Support for Kingston businesses

This page provides the latest information for Kingston businesses, including resources to support you. 

You can find more general community support and information on the main COVID-19 page, and general business support and information on our business homepage.

Sign up to the Business Updates newsletter - To recieve the latest information and opportunities to support you and your business through COVID-19, please sign up for our Business updates newsletter. See the previous issues here

Head to GOV.UK's business support pages for the government's business support portal throuought COVID-19. 

Restart Grant 

Restart Grants are now available.These grants support ratepayers of non-essential retail, hospitality, accomodation, leisure, personal care, gym and sports businesses to reopen as COVID-19 restrictions are eased. Read the full guidance and apply here.

Local restrictions support grant 

The application window for grants for the period 16 February 2021 to 31 March 2021 ends 31 May 2021. Grants for earlier periods have already closed. These grants are available to support businesses in the borough.

Apply now for a Local Restrictions Support Grant.

Government Support for businesses

Explore the range of support options for your business, including funding, Self Employment Income Support and guidance on managing restrictions.

Free COVID-19 home test kits for workplaces 

All businesses where staff can’t work from home can apply for free home test kits to keep the workplace COVID-19 free. You will need to register before 31 March. For support with the application process, contact [email protected] or 0208 547 5800. Staff who cannot work from home can access regular rapid testing at our community test hubs for people without symptoms.

What to do if you have a case of COVID-19 in your business

To keep Kingston safe, it is vital that all cases of the virus are reported. As soon as you identify a case of COVID-19:

• Staff members with confirmed COVID-19 must self-isolate for 10 days. All members of their household must also self-isolate for 10 days.
• All close contacts of the case must self-isolate immediately for 10 days from last contact and get tested if they experience symptoms - nhs.uk/coronavirus or 119 to book a test.
• Review your COVID-19 risk assessment and measures to prevent further transmission of the virus.

You should also read through the local outbreak plan for community workplaces. This details everything that you need to do, including how to report an outbreak, and when you can access testing for your workers. NHS contact tracing app

NHS App

The NHS contact tracing app has been launched by the Government.  

It gives businesses in England and Wales the opportunity to display a unique QR code on their premises for customers who have downloaded the App to click on using their smartphones.  Businesses and venues in England and Wales are legally required to create, download and display a poster containing a unique QR code on their premises. Venues not displaying a QR code may be fined £1000. 

For those customers who do not have smartphones or who do not wish to use the QR code, a written record of their personal details must still be retained by the business. 

Find out which businesses are required to display a QR code. 

The NHS has compiled an FAQ page of questions about the use of the QR codes and the App in your business and a resource pack for you to use.

Important guidance from council business-facing services

• Service update from Licensing
• Service updates from Parking
• Service update from Environmental Health- changes to running a food business
• Information for council service providers

Government and local advice and guidance:

• Borough-wide Reopening Guidance (Kingston Council)
• Kingston Town Centre: Reopening Guidance (Kingston First)
• What the Government is doing to support businesses
• Additional government resources to support your business
• Working safely in the workplace during COVID-19
• How to clean workplaces safely
• Connected Kingston for local advice and support
• London Growth Hub
• Sector-specific support (London Growth Hub)
• Government guidance on maintaining records of staff, customers, and visitors to support NHS Test and Trace

Specialised support for businesses

• Technation - Coronavirus info hub for tech businesses
• British Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) - Coronavirus information for Business Improvement Districts
• British Business Bank - Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme information for SMEs, Lenders and Prospective Lenders
• Association of Convenience Stores - Coronavirus resources for retailers
• Food Standards Agency - Coronavirus information for food businesses
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW ) - Coronavirus from ICAEW info orientated toward accountancy businesses
• IPSE - Coronavirus information from the  Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed.
• Financial Conduct Authority - information for business providing financial services to retail investors

Culture at Risk Fund

The Mayor of London has announced a targeted emergency fund to help London's creative and cultural industries at risk due to the impact of COVID-19. If you are an arts organisation, business or individual working in the cultural sector, creative industries or night-time economy, visit the Mayor of London's Culture at Risk page.

Have you had success in transitioning your business online?

We would love to hear from you so we can share your experience and any advice with others. Please let us know by emailing [email protected].