Small Business Matters November 2015 Your Regional newsletter from the FSB In this edition Invest NI Sustainable Development Support Programme 1 Free HMRC webinars 2 Changes to Co Op Bank Members 3 World Pay Changes 3 Fraud Alert 4 Belfast South AGM 4 Invest NI workshop 4 NI Creative Employment Programme 5 Welcome to the November edition of Small Business Matters, your Regional Newsletter. We hope you find this newsletter both interesting and informative, and encourage you to share details of activities and events that might be of interest to other members. You can contact the Northern Ireland Development Manager, Mairaid McMahon, via email to mairaid.mcmahon@fsb.org.uk or on 07917 628 994, or our Regional Office Administrator, Fiona Quinn, via email to fiona.quinn@fsb.org.uk or on 028 8676 9023. Don t forget you can also keep up to date by following us on twitter @FSBNIRegion. FSB NI Chairman Sustainable Development Support Programme Increased efficiency + reduced waste = lower costs. It s obvious really. But what isn t obvious is how to go about it. Invest Northern Ireland s Sustainable Development Support Programme can help. They ve already helped local companies save millions of pounds through tailored advice, consultancy, industrial symbiosis and interest free loans to help them buy energy efficient equipment. The Sustainable Development Support Programme is made up of 4 key areas: a) Energy Efficiency Loan Fund provides interest free loans of between 3,000 and 400,000 to businesses that are interested in investing in energy efficient equipment and/ or renewable technologies (currently administered by Carbon Trust). b) Resource Efficiency Grant grants of up to 40,000 (for Invest NI client companies only) for the purchase and/ or installation of new equipment that will reduce water or material costs. c) Industrial Symbiosis Service assists businesses in the sharing of services, utility, and by product resources among industries in order to add value, reduce costs and improve the environment (currently delivered by International Synergies Northern Ireland). d) Technical Consultancy & Support one to one support brokered by in house technical advisors, and complemented by a framework of sustainable development consultants across 9 specialised areas (managed by the SD team utilising skills of in house technical advisors, and supplemented by a framework of specialised consultants). Companies must have an annual energy and resource spend (combined) of 30k and above to avail of support. For more information on this programme please click here.
Could your Business benefit from what s on HMRC s Webinars? Each month HMRC hold free webinars which anyone can join in. Even if you can t join in a particular webinar this month it may be held again next month. Below is the list and details for November s scheduled webinars: Date Time Subject Links 05-Nov 15:00 VAT - now you are registered https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3358732415453594113 06-Nov 09:00 Simpler Income Tax for the selfemployed https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/481430332331522305 06-Nov 11:00 https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6828476652410026754 09-Nov 11:00 Getting started as an employer https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6571260200743148546 09-Nov 15:00 introduction https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2586256227542315266 10-Nov 10:00 PAYE Expenses & Benefits https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2812056333656115202 10-Nov 12:00 minimsing the risks for individuals https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3568543423288369921 11-Nov 13:00 introduction https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6517967971471793409 11-Nov 15:00 My property income and HMRC https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3876999315866449921 11-Nov 19:30 Childminders https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7511266776168630273 12-Nov 14:00 PAYE using BPT https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6091835747637589762 13-Nov 10:00 introduction https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3363769278056883457 16-Nov 10:00 https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3204273022004624642 16-Nov 14:00 VAT Accounting Schemes https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1187234333991441153 17-Nov 10:00 HMRC &HSE Working Together for you- Growing your business https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7646516601989812225 17-Nov 16:00 Record keeping for the selfemployed https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7662077990057873921 18-Nov 12:00 minimsing the risks for individuals https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2992798453054645249 19-Nov 10:00 Self-Employment & HMRC - getting started https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/616003958500700929 19-Nov 15:00 Business expenses for the selfemployed https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3894041746063772417 20-Nov 09:00 https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/133665799582625025 20-Nov 11:00 PAYE Expenses & Benefits https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2838867924699475202 23-Nov? HMRC & Companies House - working together Details to be confirmed 24-Nov 15:00 minimsing the risks for individuals https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6495013467381656065 24-Nov 19:30 Foster Carers https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3936808350338986753 26-Nov 12:00 Capital Allowances for the selfemployed https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8092492811867233025 27-Nov 09:00 https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8697337456861928450 27-Nov 11:00 Getting started as an employer https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/695135810373378306 30-Nov 14:00 What is VAT - an introduction https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6744468466469019137 If you haven t taken part in live webinars before this is what you need to do to join in: 1. Sign up by providing a name and email address HMRC will then send a link to attend. 2. Ask questions in the text box on the screen HMRC will explain how during the webinar. Microphones and cameras are not needed the presenters will not be able to hear or see participants. 2 Small Business Matters
