Bailiffs return to work – business news 25 August 2020.
James Salmon, Operations Director.
Bailiffs return to work, massive Q3 predicted, digitizing and office downsizing survey, prioritizing mental health, covid-19, markets and lots more business news.
Here are CPA we want to share the business news stories we have seen that we think will affect our members and readers. Many of us are busy fighting to protect our businesses and therefore might have missed some of the news that could impact small businesses, their owners and those that sell on credit.
Bailiffs return to work
Bailiffs return to collection operations in England and Wales but are being told to keep their voices down to protect against covid transmission.
They will be chasing unpaid council tax after a five-month suspension.
Debt charities have responded by warned of a surge in cases, prompting financial and health risks. But a trade body for the sector said vital public services would be affected if councils were unable to collect money that has been owed for months.
A similar pause on evictions was extended on Friday by four weeks.
Part of the government guidance on bailiffs working under the current risk of coronavirus is for them to “avoid unduly raising their voice”. “This is because of the potential for increased risk of transmission,” the guidance says.
From Monday, authorities are able to use bailiffs – officially known as enforcement agents – to pursue unpaid bills such as council tax or parking fines. The debts now being chased would have been unpaid before the pandemic lockdown.
They are being told not to enter homes to take items except in exceptional circumstances and where it is safe.
UK set for record-breaking economic growth in third quarter
Data showing higher consumer spending in the first two weeks of August than a year ago indicates the UK may be on course to enjoy a record-breaking economic recovery in Q3.
KPMG survey reveals accelerated digital push by CEOs and plans to downsize offices
A global survey of CEOs by KPMG has found that 80% of business leaders accelerated their digital expansion plans during the lockdown. Amidst the pandemic, companies moved more of their operations online as they adjusted to staff working remotely and dealing with customers virtually.
In the short term, 69% of businesses said they planned to cut their office space and 73% said the shift to working from home had increased the pool of job candidates.
Talent is now the top risk for executives over the next three years, up from 11th place, followed by supply chains and environmental and climate change risks. CEOs in Britain were more bullish about their country’s economy than in all other countries apart from China and Japan.
Overall, 32% they are less confident about the prospects for the global economy than they were at the start of the 2020 while 32% said they are more confident.
Businesses commit to prioritising mental health
Unilever, Barclays, Lloyds, Morgan Stanley and Santander, along with National Grid and Eon are among 33 companies to have pledged to prioritise mental health as employees return to work. An open letter detailing the commitment was signed following research by Mind, the mental health charity, which showed that more than a third of workers were struggling. The letter is also backed by the CBI and the Federation of Small Businesses.
Treasury under fire over disclosure silence on virus loans
The UK Treasury and the British Business Bank are refusing to name businesses that have secured state-backed coronavirus loans with a combined value of £52.7bn, citing commercial sensitivities and data protection laws. Separately, the BBB’s Start Up Loans programme has issued its 75,000th loan. The programme has invested £623m in small businesses since 2012.
Price of extending furlough scheme is worth it
Writing in the Times, Karen Ward, chief market strategist for EMEA at JP Morgan Asset Management, warns that unless the Government changes its mind on its plan to close the furlough scheme at the end of October a vast number of businesses will be forced to cut jobs. Ms Ward argues that extending the scheme would serve as an investment in those workers who, if made redundant, would find it difficult to find new employment anyway, while a jump in unemployment “would surely deepen and prolong the recession by making the broader working population more fearful and cautious in their spending.”
FCA steps up focus on advice firms facing collapse
The Financial Conduct Authority is prioritising its focus on regulated firms which are “less resilient” to the financial pressures of recent months. Minutes from the regulator’s July board meeting reveal it has established a recovery and resolution strategy and delivery unit, intended to probe the financial resilience of its regulated firms and identify those at risk of failure.
Quarter of advisers will not return to office in 2020
A poll conducted by Intelliflo reveals a quarter of advisers have no plans to return to the office this year. More than half of respondents agreed that some form of remote working now had a place in their long-term future.
Covid-19 general news
Global cases top 23.6 million and deaths surpass 813,000
With Spain, France and Germany recording the highest number of virus cases since they emerged from lockdown, the danger that Europe blows its best chance of controlling the covid-19 outbreak grows by the day. One big factor has been the restart of travel across the continent. Almost 40% of recent German cases are thought to have been contracted abroad, according to the Robert Koch Institute
The first documented instance of a covid-19 reinfection was described in Hong Kong. A local returning from Spain tested positive, despite also having been diagnosed with it in March. The viral strains were different, scientists said, adding that the case raises questions about the efficacy of vaccines and herd immunity.
