Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the governments Winter Economy Plan on the 24^thSeptember. It outlined a number of measures designed to protect jobs and support self-employed people over the coming months due to prolonged coronavirus measures.
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There were also announcements included in the plan to provide businesses some breathing space when it comes to paying taxes and crisis loans that have been used to help stay afloat during the economic interruptions.
Whilst these plans are to be welcomed and we hope that they provide support for businesses during a very turbulent period, we can’t help but question if the measures go far enough and more importantly, who has been forgotten?
We have heard from business owners and recreational/leisure venue managers that they have been well and truly left out in the cold. The initial measures of business grants and furlough schemes only covered those that fell into certain criteria and everyone else has been left to muddle through.
Company directors who had recently set up in business could not claim any furlough payments as they had no proof of earnings, this also applied to directors who may have paid themselves from dividends in the preceding years. There are some directors who have been paying their staff the furlough payments only to find that they are unable to take advantage of any such measures for themselves.
We want to know how this has affected our members businesses and other businesses in the area. We intend to collate the information and present the facts to those with the right channels to instigate some change.

• Are you a director that has not received any help from the schemes?
• Are you an employer who is now questioning whether you will be able to afford to keep all of your staff?
• Do you think your business can survive another 6-12 months of restrictions?
• What would you do differently, if the decision were up to you?

Please send us your responses, everything will be held in the strictest confidence, we will simply compile the information to present a clearer picture of the situation facing businesses in Mansfield and Ashfield. As an organisation we can create a strong voice if the need is there.