COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for care homes staff

The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 have now been approved by both House of Parliament and will come into force on 11 November 2021. The regulations effectively require staff working in registered care homes in England to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless they’re medically exempt.

The regulations provide that the care home must secure that people do not enter the care home premises (excluding any surrounding grounds) unless they fall into one of the specified exceptions. Those exceptions include that:

  • they’re a resident of the care home
  • they’ve provided evidence of their full COVID-19 vaccination status, or evidence that for clinical reasons they cannot be vaccinated
  • it’s reasonably necessary for them to provide emergency assistance in the premises, or urgent maintenance assistance with respect to the premises, e.g. an emergency plumber
  • they’re attending the premises in the execution of their duties as a member of the emergency services
  • they’re a friend or relative of the resident, or they’re visiting a resident who it’s believed is dying
  • it’s reasonably necessary for them to provide comfort or support to a resident in relation to their bereavement following the death of a friend or relative
  • they’re under the age of 18.

The regulations are to be reviewed by the government, and a report published, within one year after the date on which they come into force and within every year after that.

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Breaking even – checking the numbers

In previous newsfeeds we have described how you can calculate the level of turnover you need to create in order to meet all your costs whether they be fixed costs (rent, rates etc.,) or variable costs (goods you need to buy to convert into goods you sell).

For example, if your fixed costs are £50,000 per annum and your variable costs are 25% of your turnover, the annual turnover you need to breakeven will be £200,000. The formula is:

Annual fixed costs divided by 25 (the gross profit)

Bereavement Support Payment

The amount of Bereavement Support Payment you can claim will depend on your relationship to the person who died and when you make your claim.

Your payments will be paid into your bank, building society or credit union account.

If you were married or in a registered civil partnership with the person who died

If you were receiving Child Benefit when your partner died (or did not get it but were entitled to it), you will get the higher rate.

This is made up of:

a first payment of £3,500;

Tax codes for employees

The P9X form is used to notify employers of the tax codes to use for employees. The latest version of the form has been published and shows the tax codes to use from 6 April 2023. The form states that the basic personal allowance for the tax year starting 6 April 2023 will, as expected, be £12,570 (£12,570 in 2022-23) and this means that the tax code for emergency use will remain at 1257L.

The basic rate limit will be £37,700 (£37,700 in 2022-23) except for those defined as Scottish taxpayers

Properties not let at commercial rates

There are special rules where a property is let at less than a commercial rate or isn’t let on commercial terms. These rules also apply if a property is occupied rent free or at less than a commercial rate, for example, a property is occupied by a family member at a reduced or nil rent.

In these circumstances, HMRC can take the view that unless the landlord charges a full market rent for a property and imposes normal market lease conditions, it is unlikely that the expenses of the property are

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