Our newest partner, ShopAppy.com 

ShopAppy.com is a well-established, multi-award-winning online ‘marketplace’ which allows businesses to efficiently sell their goods online without the need for e-commerce websites and the hassle of arranging your own deliveries. It’s quick and straightforward to set up – plus as a levy payer, we are funding the general cost of £240 per year starting from April 2020.

How can ShopAppy.com help during lockdown? 

  •  If you don’t have a website or have one without e-commerce, you can quickly and easily start selling your products online
  •  You can take orders much more efficiently than email, phone or social media
  •  If you are already selling through your website, we can link this to your listing, and you will benefit from the extra online traffic as businesses will be cross-promoting the site
  •  We’ve partnered with local taxi firms to provide delivery in your areas, the cost of which is paid for by the customer, meaning less hassle for you
  • There’s no commission on sales
  • People can buy products, online activities/events, or ‘buy now, enjoy later’ voucher if you are unable to trade at the moment, so you don’t miss out on people looking to purchase gifts for birthdays/anniversaries/special occasions.
  • You can speak directly to customers, by adding items as ‘ring to order’ (to arrange postage etc.)
  •  We will be promoting this to residents as soon as we have enough businesses onboard to encourage them to shop local which will include spotlights on the businesses featured

We want to help safeguard the character and uniqueness of our local places and keep our local economies going. If you know any other businesses who you think would benefit which are not levy payers, they too can start using the ShopAppy site for free for three months as part of the site’s COVID-19 response.

Here’s a word from Jackie Mulligan, Founder of ShopAppy:

“For over three years, our mission has been to help local places (high streets, markets, towns and cities) to compete with the online giants and we’ve been fighting hard for local businesses. In the past few days, our site has generated thousands of pounds worth of sales, for local businesses who would otherwise be struggling to trade.

If you are not actively trading at the moment, you can still register on the site, and we can place a ‘back soon’ sticker on your profile. It’s a great way to remind people that you’ll be there for them, once this is all over.”

We are contacting businesses direct to help you get on board, but you don’t need to wait for us to contact you. ShopAppy could be a valuable tool to keep your business current in peoples minds, so register for FREE today, using the ‘Register New Account’ button at shopappy.com/vendor.

LINKS TO GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

You can access all official government business support through their dedicated website, and to make things easier, you can use their new support finder tool.

 

If you can offer coronavirus (COVID-19) support from your business, find out what the government is requiring and apply HERE

Latest Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme guidance: 

You can now claim online for a grant for 80% of your furloughed employees’ salaries, up to a maximum of £2,500 per employee, per month, through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

This scheme will be open until the end of June 2020.

Before you make a claim:

  • please read all the available guidance on GOV.UK before you apply
  • gather all the information and the precise calculations you need before you start your application – if you have a payroll provider, they will be able to help you with this
  • you can find out more in the calculation guidance where you can access a claim calculator – this will allow you to check your claim for most employees who are paid the same amount each pay period
  • access their simple step-by-step guide for additional help.

After you’ve made a claim:

  • keep a note or a print-out of your claim reference number – you won’t receive a confirmation SMS or email
  • retain all records and calculations for your claims, in case they need to contact you about them
  • expect to receive the funds six working days after you apply, provided your claim matches records that they hold for your PAYE scheme 
  • to receive payment by 30‌‌ April, you will need to complete an application by 22‌‌ April

HMRC will check claims made through the scheme and will act to protect public money against anyone who makes a claim using dishonest or fraudulent information.

LOCAL AUTHORITIES

All of our local authorities are working incredibly hard to implement the government’s reliefs and have been contacting businesses directly. You can view their updates directly via the links below. Their websites now also include additional information for businesses who are eligible and in need of accessing the government grants. Over £60m has been granted throughout the Yorkshire Coast, but if you have not yet applied, please see the information they still require from you so that they can process the grants as quickly as possible. 

Scarborough Borough Council

Grant guidance

East Riding of Yorkshire Council

East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Business Support Team is working alongside the Humber Local Enterprise Partnership and other partners to pool information on the issues affecting businesses, share resources and ensure businesses can access support.

The central point of access for business support in the Humber region is the Humber Business Growth Hub. The Growth Hub brings together information on all support initiatives and can answer any questions and signpost businesses to the most appropriate help. 

To access support, email the Growth Hub at growth.hub@humberlep.org

The East Riding Business Support Team is available to help you in identifying appropriate support initiatives and signpost you to possible help.

Please email startup.business@eastriding.gov.uk, and we will respond as quickly as possible.

Small business grant guidance

Rural rate relief

Retail hospitality and leisure relief

North Yorkshire County Council

HSE

North York Moors National Park

HMRC

Be aware of scammers claiming to be from HMRC offering financial support as a result of coronavirus.  

If you receive an email, text or call claiming to be from HMRC that asks you to click on a link or give information such as your name, credit card or bank details, it’s a scam.

You can also receive specialist support and advice through your Local Enterprise Partnerships:

North Yorkshire LEP Busines Support
Humber LEP Coronavirus Community Support

Federation of Small Business who have been doing great work to represent the self-employed.
Coronovirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) can also be found HERE

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