Changes to the Co Op Bank Member offer For over 15 years there have been no changes to the Co op core Business Banking Products and no changes to the FSB Business Banking Product for over 10 years. During this time, however the Business Banking market place has moved on significantly. Free FSB Business Banking maintains: No Monthly Service Charge No set time limit Cheques Paid In Automated Credit Manual Credit Cash Paid in up to 24,000 per year, free of charge Cheques Issued Automated Debits, for example Standing Orders and Direct Debits Debit Card Payments Faster Payments No Monthly Fees for Business Charge Card Fee free Overdraft Facility A free change facility at Co operative Bank Branches Market analysis was undertaken of other Banking organisations to compare the proposition of the Co op. The analysis showed that FSB Business Banking remained, even after changes, to be the best in the market for FSB Members and for those customers who continue to bank less that 2,000 per month the account remains completely free. Many competitors however only allow customers to pay in up to 1,000 cash (members can bank up to 2k per month free of charge with The Co operative Bank under the revised tariff). Other accounts were only available to businesses outside the average turnover that of a FSM member business. FSB Business Banking remains the market leading Business Banking Current Account Product. World Pay Changes There will be changes taking place for all Worldpay customers following a new EU regulation that takes effect in December 2015 on all acquirers. A statement insert will go out to all Worldpay customers with their October invoice advising of this and the option to receive a more detailed breakdown of their card transactions monthly. This will include the option to request: Each transaction be individually identified; The value of each transaction shall be shown in the same currency that Worldpay have credited the members account with; and the fees payable for each transaction shall be shown, with the interchange fee payable on each transaction (being the fee passed through to the cardholder s issuing bank) shown separately from the rest of the fees payable for each transaction. Fraud Alert 3 Small Business Matters
The PSNI have provided the following links for the latest threats that they have become aware of: infosecurity magazine.com This link relates to a freely available password cracker and how it can crack 55 character passwords. http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/news/article 3245268/Drivers warned new insurance scam conmendeliberately crash car demand cash spot.html Further warning over the continuing Cash for Crash scam. YiSpecter malware attacks iphones and ipads to serve up ads Just weeks after Apple was forced to rid its ios App Store from apps poisoned by the XcodeGhost malware, a new attack has come to light impacting owners of ipads and iphones, and bringing into question the sanctity of Apple's walled garden. Belfast South Branch AGM Belfast South Branch AGM will be held on Thursday 19 th November 2015 at Park Avenue Hotel, 158 Holywood Rd, Belfast, Co Antrim, BT4 1PB with registration at 5.30pm for 6.00pm AGM start. If you are intending to attend the AGM please notify the Regional Office by contacting Fiona Quinn on 028 86769023, quoting the Belfast South Branch and your membership number, as soon as possible. Those members elected to the branch committee will help direct and shape the FSB s work at both Branch and Regional level throughout the year. North East Economic Development Learn and Share Workshop Invest Northern Ireland s North East Economic Development Learn and Share Workshop will be held on Tuesday 17 November at The Braid, Ballymena. The event is hosted by Invest Northern Ireland with the aim of: Building closer relationships with other economic development stakeholders. Increasing the rate of referrals between stakeholders. It will be a vibrant and fast moving event where each organisation will be able to outline how they can support business growth with support in the areas of people, innovation, ICT, export and finance. You will be able to network with 30 economic development partners and exchange latest information. Book your place here. 4 Small Business Matters
Next round of NI Creative Employment Programme closes 13 November 2015 The Northern Ireland Creative Employment Programme has already awarded 45,500 to creative businesses. This will help create 13 new jobs in the creative industries for young people in Northern Ireland. Don t miss out on the opportunity the next round closes 13 November 2015. NI CEP has been designed to cultivate talent and provide fair access for young people to job opportunities in the creative and cultural industries. NI CEP provides wage incentives to businesses who decide to recruit young people as interns and apprentices in areas such as technical theatre, cultural heritage, community arts, business support and live events. Applications can be made online here. Wage incentives of up to 5,000 is available for businesses to recruit apprentices (aged 16-24) for a minimum of 2 years, while up to 1,500 is available to help support interns (aged 18-24) for a minimum of 6 months. The third round of funding will close on 13 November 2015. All details about the programme can be found on the NI CEP Website. N.I Regional Office Contact us 7 Union Street, Cookstown, Co Tyrone BT80 8NN Telephone 028 86769023 Regional Office Administrator: Fiona Quinn Email: fiona.quinn@fsb.org.uk Development Manager: Mairaid McMahon Email: mairaid.mcmahon@fsb.org.uk or telephone 07917 628 994 Visit us on the web at: http://www.fsb.org.uk/nireland or on Twitter @FSBNIRegion 5 Small Business Matters