Companies will not be required to report on their gender pay gap data this year, as is mandatory for those with over 250 employees, because of the coronavirus pandemic, reports Pat Sweet

Now that the UK is in a complete nationwide lockdown, enforceable by law, Paul Holcroft, associate director at HR and employment law consultancy Croner, examines five key questions for employers to consider when employees are forced to home work

MPs and accounting professional bodies are calling on the government to put urgent measures in place to help the self employed and sole traders deal with the covid-19 crisis, including a business loan with a 15-year repayment term and extension of the 80% rule to self employed and gig workers

All tax tribunals at the First Tier Tribunal (FTT) and Upper Tribunal level have been postponed unless proceedings can be held online while parliamentary committees are reviewing their operational procedures, reports Zak Jakubowski

PwC is handling the administration of lifestyle brand Laura Ashley, which has collapsed putting hundreds of jobs at risk, after the outbreak of coronavirus further weakened its financial position

The government has introduced emergency legislation to enact a moratorium on commercial landlord sanctions and debt enforcement for at least three months so that those who cannot pay their rent because of cashflow difficulties related to coronavirus will be protected from eviction, reports Pat Sweet

Businesses will be able to access government support valued at £330bn through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme for SMEs and Covid Corporate Financing Facility for the largest corporations from 23 March

Parents whose work is critical to the covid-19 response, such as workers in the financial market infrastructure, can qualify to have their children in school as part of government measures to support the economy during the covid-19 crisis

In the face of the covid-19 crisis, accountancy firms have been forced to overhaul their entire working practices, adopt firm-wide home working, cancel face-to-face client meetings and work 24/7 to support their clients. Philip Smith reports on how they are coping

The government has evoked emergency measure agreements for the UK’s train operators, effectively meaning they are being nationalised for the next six months in response to the strains imposed by the current coronavirus epidemic

The government has announced a three-month deferral for VAT payments until end June for all UK businesses with HMRC working all hours to thrash out the detail

Companies House is granting a three-month extension for companies for filing company accounts, due to the current public health situation and the impact of coronavirus on staff who may be unwell or self-isolating, reports Pat Sweet

HMRC has scored a victory over Middlesbrough Football Club, currently 19th in the now suspended Championship, at an employment tribunal appeal over underpayments of the national minimum wage (NMW) relating to employee deductions for season tickets

The Chancellor has set out plans for a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to underwrite 80% of the salaries of workers if they have to be temporarily laid off, but the system could be open to abuse and details are limited, reports Sara White

The coronavirus crisis has seen an outpouring of business support for NHS workers, with companies large and small taking steps to offer medical staff free food, and streamlined access to essential services such as supermarkets and car parking facilities