The future of local banking services and access to cash
An overview of policy relating to the closure of bank and building society branches and to efforts to protect access to cash.

An overview of initiatives to support businesses through the coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus: Support for businesses (518 KB , PDF)
NOTE: This briefing is no longer being updated.
It provides information on the main UK Government and some wider support schemes for businesses affected by the pandemic. Please note that there were further support schemes for specific sectors – and in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – that are not covered in this briefing.
Early in the pandemic the Government announced plans for a package of support worth more than £330 billion for businesses, including (but subject to some limitation):
The Bank of England reduced the base rate to 0.1% and advised banks not to increase dividends or bonuses in response to the other actions announced.
Many of the support schemes had been based on assumptions that the pandemic would end comparatively quickly. When this didn’t happen, many of the schemes were extended or redesigned.
Further schemes, such as Eat Out to Help Out and Kickstart, sought to alleviate some of the most pronounced economic effects of the pandemic.
More widely, the insurance industry had to respond flexibly to the pandemic. The response of business interruption insurance policies to the challenges became a particular area of contention.
The continuing situation meant that dealing with the consequences of the pandemic was still the main focus of the Spring 2021 Budget.
The Government announced limited further provision in December 2021.
All our briefings and other resources relating to the pandemic were listed on the Commons Library coronavirus page. This briefing also signposts relevant Library publications and other sources throughout.
Information about spending on many of the main schemes appears in Coronavirus business support schemes: statistics.
Coronavirus: Support for businesses (518 KB , PDF)
An overview of policy relating to the closure of bank and building society branches and to efforts to protect access to cash.
This briefing covers rising prices including food and energy inflation, Government support, and how the cost of living affects households.
Financial Indicators: Data from FTSE100, as well as oil prices and gold prices.