Recovery Loan Scheme

Recovery Loan Scheme

The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) application entries terminated on 31/03/2021 and now the government has introduced the Recovery Loan Scheme to finance UK businesses as they grow and recover from the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government guarantees 80% of the finance to the lenders, meaning the necessity of credit checks on the business are negated, but as the borrower, you are still 100% liable for the debt.

Loans are available through a network of accredited lenders, listed on the British Business Bank’s website.

You can apply for a loan if your business:

  • is trading in the UK
  • would be viable were it not for the pandemic
  • has been adversely impacted by the pandemic
  • is not in collective insolvency proceedings

Loans or overdrafts between £25,001 – £10M can be applied for (for up to 3-year period) and the APR will be dependent on the duration, but the typical APR on a £25K loan over 36-months is 7.7% bringing the value of the loan to £28,435.

Or you can apply for asset financing between £1,000 and £10M per business over a maximum of 6 years.

You can apply for the Recovery Loan Scheme directly from your bank and the scheme is open till 31 December 2021.

More information can be found HERE.

Bounce Back Loan Applications & Top-Ups ENDING

Bounce Back Loan Scheme: applications & top-ups deadline (31 March 2021)

Applications for the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) come to a close on 31st March 2021.

The purpose of the scheme was to allow small businesses, regardless whether they were sole traders, partnerships, or limited companies, a way of getting a cash flow worth 25% of their turnover (within the range of £2-£50k) to support them during the pandemic.  This is a great way to get a cash injection with a very small interest repayment (2.5% over 6-years, where the Government will pay the first 12 month’s interest on your behalf).

The deadline for Bounce Back Loan applications is Wednesday 31st March 2021.  If you have not applied for the BBLS and need money to pay tax debts or to get your business moving again, then we recommend you make an application directly with your bank before time runs out.

If you have already taken out a BBLS, you can apply for a top-up to their existing Bounce Back Loan if you originally borrowed less than the maximum amount available to you.  The top-ups are only available from your existing BBLS lender & you can apply for the lesser of £50k or 25% of the annual turnover the borrower certified in their original successful BBLS application form, minus the value of the original loan given to you.

If you need any assistance with your application then please do not hesitate to contact us on 020 8761 8000.

Taxfile Partners with Local Government to Offer Self Assessment Assistance

With the self-assessment tax deadline looming in the midst of a global pandemic and no announcement of an extension from the government (28 days would do), 5.4m* taxpayers (45%) still needing to submit a tax return before the 31st January and many of those are left feeling hopeless and helpless, unsure how to complete it themselves and having difficulty finding or affording an accountant who can do it on their behalf.

Some will attempt to complete the tax return online themselves but without a Government Gateway ID that task will be impossible.  Obtaining the Government Gateway ID would require having their ID checked and confirmed online and without a valid UK passport and/or driving licence the task will lead to long phone calls on hold waiting for a HMRC advisor, who are currently running somewhat of a skeleton crew as a result of the pandemic (at least that’s the impression given due to the long waiting times even on the authorised agents helplines and the reduced opening hours).

Even if you do have Government Gateway ID (and password), you will need to work through HMRC’s Self-Assessment form, deciding which of the sections are relevant to you & compiling the information required for each part. Take a look at these help sheets especially useful for people with self-employed earnings (some of the business income references use the word business which can confuse as the rules and guidelines are equally applicable to sole traders working for themselves).

Also check out the HMRC’s toolkit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-business-profits-toolkit.

 You will need to accurately assess all your business income and more so, expenses, ensuring the correct figures are entered and submitted.  Knowing what expenses you can and can’t claim can really have a negative or positive effect on the tax bill you will be presented with at the end but how do you ensure you are paying the correct amount of tax?

 Looking for assistance from HMRC’s website can provide some valuable information if you know what you are looking for (see the help sheets mentioned above) but from the distance, for the everyday taxpayer, this task can be rather daunting.  Finding personal help, assistance, and guidance can be difficult, especially when the people that can help those most are currently experiencing their busiest period in the industry whilst coping with the effects of COVID on their workforce.

