Federation of Small Businesses welcomes Covid restrictions easing but says more can be done
Plan B measures come to end as of today
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Sussex has welcomed the move back to Plan A coronavirus restrictions, but has told Greatest Hits Radio that more can be done to protect smaller firms.
As of today venues and events will no longer be required by law to use the NHS Covid pass and face masks are no longer required by law in any setting.
Although public health guidance will remain in place, suggesting people continue to wear them in crowded and enclosed spaces.
Martin Searle is the Development Manager at the FSB in Sussex and says more "pro-business policies" are needed to ensure smaller businesses in the county recover from the pandemic.
He said: "We've just got our figures from the small business index for quarter 4, which covers October to December. That makes interesting reading as it shows that confidence (in small businesses) is through the floor.
"2022 is going to be hopefully a brighter year but still a difficult one to navigate through. We're saying the national insurance increase that's coming in April is a step that we can ill afford in the local economy and the UK and to either scrap it or postpone it.
"We're also hoping the employment allowance can be put up from £4,000 to £5,000. There's also labour shortages, with some firms still thinking twice about employing people so that would be a boost for that.
"Thirdly, business rate bills will be landing on firms' doorsteps come April too, probably at higher rates as well. We're saying that it would be quite a straightforward thing to increase the threshold for business rate relief, which currently stands at £15,000 rateable value (of your business)."