Herald - Issue 397

Page 52 • The HERALD • 29th October 2020 v SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SPECIALISTS v BRYANT & CO Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers We provide a wide range of accounting and business services to individuals, partnerships and limited companies. We specialise in working with family owned businesses, providing guidance and advice as appropriate. Our services include: • Annual Accounts • Bookkeeping • VAT • Payroll and CIS • Personal and Corporate Tax Returns • Management Accounts • Business Advice • We also provide training on the use of Sage and Quickbooks, and the implementation of computerised and manual accounting systems. • Meetings can be arranged to suit your needs, including evenings and weekends if more convenient to you. • The initial meeting is free of charge, regardless of the length of time, as we believe it is important to develop a good working relationship from the outset. • All fees are agreed in advance of any work being undertaken. Please call Peter or Lisa on 023 8089 4982 to arrange a meeting to discuss your business needs. You can also contact Peter on 07976 808969, or email us at info@bryantandcompany.co.uk Have a look at our website www.bryantandcompany.co.uk for a fuller understanding of our business. Xero Certified Advisors We can help with all Accountancy, Taxation and Payroll Matters for Sole Traders, Partnerships and Companies For a free initial meeting please call Tel: (023) 8084 4242 The Old School House, Claypits Lane, Dibden, Southampton SO45 5TN Email: dibden@numericaccounting.co.uk (FORMERLY STEPHENSON SHEPPARD & CO) ASK A PROFESSIONAL Send your local news to The Editor, The Herald, 2 High Street, Hythe SO45 6AH Citizens Advice New Forest: Seven Things to Check if You’re at Risk of Redundancy Citizens Advice New Forest has helped over 1,000 people with employment issues since lockdown. Employment, Benefits, Universal Credit, Housing and Relationships are the top issues it has dealt with during the pandemic. Alison Talbot, Chief O cer of Citizens Advice New Forest, said: “We have helped people with a huge range of issues since lockdown, but we know that as the furlough scheme draws to an end, lots of people may be feeling worried and need advice. If you’re at risk of redundancy, it’s important to know you do have rights to help protect you from unfair dismissal and to ensure you’re paid what you’re owed. It’s completely understandable that you may find the rules and procedures overwhelming, but you don’t have to face redundancy alone. We are here to help.” Seven things to check if you’re at risk of redundancy 1. Check if your redundancy is fair. ere are rules to protect you from being discriminated against, and for being picked for redundancy due to an unfair reason. For example, although you can be made redundant while pregnant or on maternity leave, you cannot be made redundant because you’re pregnant or on maternity leave. If you are this counts as “automatic unfair dismissal” and discrimination. Examples of unfair reasons for redundancy can include being picked because you work part-time or you made a complaint about health and safety. 2. Check how much redundancy pay you get. You’re entitled to statutory redundancy pay, which is the minimum the law says you’re entitled to, if you’ve been an employee for two years. e amount you will get depends on your age and how long you have worked for the company. You won’t get statutory redundancy pay if you’ve worked for the company for less than two years, are self-employed or are in certain professions such as the armed forces or police. You may also lose out on statutory redundancy pay if you turn down a suitable alternative job from your employer without a good reason. Your employer may also pay extra money on top of the statutory amount you’re entitled to - this is called contractual were furloughed and then made redundant, your redundancy pay should be based on your normal wage. 4. Check your notice period. If you’ve worked for your employer for at least a month you’re entitled to a paid statutory notice period. If you’ve worked there for more than a month but less than two years, you have to be given a week’s notice. For two years or more, it’s a week for each full year you have worked, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. You may be entitled to a longer notice period as part of your employment contract. Your notice period only starts when your employer says you’ll be made redundant and gives you a nishing date - not when your employer says you’re at risk of redundancy. Your employer might decide to give you notice pay instead of your notice period - this is called ‘pay in lieu of notice’. 5. Check your holiday pay. You’ll be paid for any holiday you have le over when you leave. is should be at your normal rate’s pay, even if you’re currently furloughed on 80% of your pay. You can ask to take holiday during your notice period, but it’s up to your employer to decide if you can take it then. Your employer can also tell you to use up any holiday you have le over, but they must give you notice. e notice must be at least twice as long as the holiday they want you to take. 6. You might be entitled to paid time off to look for work. If you’ve worked for your employer for two years at the end of your notice period, you’re likely to be entitled to ‘reasonable’ time o to apply for jobs or go on training. You can take the time o at any time in normal working hours and your employer can’t ask you to rearrange your work hours to make up the time o . When taking time o to look for work, you’ll be paid at your normal hourly rate, but only for up to 40% of a week’s work - for instance for up to two days if you work a ve-day week. 7. Check if you’ve got legal help via your home insurance. O en people get ‘legal expenses cover’ as part of their home insurance package, but many don’t realise they can get free legal help to challenge their redundancy if they think it’s discriminatory or unfair. It’s worth checking the terms and conditions and speaking to your insurer if unsure. If you have a trade union at work, you could also contact them. Your union can help you work out if you’ve got a claim, and support you through the process, for example by going to meetings with you or negotiating on your behalf. For information and advice, contact Citizens Advice New Forest on 0300 3309 009. redundancy pay. Some employees may be entitled to contractual redundancy pay even though they are not entitled to statutory redundancy pay. 3. Furloughed? Make sure you get 100% redundancy pay. If you