AstraZeneca said the first participants had been dosed in a phase I trial of its potential Covid-19 treatment. The trial, called NCT04507256, will evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of AZD7442, a combination of two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in development for the prevention and treatment of Covid-19.
US drugs firm Moderna announced that it had concluded initial talks with the European Union to supply 80 million doses of its potential coronavirus vaccine. Under the potential purchase agreement, the EU will have the option to acquire an additional 80 million doses of the treatment, for a total of up to 160 million doses.
Markets.
The FTSE 100 jumped 1.7% yesterday as commodity stocks rose with the rising oil prices and confidence over a treatment gave the market a positive outlook as the US gave approval for the use of convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19 patients.
Coronavirus vaccine optimism sent US stocks to record high overnight but the positive sentiments were not carried forward to Asia. The Nikkei is up 1.84%. Hong Kong HSI is down -0.69%. China Shanghai SSE is down -0.19%. Singapore Strait Times is up 1.24%. Overnight, the S&P 500 rose 1.00% to 3431.28, a new record. The NASDAQ rose 0.60% to 11379.72, also a new record.
In the biggest reshuffling in seven years, Exxon Mobil Corp., Pfizer Inc. and Raytheon Technologies Corp. were kicked out of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, making way for Salesforce.com, Amgen Inc. and Honeywell International to enter the 124-year old index. The index which is unweighted by market cap and based on stock price will also be affected by Apple, currently 12% of the index, splitting its stock and thus reducing its sway in the index. Exxon was the worlds largest company only 9 years ago but has been hit by the fall in commodity prices.
The Oil price prices rose as storms closed in on the Gulf of Mexico, shutting more than half its oil production, and on signs of progress in development of a COVID-19 treatment.
Gold prices rose as the dollar dipped, making bullion cheaper for holders of other currencies, but hopes for progress in the treatment of COVID-19 limited any gains made.
Japan trade deal
The government is expecting to have a free trade deal with Japan wrapped up as soon as next week, after just under three months of negotiations. A Downing Street official today told journalists that the government expects to complete the deal before September, meaning by next Monday at the latest. The completion of a deal would be a big success story for international trade secretary Liz Truss as the UK seeks to wrap up trade deals before exiting the post-Brexit transition period on 31 December 2020.
Retail
The number of visits to UK Retail destinations jumped last week as the economy’s recovery picked up, new data has shown, with London a particular bright spot. Footfall was up 4.1% in the 16 to 22 August period compared to the previous week, data today suggested.
Tesco
In a rare bright bit of news for British retail, Britain’s largest supermarket chain, has announced it will create 16,000 jobs. The new roles will include delivery drivers and “pickers” in warehouses. Online sales now account for 16% of the company’s sales, compared with 9% before the pandemic.
Hospitality sector needs ongoing support
Marvin Rust, the managing director and head of tax at Alvarez & Marsal, says in a piece for the Telegraph that the end of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme and plans by large firms to keep many staff working from home further threatens prospects for the restaurant and casual dining sector. “Further cuts to VAT, a reversal of the decision to resume business rates next year, or bringing about other forms of targeted relief would all be hugely welcomed. Regardless of the measure, the industry is crying out for some certainty about its future.” Looking ahead to the forthcoming Budget, Mr Rust suggests clarity that the tax burden will not be increased in the short term will encourage consumption, while confidence and business performance will be improved through a sustainable, long-term path out of debt, rather than any fiddling with capital gains tax or pension reliefs.
Facebook to pay France more than £90m in back taxes
Facebook’s French subsidiary has agreed to pay more than €100m in back taxes, including a penalty, after a 10-year audit of its accounts by French tax authorities.
Ashley buys rival’s gym chain
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has acquired some of the assets of DW Whelan Sports from administration for £37m. The retailer said the deal was for parts of DW’s gym and fitness business, including some stock, but did not include the DW business name and its intellectual property. BDO, administrators for DW, yesterday said that 46 fitness clubs and 31 retail outlets had been sold to Frasers subsidiary SDI Fitness, saving a total of 922 jobs across the business.
Don’t let Covid-19 bust your business!
It will if your cash flow dries up, either sooner or later.
