Page 16 - BOSS Today Issue 54

BOSS Today #47 LOBBYING UPDATE
BOSS Today
#54

Welcome to the BOSS lobbying update for February 2022.

LOBBYING Employers will be able to claim the costs

for up to two weeks of Statutory Sick Pay
per employee who has had to take time
off because of COVID-19. This two-week
UPDATE limit will be reset so that an employer
will be able to claim up to two weeks per
employee, regardless of whether they
have claimed under the previous scheme
for that employee.
Check out more details and submit a
claim.

Brexit Freedoms Bill
Also recently announced (on Brexit’s
first birthday) was a Brexit Freedoms Bill
which has been brought forward by the
Government to end the special status of
EU law and ensure that it can be more
Political Update Government news easily amended or removed. The Bill
will be accompanied by a major cross-
At the start of February, the Treasury Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme Government drive to reform, repeal and
announced that all domestic electricity (SSPRS) Reopened replace outdated EU law. Officials across
customers would get £200 off their Employers can claim for COVID-related Government are currently reviewing all
energy bills from October, to be recovered sickness absences occurring from 21 EU retained laws to determine if they are
from people’s bills from 2023 onwards December 2021 onwards, now that the beneficial to the UK.
(when it’s hoped gas prices will come SSPRS has reopened. Downing Street says that the move is
down). 80% households will receive a The scheme had closed in September part of a cross-Government drive which
further Council Tax Rebate of £150 from 2021, but its return was announced in it claims will “cut £1 billion of red tape”
April. There is still no word regarding mid-January as part of the response to for UK businesses. It has also published
help for businesses, despite lobbying from the Omicron variant. You are eligible for a document entitled ‘The Benefits of
some of the most influential business the scheme if you: Brexit: how the UK is taking advantage
groups. We have a full update on the of leaving the EU’ which critics say
current situation from Schneider Electric n Are a small/medium sized (fewer than is designed to placate a number of
on our website. Meanwhile, Labour 250 employees as of 30 November Conservative MPs who believe that the
continue to call for a removal of VAT on 2021) Government is not demonstrating the
energy bills and a windfall tax on North n Have a PAYE payroll system as of 30 advantages of ‘getting Brexit done.’ Of
Sea oil and gas producers. We remain November 2021 course, there are plenty of businesses
keen to hear from you about your energy n Have already paid your employees’ who think Brexit itself creates much
price increases (see the article on ‘Power COVID-related SSP more red tape, not least new customs
Sharing’ on page 26). n Are based in the UK. requirements.

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