Coronavirus advice for businesses in Scotland
Your top questions answered
Need help getting back to work safely?
- Updates to Scotland's Phase 3 Route Map with further changes and anticipated dates for re-opening (30 July 2020)
- Read the Scottish Government Phase 3 business and physical distancing guidance (24 July 2020)
- Guidance on opening of public and customer toilets (27 June 2020)
- Key dates and guidance in Scotland's Route Map to re-opening and scaling up over Phase 3 (9 July 2020)
- Read this action list for businesses to consider during the current pandemic.
- Guidance to help micro (less than 10 employees) and small (less than 50 employees) companies safely re-open (13 July 2020)
- Read advice and guidance from Public Health Scotland on planning a return to work (26 June)
- Explore this free service for employers looking to fill jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic launched by Skills Development Scotland. This is a free platform to share immediate job opportunities in Scotland.
- Guidance on collection of customer and visitor contact details as part of NHS Scotland's Test and Protect system (14 July 2020)
We Are Scotland campaign stakeholder toolkit for businesses/services to reopen safely - includes FACTS guidance, posters, media assets, face covering Q&A (22 July 2020)
- Find UK-wide coronavirus financial support for your business. This service from the UK Government covers most, but not all, business support available to businesses in Scotland. (27 April 2020)
- Small businesses can apply for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). They have changed eligibility criteria to make it easier for businesses to access funds. (6 April 2020)
- Apply for a coronavirus Bounce Back Loan. Small and medium-sized businesses affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) can apply for a loan of up to £50,000 which will be guaranteed by the UK Government (4 May 2020)
- The Performing Arts Venues Relief Fund is a targeted £10 million fund to support Scotland's performing arts venues. It will help venues who cannot yet reopen to their audiences due to the ongoing impact of coronavirus (COVID-19). (30 July 2020)
- The UK Government's Eat Out to Help Out Scheme launches 3 August 2020. Get information on the scheme, including eligibility, how to register and how to offer the discount (30 July 2020)
- How to pay all or some of your grant back if you’ve overclaimed through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (1 July 2020)
The UK Job Retention Scheme (furlough) that pays 80% of wages of workers on leave because of coronavirus has been extended by a further four months to October. The UK Government will ask companies to "start sharing" the cost of the scheme from August. (12 May 2020)
Employers can also claim the Job Retention Bonus, a one-off payment of £1000 for each employee who they previously claimed for under the furlough scheme, and who remains continuously employed through to 31 January 2021. (31 July 2020)
- Guidance for workers and employers on returning to work safely (4 August 2020)
- Employers need to be aware of the guidance for employees who are shielding so they can return to work safely (27 July 2020)
- Test and Protect - Scottish Government advice for employers (26 May 2020)
- Read the Scottish Government's Phase 3 route map update (9 July 2020) and additional changes (30 July 2020)
- Find redundancy support from Skills Development Scotland. Free support for businesses of any size, no matter how many employees are involved.
- Scottish Mediation offers a Covid-19 mediation service to resolve conflicts with employees. The service is free for organisations with up to 5 employees (9 July)
Usual sick leave and pay entitlements apply if you or an employee has coronavirus.
Latest Scottish Government and industry guidance for sectors getting back to work safely.
Most popular
- Tourism and hospitality (30 July 2020)
- Retail (28 July 2020)
- how the retail experience is changing (30 June 2020)
- Transport operators (4 June 2020)
- Food and drink (4 August 2020)
- Close contact services
- includes hairdressers, tattoo artists, spas etc (28 July 2020)
- Creative industries - creative studios and shared workspaces (30 June 2020)
- Events management (30 July 2020)
Other sectors
- Call centres and customer contact centre environments (3 August 2020)
- Caravan sites and holiday parks (3 July 2020)
- Childminder services and settings (30 July 2020)
- Cinemas and drive-in cinemas (14 July 2020)
- Construction - updated to allow Phase 4 of the restart plan to begin (15 July 2020)
- Farmers, landowners and rural (11 June 2020)
- Film and high-end TV production (14 July 2020)
- Financial services (7 August 2020)
- Forestry (29 May 2020)
- Funeral Directors (16 July 2020)
- Horticulture, fruit and vegetables (30 June 2020)
- Life sciences
- Manufacturing (updated 28 July 2020)
- Museums, galleries and heritage attractions (6 July 2020)
- Public spaces - urban centres and green spaces, including shopping areas, transport hubs, parks, cemeteries and burial grounds (29 June 2020)
- Places of worship (14 July 2020)
- Private landlords and lettings agents (10 July 2020)
- Professional sport - football and rugby (10 July 2020)
- Public libraries (14 July 2020)
- Waste management (13 July 2020)
Scotland’s enterprise and skills agencies are working in partnership to help you find the support you need if your business has been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Find guidance, advice and tools for all sectors across Scotland.
Latest updates
- Guidance for the tourism and hospitality sectors on operating safely during the pandemic (30 July 2020)
- Guidance for the financial services sector on safe re-opening (7 August 2020)
- Local lockdown measures introduced in Aberdeen, including restrictions on food and drink businesses (5 August 2020)
- Guidance for call centres or customer contact centres on operating safely during the coronavirus outbreak (3 August 2020)
- The Job Retention Bonus is a one-off payment of £1,000 to employers for each previously furloughed employee still employed through to 31 January 2021 (31 July 2020)
- The UK Government's Eat Out to Help Out Scheme is now running (3 August 2020)
- The claims service for this scheme is now live (7 August 2020)
- How your circumstances can affect your eligibility for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (3 August 2020)
- The Early Stage Growth Challenge Fund has closed for new applications (31 July 2020)
- Read the latest updates to Scotland's Phase 3 Route Map with further changes and anticipated dates for re-opening (30 July 2020)
- Further funding for tourism, including £14 million Hotel Recovery Programme, announced by Scottish Government (29 July 2020)
- Employers need to be aware of the guidance for employees who are shielding so they can return to work safely (27 July 2020)
- The £4 million Museums Resilience and Recovery Fund will provide support for Scotland’s museums and galleries. It will be administered by Museums Galleries Scotland (25 July 2020)
- We Are Scotland campaign stakeholder toolkit for businesses/services to reopen safely - includes FACTS guidance, posters, media assets, face covering Q&A (22 July 2020)
- A package of support for those looking for work or at risk of redundancy has been announced by the Scottish Government (16 July 2020)
- Beware of scammers offering to help with coronavirus related grants (14 July 2020)
Get ready to restart with our timeline
Our indicative timeline shows all the key dates and events on Scotland's route out of lockdown.
Browse advice by topic
Sources of finance
Information for businesses, the third sector and the self-employed.
Support by industry sector
All sectors in Scotland are experiencing the impacts of the coronavirus outbreak, some more than others.
Protecting your workforce
Guidance on employment, key workers, furloughed workers, including sick leave and pay entitlements.
Business rates and tax
Support and advice on business tax, rates and accounts.
Business continuity
Find important checklists explaining the steps you should be taking to prepare for potential disruption.
Webinars and online learning
Webinars, tutorials and online learning events about the impact of the coronavirus and general business development advice.
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