Chancellors Summer Statement
Posted 08/07/2020
The Chancellor has made his announcement today and revealed the plans to save jobs and boost the UK’s economic recovery.
The points are summarised below:
Stamp Duty Reduction
From today until 31 March 2021, buyers will pay no Stamp Duty on the first £500k when they move home
This will apply until 31 March 2021 and cut the tax due for everyone who would have paid SDLT.
VAT Reduction
From 15 July 2020 to 12 January 2021, to support businesses and jobs in the hospitality sector, the reduced (5%) rate of VAT will apply to supplies of food and non-alcoholic drinks from restaurants, pubs, bars, cafés and similar premises across the UK.
Temporary VAT cut for accommodation and attractions – From 15 July 2020 to 12 January 2021, to support businesses and jobs, the reduced (5%) rate of VAT will apply to supplies of accommodation and admission to attractions across the UK.
Further guidance on the scope of this relief will be published by HMRC in the coming days.
Job Retention Bonus
The government has announced a Job Retention Bonus as a one-off payment of £1,000 to UK employers for every furloughed employee who remains continuously employed through to the end of January 2021.
Employees must earn above the Lower Earnings Limit (£520 per month) on average between the end of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the end of January 2021. Payments will be made from February 2021.
Further detail about the scheme will be announced by the end of July.
Kickstart Scheme
The government have introduced a new Kickstart Scheme, a £2 billion fund to create hundreds of thousands of high quality 6-month work placements aimed at those aged 16-24 who are on Universal Credit and are deemed to be at risk of long-term unemployment.
Funding available for each job will cover 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, plus the associated employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions.
Apprenticeships
The government have introduced a new payment of £2,000 to employers in England for each new apprentice they hire aged under 25, and a £1,500 payment for each new apprentice they hire aged 25 and over, from 1st August 2020 to 31st January 2021.
These payments will be in addition to the existing £1,000 payment the government already provides for new 16-18 year-old apprentices, and those aged under 25 with an Education, Health and Care Plan – where that applies.
Eat Out to Help Out
The government have introduced the Eat Out to Help Out scheme to encourage people to return to eating out.
This will entitle every diner to a 50% discount of up to £10 per head on their meal, at any participating restaurant, café, pub or other eligible food service establishment.
The discount can be used unlimited times and will be valid Monday to Wednesday on any eat-in meal (including on non-alcoholic drinks) for the entire month of August 2020 across the UK. Participating establishments will be fully reimbursed for the 50% discount.
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