Group Calling For Urgent Action To Come To The Aid Of Businesses

There is a campaign growing in Northern Ireland which is calling on the government to urgently help businesses who are struggling with rising energy and other business costs. The group who launched this campaign are an organisation from the Larne area and it is building up support from charities, churches, care groups, schools and other sectors.

Organisations Suffering From Serious Lack Of Funding

Many of these organisations are suffering from a serious lack of funding as the European Social Fund has now come to an end and there does not seem any likelihood that the Executive at Stormont will be sitting around a table any time soon. Winter will soon be upon us and this will put even more pressure on businesses and organisations as they use more energy.

Calls For A Business Rates Holiday And A Revised VAT Rate

In a statement, which is copied here from an article on the Northern Ireland World website, the group said that:

“The seriousness of the situation was voiced strongly by many of the committee members, telling their own stories and how worried and concerned they are for the winter months.

“All businesses present, highlighted the urgent need for a business rates holiday along with a revised VAT rate of 5% to be urgently implemented.

“MLAs, John Stewart UUP, Danny Donnelly and Stewart Dickson of the Alliance Party, all spoke of their frustration at the lack of available action that could be taken due to having no Executive in place and encouraged all present to lobby their local politicians to return to Stormont as soon as possible to allow urgently needed support to be distributed which cannot happen without a First and Deputy First Minister.

“The meeting concluded with the assembled elected representatives fully endorsing the five-point plan proposed by the group which consists of:

“A 12-month small business rates holiday should be introduced along with a commitment to raise the level of small business rates relief to levels that will ensure that Northern Ireland establishes and maintains the most attractive small business environment of any of the devolved administrations;

“A comprehensive review of business rates should be initiated which recognises the crucial importance of the sector to the entire NI economy and that the current approach is completely outdated. The review must be overseen by an independent board;

“5% VAT rate Introduced for hospitality for six months while a review is completed to implement a permanent reduced rate;

“Energy cap scheme continued beyond the six-month period announced to allow for basic financial planning and budgeting;

And finally “We call on all political leaders to urgently create the circumstances where an Executive can be formed with a First and deputy First Minister.”

There are some very good points here, a comprehensive review of business rates is long overdue and also there definitely needs to be some clarity as to what is going to happen when the energy cap scheme ends in April of next year. Let us hope that action is taken at the highest level sooner rather than later.