BOSS Chairman, Simon Drakeford requests support for the OP sector from the Chancellor

BOSS Chairman Simon Drakeford has written to the Chancellor, Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP, requesting support for the Office Products Industry highlighting that while the impact on the office products sector may not be so visible to the public as hospitality and leisure, our need is no less urgent.

He explains that our industry is reliant on offices being open and populated and has therefore been greatly challenged over the last twenty months with office attendance estimated to have never recovered above 75% of pre-pandemic levels and the reintroduction of the working from home directive under Plan B leading to revenues dropping back to 30% of pre-Covid levels. Making clear that many businesses in the industry are also facing requirements to repay the Covid loan support offered by the Government earlier in the pandemic he stresses that additional lending, to already highly leveraged businesses, could be problematic.

He asks that the Chancellor extends the grant scheme offered to other impacted sectors to the office products and services sector and provide additional cash flow support by instructing government bodies and other lending facilities to show significant flexibility on existing repayment schedules and interest mechanics. Also that our sector’s businesses be allowed to defer repayment on National Insurance, PAYE, VAT, Bounce Back Loans and Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans for the immediate future, at least until the work from home guidance is lifted (and ideally until offices become adequately populated once again). The full letter can be read below.

BOSS have provided a template letter that those in our sector can send to their local MP to bring their attention to the impact of the Plan B measures on their business and the office products industry more widely. We urge you to send the letter, which can be found below, if you believe our sector requires further support. Full guidance of how to use this letter can be found here and we recommend including a copy of Simon's letter with yours.

Devolved Nations 

If you are a business in Wales to find your Member of the Senedd please use this link and the letter below.

If you are a business in Scotland to find your Member of Parliament click here and use the letter below.

Downloads

BOSS Template Letter for MP re Plan B 21

BOSS Template Letter for Scottish Parliament Members

BOSS Template Letter for Senedd Member

Request of support for the Office Products Industry