The Credit Protection Association (CPA) has been assisting thousands of UK businesses to get paid since 1914. We have seen many financial crises, this one will be particularly deadly for suppliers for sometime to come.
CPA eases cash from tardy debtors – Efficiently, Effectively, Economically and Ethically. Above all tactfully, because maintenance of goodwill is paramount.
To meet the needs of creditors in the current crisis, we have designed a “critical care” package especially tailored for the situation.
- The annual package costs start at very low rates
- A minimum performance warranty is provided
- Several complimentary services included
Clients instruct CPA on-line via their PC or phone, completely user-friendly. Your late paying customers are told to pay you direct (not to us).
A very recent report shows a 23% increase in the number of unpaid invoices since March 11th THIS YEAR – are you getting a build-up of late payers?
Right now, overdue accounts must be a concern and CPA has a great track record of encouraging slow-payers to pay their suppliers quickly.
It takes less than 17 minutes to see how you would benefit, do you have the time now?
No face-to-face meeting required – just call Peter Uwins, CPA’s National Sales Manager, on 020 8846 0000 (business hours) or email nsm@cpa.co.uk today.
When you see your money come in, you will be so glad you used CPA.
Do you sell on credit?
With pressures on the cash flow it is essential that you stay on top of the credit limits you grant customers and watch carefully for any late payments.
Those customers will look for the easiest option to boost their cash-flow. Don’t let it be you.
You can’t just assume your customers can and will pay you eventually, no matter how big their name is.
It is essential to have credit management systems in place to monitor and check your customers credit worthiness.
It is also best practice to use a trusted third party like CPA to make sure you are paid on time by customers, no matter how good a name they have.
About CPA
The Credit Protection Association can help!
Formed in 1914, CPA has been providing credit management services to SMEs for over 100 years.
At the Credit Protection Association, we provide first class credit information that can help you avoid being over extended to customers who are at risk. Our monitoring service can flag up warning signs long before the end, giving you the chance to adjust and reduce your exposure. We provide recommended credit limits and credit scores on a traffic light system and can help you set appropriate credit policies for your customers.
We regularly publish lists of the latest insolvencies but by then it is too late. Our credit reports however predict approximately 96% of company insolvencies long before they arrive.
Companies in trouble usually have very bad cash flow and they try to deal with it by delaying payment to their suppliers, increasing your exposure to them.
If you supply on credit, help us help you identify the risks.
Why use a third party collector?
As a third party collector, we can also get your payments prioritised over those who are not as hot on collections. When your customer receives a letter from the Credit Protection Association regarding their outstanding account, they are going to want to get that resolved as a priority. Our overdue account recovery service can get your unpaid invoices to the top of their “to do” list and get your invoice paid.
Over the years we have collected billions in overdue invoices for our customers.
Our debt recovery and credit management services give our members the financial freedom needed to grow and prosper, while our new Late Payment Compensation department could unlock hidden potential and offer the compensation needed to springboard your business to success.
You might be hesitant about contacting a debt collection agency. What are they going to be like?
Can they help your particular type of business?
There is no need for concern. CPA are courteous, helpful and very probably have had direct experience of working with your type of business.
Debt collection agencies are not all alike.
Success lies in both recovering money and keeping customers happy. The Credit Protection Association was founded in 1914 and has helped tens of thousands of UK businesses to collect outstanding payments and reduce the risk of incurring bad debt. We believe that creditors deserve to be paid for the work or goods they have supplied but we fully understand the need to maintain
the best possible relationship with customers!
At The Credit Protection Association, we provide solutions, advice and back-up in all areas relating to the supply of services or goods on account. Client-members receive everything they need from a single source to reduce debtor days and write-offs.
The Credit Protection Association has helped has assisted tens of thousands of UK businesses with their credit control requirements, since the First World War.
We are polite, firm and efficient when it comes to recovering outstanding debt.
“We have used CPA for a number of years now. The website is easy to navigate around with lots of helpful reports. The staff are always at hand and very friendly. CPA has helped us reduce our debt over the years and keep track of potential issues with our customers.”
~ CPA client in Buckinghamshire
“The service from CPA has proved to be everything that you said it would be. We have already seen a huge benefit. We have had a number of overdue accounts paid promptly and directly to us. It is also a huge weight off our mind to know that once we have passed an overdue payment over to you, you take care of everything whilst keeping us informed.
