Have you applied for a 'Business Interruption Loan'?
What about the wage payment subsidy to pay employees during the furlough period as requested by the government?
From what we can evidence it seems that the big banks are yet again interpreting the rules to suit themselves. At a time of unprecedented crisis since WW2 we are all being asked to 'pull together' and do our bit.
Their bit seems to be not helping us, but helping themselves. Poor things have deferred bonus and dividend payments of £15Bn until the end of the year.
Daily I'm seeing stories that the banks are placing hurdle after hurdle in front of the SME business sector. Daily we are seeing stories of amazing heroes during this crisis and the banks are turning into the villains we always perceived them as.
Due to wholesale branch closures we can't just 'drop in' as Rishi suggested, due to offshore call centres being closed for the same lockdown reasons as other countries we can't get help and advice from people who understand the rules.
These businesses (CIRCA 1M) don't have a month, some don't have weeks. They need help NOW!
Personal Director guarantee requirements are hitting the headlines as the big banks insist on them. In effect asking people to place their house on the line for a crisis not of their making.
So, not only is your business in the shit, your employees scared about livelihood and job security it seems the banks want to play the equivalent of 'Russian Roulette' with the business community and tax payers who helped bail them out in 2007/08.
Using the power and engagement with social media here's something we can all do to help each other through this, and hopefully save many of these businesses going to the wall.
Now is the time for you, your finance, and accountant people to share daily actionable and practical post about progress or otherwise to others in the business community around funding hurdles, timelines, help, and advice that will assist in all companies cutting through the obstacles and admin they are being asked to provide.
The same 'call to action' goes out to anyone in the freelance, consulting and gig economy who are finding ways through this shit storm for financial advice and help that is very sadly lacking from the banking and accountancy institutions we need to be "doing their bit".
What might seem an unimportant detail to you might just make the difference of a day to someone else going through the same process.
Nearly a fifth of all small and medium-sized businesses in the UK are unlikely to get the cash they need to survive the next four weeks, in spite of unprecedented government support. That's according to research published today, which suggests that between 800,000 and a million businesses nationwide may soon have to close. Many firms have told the BBC that banks have refused them emergency loans. Others can't get through on the phone or were told the money will take weeks. The banks say they are following the rules set out by the government.
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