Many may opt for the avoidance strategy until the £100 late filing penalty lands on their door and further threats of daily fines & interest kicks them into action.  You will have a ground to appeal any fines or penalties if you have been affected by COVID.  This will involve writing a formal letter to HMRC and providing any evidence they may request to overturn the fine.

We do recommend that however hard it maybe, it’s a good idea to put some money on your HMRC self-assessment account to settle last year’s tax if you can at least estimate it because at the end of February any tax still outstanding from the previous year which ended 05/04/20 will attract a surcharge which is almost impossible to appeal against so give it a go and work out your taxable profit and then put it in this calculator so you can guesstimate how much you need to rustle up.

If you need an injection to your cash flow even if you were eligible and claimed for the SEISS grants, we would strongly recommend you apply for the Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) if you have not done so already.  This can be done via your bank provider online & in many cases they may require you to open a business bank account.  You are then eligible for a maximum of 25% of your 2018/19 business turnover (a minimum of £2k and maximum amount of £50k being leant).  The interest rate for this loan is 2.5% for 6-years and the government will pay the interest for the first 12-months of the loan.

Taxfile is currently working closely with local government and our director is on the board of the local business improvement district, we like to think of ourselves as the local tax office for the people of south London, we may be able to give you a little help along the way so why not give us a call for a free 20 minute confidential chat on 020 8761 8000

 

*figure correct on 01/01/21

Bounce Back Loan Scheme Deadline Extended

[UPDATED FEBRUARY 2021] The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) was an initiative struck up between the Government and banks to enable small businesses to access finances more quickly through the pandemic.  It allowed businesses to have access to 25% of their 2018/19 turnover, with a minimum loan of £2,000 and a maximum amount of £50,000.  The loan would need to be repaid within 6 years at a reduced interest rate of 2.5% and the Government would pay the first 12-months of the interest on your behalf.

The BBLS became a survival blood for many small businesses and initially the banks had set the cut-off date for applications to 30th November 2020 after the government had initially stated the deadline as 4th November 2020.

Now the government have asked the banks to extend the date even further, so now small businesses have until 31st March 2021 to apply for the BBLS.

To apply you can have  a look HERE for all available providers of the scheme.  All you need to do, is to go online and apply from your bank provider (if they are listed).  If you do not have a business bank account you will more than likely need a copy of your 2018/19 tax return to upload for them.

As our customer, if you require any assistance applying for the BBLS then please call us on 020 8761 8000.

Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS)

Bounce Back Loans for Struggling Businesses: Ending 30 November!

If your small or medium-sized business has struggled due to adverse trading conditions caused by the pandemic, it may be eligible for a support loan through the Government’s Bounce Back Loan Scheme (‘BBLS’). However, time is running out — you only have until 4 November 2020* to arrange the loan with a lender. That’s just a few weeks away at time of writing. There are some great features, so don’t miss out if you need financial support …

Bounce Back Loans are interest-free for 12 months (with no repayments being required during that time). Thereafter, the interest will be just 2½% per annum. Small businesses can borrow between £2000 and £50,000 depending upon their turnover (the maximum allowed is 25% of their turnover in the 2019 calendar year, up to the £50k ceiling). Another major feature is that the Government guarantees the loan. BBLS loans have a six year term, but you can repay the loan early without incurring an early redemption fee.

The main requirements around eligibility are that:

  • your business is UK based;
  • it was established before 1st march 2020;
  • it has been adversely affected by the pandemic;
  • it is not in bankruptcy, liquidation or undergoing debt restructuring.

N.B. Banks, insurers (excluding brokers), re-insurers, public-sector bodies and state-funded primary/secondary schools are not eligible.

* IMPORTANT NOTE: many of the high street banks now seem to be stating a deadline of the end of November instead of the 4th. However, Taxfile’s advice is to apply before 4th November (the Government’s official, published deadline) to avoid possible disappointment.

A few other caveats apply, so Read more