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 4,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors

• public attendance at spectator sport and business events can resume inside and outside, subject to social contact rules and limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 4,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors

In Tier Two:

• you must not socialise with anyone you do not live with or who is not in your support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place

• you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 people outside, including in a garden or a public space – this is called the ‘rule of 6’

• businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-Secure manner,other than those which remain closed by law

• public attendance at outdoor and indoor events (performances and shows) is permitted, limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors

• public attendance at spectator sport and business events can resume inside and outside, subject to social contact rulesand limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors

In Tier Three:

• you must not meet socially indoors or in most outdoor places with anybody you do not live with, or who is not in your support bubble, this includes in any private garden or at most outdoor venues

• you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 in some other outdoor public spaces, including parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, a public garden, grounds of a heritage site or castle, or a sports facility – this is called the ‘rule of 6’

• hospitality settings, such as bars (including shisha venues), pubs, cafes and restaurants are closed

• there should be no public attendance at spectator sport or indoor performances and large business events should not be taking place. Elite sport events may continue to take place without spectators

• large outdoor events (performances and shows) should not take place, with the exception of drive-in events

Full details of the restrictions can be found here.

*Extension of the Job Retention Scheme
*

The furlough scheme has been extended until 31 March 2021. Employees will be eligible for 80% of their wages up to £2,500. Flexible furlough has also been extended.

Any employee who has been on an employer’s PAYE payroll by 11:59 on 30 October is eligible – including those who have not been furloughed before. Employees who were made redundant in September, ahead of the extension announcement, can be rehired and furloughed.

Employer contributions will be limited to pension contributions and NICs. Employer contribution levels will be reviewed in January.

**
Job Retention Bonus **

This will no longer be deployed in January and has been postponed to a more appropriate time following the end of the JRS.

Click here for a full summary of the key changes.

He announced the following new measures to support businesses:

1) New grants of up to £2,100 will be available for firms affected by Tier Two rules, primarily in the hospitality, leisure and accommodation sector. The grants will be paid retrospectively and cover any business affected by enhanced restrictions since August. These grants will be distributed by the council and will be equivalent to 70% of the value of the grants for closed businesses in Tier Three.

2) The Job Support Scheme (JSS) will now require employees to be working for 20% of their normal hours, compared to 33% when originally announced. The amount which employers will be required to contribute to the JSS has also been reduced from 33% to 5% and employers will continue to receive the £1,000 Job Retention Bonus.

3) The Government will increase the amount of profits covered by the two forthcoming self-employed grants from 20% to 40%, meaning the maximum grant will increase from £1,875 to £3,750.

View the full measures here.

Under the expansion, the Government will support eligible businesses by paying two thirds of each employees’ salary (or 67%), up to a maximum of £2,100 a month. Employers will not be required to contribute towards wages and only asked to cover NICS and pension contributions. Businesses will only be eligible to claim the grant while they are subject to restrictions and employees must be off work for a minimum of seven consecutive days.

To be eligible, employees must be employed and an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee to HMRC must have been made on or before 23 September. The scheme will begin on 1st November 2020 and will be available for six months, with a review point in January 2021. In line with the rest of the JSS, payments to businesses will be made in arrears, via a HMRC claims service that will be available from early December.

Additionally, the Government has announced that it will increase the cash grants to businesses in England closed due to local lockdowns in order to support fixed costs. These grants will be linked to rateable values, with up to £3,000 per month payable every two weeks, compared to the up to £1,500 every three weeks which was available previously.

The devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will benefit from a £1.3 billion increase to their guaranteed funding for 2020-21, to continue their response to Covid-19, including through similar measures if they wish.

In a pre-recorded interview with Sky News to make his announcement, the Chancellor stated that it was right that the Government considers a wide range of options to address case numbers and hospital admissions numbers in large parts of the country. He described the plans as “different” to what the Government has implemented before and that the plans represent a ‘pragmatic and adaptable’ approach.

Businesses who deferred VAT due from 20 March to 30 June 2020 will now have the option to pay in smaller payments over a longer period. Instead of paying the full amount by the end of March 2021, you can make smaller payments up to the end of March 2022, interest free. You will need to opt-in to the scheme, and for those who do, this means that your VAT liabilities due between 20 March and 30 June 2020 do not need to be paid in full until the end of March 2022. Those that can pay their deferred VAT can still do so by 31 March 2021. More information on the scheme will be available on GOV.UK in the coming months.