Ahead of Small Business Saturday, Greens are calling for a series of measures to help small, independent businesses and social enterprises green their operations, improve employee welfare and make it easier for people to shop local.
Both national and local government have a key role to play in helping small and independent businesses thrive. Greens have long called for business rates reform as well as extending and expanding the small business rate relief scheme. The specific demands on support for greening businesses and supporting employee welfare do not ignore the need for such reforms, which are long overdue.
- No small business should pay higher business rates as a result of greening their business. The government must incentivise rather than penalise small businesses that are tackling their carbon emissions and making their operations more sustainable. There should be a clear list of items/actions that businesses can implement without fear of increasing their business rates including, but not limited to fitting solar panels and insulation, introducing recycling facilities or schemes, building bike sheds and putting in employee showers and changing rooms.
- Small business should be supported to improve employee wellbeing. Government must support businesses to improve the wellbeing of their employees. Measures should include exempting all childcare providers in England from business rates, in line with Scotland and Wales; increasing employment allowance to at least £5000 to help the smallest employers; and ensuring no business is penalised by higher business rates when they implement Covid-safe measures such as ventilation systems.
- Reform VAT to support small businesses. The VAT holiday until 2022 is a welcome break for small businesses but the government must use the time until this holiday to review our VAT system so that it differentially supports smaller shops and businesses compared to larger and online businesses.
- Creation of Virtual High Streets. Councils should work with small and independent businesses and help create ‘Virtual High Streets’ so residents within a district can use an online portal to enable them to buy from participating local shops and have items delivered on the same or next day. Such schemes are operating in both Brighton and Lewes where Greens are in power. In Herefordshire, Green councillors have worked with local businesses to enable a prepaid card loaded with £15 to spend with local businesses – a great way to encourage people to shop local.
More information about Small Business Saturday: https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/media-information
