COVID-19 business advice for veterinary practices and employees

This page is for business advice for veterinary practices and employees. On this page you will find advice for key workers, financial support for businesses and individuals including statutory sick pay, loans and grants for businesses and government advice on being furloughed. This page also includes legal advice from Harrison Clark Rickerbys. Please ensure you regularly check relevant Government resources for up-to-date advice.

Some government guidance and information may vary in different parts of the UK therefore please check country advice for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and also, for any local variations within each country. Our Covid-19 homepage has further information on transitioning plans intended to ease the lockdown restrictions specific to each country.

Reviewed as of July 2021.

Key Workers

Government advice on what is included in ‘key workers’ can be found here

Parents whose work is critical to the COVID-19 response include those who work in health and social care and in other key sectors outlined in the Government’s advice.

Food and other necessary goods

This usually includes those involved in food production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery, as well as those essential to the provision of other key goods (for example hygienic and veterinary medicines). Please be aware that Governments update their advice periodically therefore please check their websites for updates.

Critical Business

If your work is critical to the COVID-19 response, or you work in one of the critical sectors listed in Government advice and you cannot keep your child safe at home, then your children should be prioritised for education provision.

Please note: we are keen to help the veterinary community access relevant advice and information during these uncertain times. Whilst we will do our best to screen the information we share for relevancy and accuracy, BSAVA are not liable for any content produced by third parties.

Financial Support for Businesses

There are a number of support systems that you can avail of as a business to support employees as outlined below.

Job Retention Scheme

Employees can be furloughed which is also known as the Government Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Detailed information on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is available here.

Deferring of VAT and Tax payments

See Deferral of VAT payments here.

For income tax, and self-assessment payments, information is available here. You can also negotiate with HMRC to obtain a more generous application of its time-to-pay scheme details of which are available here.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) relief for all SME’s

Full details are available here.

Loans and grants for businesses

BVA’s comprehensive guide includes information for businesses in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and is available here

Wales

Welsh Government has issued guidance to employers and businesses on COVID-19 to enable veterinary practices to access and benefit from Welsh Government’s business support initiatives. Please visit the Business Wales website to find the most up-to-date information available. Business Wales service continues to be available to support veterinary practices through a range of support options. One-to-one sessions with a Business Wales Advisor can be accessed by contacting Business Wales on veterinarysupport@businesswales.org.uk This guidance will be reviewed periodically so please check for updates on any new developments and opportunities.

Financial Support for Individuals

There are a number of support systems that you can avail of as an individual as outlined below.

If you are furloughed

If you have been furloughed this is also known as the Government Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Detailed information on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is available here.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for employees

SSP is available to you if you are an employee of a business.

Please see the following Government information if you are considered at high risk of severe illness from coronavirus
You can obtain an isolation note online by visiting NHS 111 online

Further information is available here

Self-employed individuals

Please see UK Government advice on the Self-employment Income Support Scheme here.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for the self-employed

If you are self-employed you are not eligible for SSP.

You can claim either:

Universal Credit Details are available here
Employment support allowance. Details are available here

Legal Business

Protecting business premises in the face of Covid-19

Practical help for business leaders in the context of Covid-19

Coronavirus Q&A for employers

How does Covid-19 affect my business finance?

Are you failing to pay your business premises rent?

Legal advice for your business – COVID-19

COVID-19 Legal advice for you or someone you know (no longer available)

Business Support

Business Know How on COVID-19

Isolation notes – Isolation notes will provide employees with evidence for their employers that they have been advised to self-isolate due to coronavirus, either because they have symptoms or they live with someone who has symptoms, and so cannot work.

For the first seven days off work, employees can self-certify so they don’t need any evidence for their employer. After that, employers may ask for evidence of sickness absence. Where this is related to having symptoms of coronavirus or living with someone who has symptoms, the isolation note can be used to provide evidence of the advice to self-isolate.

The government says the notes can be accessed through the NHS website and NHS 111 online.