COVID-19 Exit Strategies Survey

Although the COVID-19 lockdown seems set to continue for the next few weeks, we are aware that both UK and Scottish Governments are starting to look at next steps and how to gradually reduce restrictions in order to restart the economy.

In order to best direct our efforts as we approach this restart phase, the Chamber is keen to understand what forms of support your business has been able to access so far, what your exit strategy is (if any), and what support you think you might need post-lockdown.

We appreciate that some of this information will be sensitive, and only ask that you fill in as much as you are willing or able to at this time. Any data provided will be anonymised and will only be used in the aggregate.

Thinking about your business's cash reserves, approximately what period of time are you currently covered for?

No cash reserves
Less than one month
1 to 3 months
3 to 6 months
6 to 9 months
9 to 12 months
More than 12 months
Don't know

Thinking about your cashflow, have any of the following caused issues for your business?

Customers not paying for goods/services obtained prior to lockdown
Contractual issues as a supplier (e.g. penalty/delay clauses, not receiving payments tied to milestones)
Contractual issues as a buyer (e.g. continued obligations to pay suppliers despite loss of income, need to contract additional/replacement suppliers at short notice)
Loss of income / sales
Retaining and paying staff
Lack of credit facilities
Lack of specific sectoral support from Government
Other:

Can you give any further information about any of the above?

How many employees does your business have, including yourself?

None (Sole Trader)
1 to 9
10 to 49
50 to 249
More than 250

Government Support Measures - Awareness/Access

Here are some support measures announced by the UK Government and Devolved Administrations designed to support businesses throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of these support measures are not currently live and others may require no action from businesses.

For each one, please indicate your level of awareness OR whether your business has used it:

	Currently using	Plan to use	Attempted to use but not successful	Not using but know details	Heard name of but not details	Never heard of
Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Business Rates Holiday
Small Business Grant (£25K)
Small Business Grant (£10K)
Statutory Sick Pay Refund
Scaled-up HMRC Time to Pay Offer

Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme

Currently using Plan to use Attempted to use but not successful Not using but know details Heard name of but not details Never heard of

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Currently using Plan to use Attempted to use but not successful Not using but know details Heard name of but not details Never heard of

Business Rates Holiday

Currently using Plan to use Attempted to use but not successful Not using but know details Heard name of but not details Never heard of

Small Business Grant (£25K)

Currently using Plan to use Attempted to use but not successful Not using but know details Heard name of but not details Never heard of

Small Business Grant (£10K)

Currently using Plan to use Attempted to use but not successful Not using but know details Heard name of but not details Never heard of

Statutory Sick Pay Refund

Currently using Plan to use Attempted to use but not successful Not using but know details Heard name of but not details Never heard of

Scaled-up HMRC Time to Pay Offer

Currently using Plan to use Attempted to use but not successful Not using but know details Heard name of but not details Never heard of

Are you aware of any other routes of support available (practical or financial), and if so, what?

Has your business:

Shut down completely (no staff working)
Shut down normal operations but still working (some / all staff working from home)
Partially shut down normal operations (some staff working on premises, some furloughed/working from home)
Operating from premises with social distancing measures
Other:

Are there any ways you are adapting how your business operates during this time (e.g. greater focus on online sales, offering takeaway-only services, online streaming)?

It is likely that some kind of social distancing will be required in the medium term - Do you have a lockdown exit strategy?

Yes
No

If you answered yes to the above:

Have you carried out a risk assessment?
Will you need to operate different shift patterns?
Will you need additional PPE (and if so what)?
Will you have to implement social distancing measures?
Are you willing to share your exit strategy to help others?

Comments:

If you answered no to the above, would you like support to put an exit strategy in place?

Yes
No

Are you preparing for the possibility of further lockdowns / social distancing measures later in the year?

Yes
No

If so, what preparations are you making?

If you have staff with changed working patterns (e.g. working from home, additional flexibility on hours) do you anticipate this continuing after lockdown measures are lifted?

Yes – for an indefinite length of time
Yes – temporarily
No – but willing to look at again in future
No – staff to return to pre-lockdown working patterns

If your business employed apprentices prior to lockdown, have you:

Changed nothing – retained and continue to pay all apprentices in full
Retained some apprentices and furloughed some
Furloughed all apprentices
Stopped all apprenticeships entirely
Other:

Looking to the future, do you intend to recruit apprentices post-lockdown?

Yes – had apprentices before and intend to recruit again
Yes – did not have before but intend to recruit in future
No – had before and do not intend to recruit again / any more
No – did not have before and do not plan to recruit

Thinking about support after lockdown what type of support do you think you will need

	Assuming return to business as usual	Assuming further lockdowns / social distancing
Financial support – grants
Financial support – short-term loans
Financial support – long-term loans
Financial support – other (e.g. increased overdraft facility)
Business mentoring
Marketing support
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Recruitment support
Sustainability planning, advice & support
Broadband
Mobile
Transport

Financial support – grants