Personal care sector unlikely to re-open before mid-March

Hair and beauty shops, salons and spas are unlikely to be allowed to re-open for business until at least mid-March, after the government announced that a relaxation of the national lockdown rules was not possible, until more Covid19 vaccinations had been administered.

Schools, which had been hoping to re-open immediately after the February half term, will not now resume until 8 March at the earliest, with other sectors to follow at later dates, Prime Minister Borris Johnson said.

“If we achieve our target of vaccinating everyone in the four most vulnerable groups with their first dose by 15 February – and every passing day sees more progress towards that goal – then those groups will have developed immunity from the virus by about three weeks later, that is by 8 March,” Johnson said.

“We hope it will therefore be safe to commence the reopening of schools from Monday 8 March, with other economic and social restrictions being removed thereafter as and when the data permits – then or thereafter,” he added.

In Scotland, the deadline for applications for the third instalment of the self-employment grant is tomorrow (29 January 2021).

This will provide a taxable grant covering 80% of average monthly trading profits.

It will be paid out in a single instalment covering three months’ worth of profits and capped at £7,500 in total.

The next instalment will cover a three-month period from 1 February 2021 until 30 April 2021 and the government will set the amount of this grant in due course.

Tax and National Insurance must be paid on the grants.