COVID-19 UK vs USA
Groomer Jenny Farrell, who has grooms in the UK and the USA looks at how support for groomers differs across the Atlantic:
T
he global Covid-19 pandemic has impacted many businesses around the world, in the UK dog grooming has been dramatically affected, but is the UK worse off than the USA? In the UK, groomers were first forced to close in March 2020 as the whole of the UK went into its first lockdown. All businesses except essential shops and medical services were forced to close. Grooming salons were allowed to reopen with social distancing measures in place in June 2020. Salons were allowed to open with less staff and less tables to ensure a 2 metre distance and PPE in place leading to reduced dogs and staff to reduce the risk of the virus spreading. The re-opening was short lived as once again in November 2020, salons were forced to close unless carrying out grooms on matted dogs that required grooming for welfare only and medicated baths for welfare only. This reduced the amount of clients’ groomers were allowed to take dramatically, forcing many businesses and self-employed groomers to close for a month in November 2020 lockdown. Salons were again allowed to reopen for Christmas with social distancing in place, reduced clients and staff. All staff and clients were now required to wear masks and staff to wear PPE when working. On January 2nd 2021 England, Wales and Scotland again went into a full national lockdown, with all but essential businesses forced to closed. Grooming was allowed to stay open but under extremely strict guidelines for welfare only, many have used this as a loophole to run their business as usual. However, those who have followed the rules once again struggled with welfare grooms only and had to close their doors due to
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UK has thwarted groomers keen to reopen but has offered financial support to many
lack of funds. The UK remains in lockdown until April 2021 with some measures been lifted slowly after then. Businesses such as grooming, beauty and non-essential business can look to re-open April 12th and it will be a long time before normal business is resumed within the UK.
Help and assistance in the UK Some groomers and businesses were entitled to a government grant of 80% of their 2018 earnings, staff could be furloughed (government paid % of their wages), however many groomers and businesses did not meet these grant requirements as they did not have a business or were not self-employed in 2018 meaning they did not have tax returns for 2018 - 2019. This was a huge issue as they were not entitled to any grants or funding and forced to close or dramatically reduce their clients. However, for some of the people and businesses that did not qualify for the grant before, they can now claim a small grant of up to £1000, which as we all know, is not enough to cover a
In the US groomers have been able to continue but for those that weren’t comfortable continuing, support was lacking
businesses out goings let alone a wage. How has this impacted the industry The industry has been dramatically impacted throughout the UK and many have had to close their doors for good, as business rent, rates and staff outgoings with little to no in comings was not feasible. For those businesses that have remained open or will re-open