~ Credit Controller client in Warrington
The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections
Ready to speak to an advisor?
For help or advice on credit management, entirely without obligation.
Call us today
0330 053 9263
CPA is passionate about late payment
The Credit Protection Association has been protecting smaller firms against poor payment practices for over 100 years.
We are extremely passionate about breaking the late payment culture that holds back the UK economy and threatens many SMEs with cash flow difficulties being the single biggest killer of Britain’s small businesses.
If you were regularly paid late we can help. Those former customers used you to boost their own cashflow, regularly paying you late.
As a result you had extra costs, you had the distraction of having to chase payment, you had opportunity costs because your capital was tied up in their late invoices.
Under little used legislation, you are entitled to compensation for those late payments.
Now you can boost your own cash-flow.
CPA can help unearth the those hidden treasures.
We have the technology to reveal the compensation you are due and we have the extensive experience and expertise to then turn those claims into cash.
Yes, CPA can help you boost your business cash-flow.
Don’t let your bankers control you, contact CPA today.
The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections
Do you realise you could be sitting on a fortune?
Late payments often result in a cash flow crunch and leave SMEs in need of a cash injection.
If you sold B2B on credit then there may be a hidden source of capital you can call on.
If you fancy an bit of extra cash in your business, rather than jumping through hoops with your bank, you could look to uncover the resources from an unexpected source within your own business.
Not many are aware but there could be a hidden fortune within your business, sitting there, just waiting to be uncovered and released.
We can help you uncover the pile of gold, you didn’t even know you were sitting on.
If you trade with other businesses and were often paid late then you could be entitled to significant compensation.
Under little known and under-utilised legislation your business could be due huge amounts in compensation that you didn’t even know about.
Let’s be clear – this is not a way to weaken any customer relationships you value. It is one that identifies who’s been paying late and then recover the potentially significant sums in compensation using Late Payment Legislation from businesses where the relationship has already ended.
You can pick and choose who you want us to follow up – but once we’ve agreed which companies you’d like to pursue compensation from it’s a fast process and there’s no financial outlay to you whatsoever. My team at CPA put its expertise to work to recover the compensation due and fight late payment culture.
That compensation could provide the cash boost your business needed.
But don’t delay, that compensation evaporates if not claimed within six years of the late payment.
How can CPA help?
CPA has developed a unique technology to dig into your accounting records and discover the cash injection you are due by means of compensation. The software does all the hard work. Our software interacts over the cloud with over 300 different software packages, working directly with your accounts package, just so long as it’s stored on a computer.
We recognise that most companies do not have the resources to spend time on the identification and calculation of Late Payment Compensation. Our service can produce an Analyses within just a few days with (usually) less than 30 mins of co-operation from our clients. We work directly with over 300 accounting packages but can also work with bespoke accounts packages. Indeed, speed is essential as the oldest invoices may fall foul of the 6-year time limit.
Once the Sales Ledger Analyses is made available to clients, all that is required is that management decide which commercially sensitive ex-customers to remove from the list and return it to us.
CPA then uses its years of collection experience to explain and recover the Late Payment Compensation Claims. Clients do not handle any part of the recovery process as our team will take all communications from the companies against who the claims has been made. Often, it’s simply a case of explaining the legislation, sometimes we have to go all the way and enforce the legislation through the courts.
The result is that we are realising clients’ claims worth tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of pounds which, of course, is pure net profit. You may also be among the recipients of “hundreds of thousands of pounds” should you elect to take advantage of our services.
We do the work, you receive the cash.
If you have supplied goods and services to businesses on credit and were regularly paid late then you could be due significant sums in late payment compensation.
We are talking to companies and unearthing claims in the hundreds of thousands from former business customers who paid them late. Large business customers who abused their power to inflict unfair and sometimes illegal payment practices.
We are helping business owners who are looking to boost the returns from their business before they retire. We are helping businesses who have lost major clients after years of loyal service to get properly compensated for systematic late payment. We are helping companies that were looking to close down, who looked insolvent and finding that cash injection they need to avoid insolvency.
Those former clients who regularly paid you late can finally be made to pay.
Ready to speak to an advisor?
For help or advice on credit management, entirely without obligation.
Call us today
0330 053 9263
The Credit Protection Association is a credit management company established in 1914. If you supply goods or services on credit then we can help you!
The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections
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The Credit Protection Association – Prompting Punctual Payments – Ethical, Effective, Efficient, Economical collections