Cars – it’s all online
If you have access to the internet there are a bewildering number of online resources that you can access to help you manage recurring tasks. This week we have listed a number of these with links to the relevant website pages.
Book a theory test – https://www.gov.uk/book-theory-test
Get vehicle
New grants for businesses affected by local lockdowns
New grant support was announced 9 September that offers businesses in areas subject to a local lockdown a measure of financial support. In a news story posted to the GOV.UK website HM Treasury said:
Businesses in England required to close due to local lockdowns or targeted restrictions will now be
Kickstart program opens in Wales
Under the new £2 billion Kickstart scheme, employers will be able to offer young people on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment, state-subsidised work placements for six months. The Kickstart scheme is available to qualifying 16 – 24 year olds in England, Scotland and Wales.
Time to Pay
Back in March 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic was just starting the government announced new emergency measures to help those businesses and self-employed people affected by COVID-19 through the Time To Pay service. A dedicated COVID-19 helpline opened on 11 March 2020 and remains available via
Refunds – guidance or law?
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recently published further detail on its views on the law in relation to cancellations and refunds during the pandemic. It remains their view that a consumer will generally be entitled to a refund when they have paid money in advance for services or goods
Witnessing wills remotely
A statutory instrument will be issued September 2020 that will legitimise the witnessing of wills by video conferencing methods. This extension to the witness process will apply from 31 January 2020 for two years.
The new law will amend the Wills Act 1837 to stipulate that where wills must be
Vehicles parked on pavements
An ongoing issue for motorists is the need to have two tyres on the pavement to avoid unduly restricting road space for wider vehicles and emergency services in narrow streets.
Unfortunately, this can have knock on effects for parents with buggies or disabled vehicles that need to use these
Travel to EU after 1 January 2021
A reminder, if one was needed, is that we seem to be heading for a no-deal Brexit from 1 January 2021. One of the issues we will all have to confront is the raft of regulation that we will need to observe from this date if travelling to the EU and certain affiliated territories.
The latest advice
Problems booking a driving test?
The driving test online booking service reopened on Friday 21 August and then crashed due to the unexpected demand for places. By 8pm that evening the site had been visited seven million times.
In a recent announcement the Drivers and Vehicles Standards Agency (DVSA) said:
Coronavirus has severely
Did you benefit from the Eat Out campaign?
The Eat Out to Help Out scheme to encourage the struggling restaurant sector was announced as part of the Chancellor’s Summer Economic announcements. The scheme was designed to help restaurants recover from the effects of the lockdown and has been a great success.
The scheme was launched on 3