EFL plea to Government for more help

THE EFL has sent a written submission to the Government, saying many of its member clubs face breaking point unless ministers agree to a host of proposals.

Included in the submission is a request to defer tens of millions of pounds of tax payments, lowering VAT to five percent and an expansion of the Job Support Scheme in an attempt to avoid redundancies.

The Daily Mail reports that a number of Championship clubs are concerned they will not be able to pay staff in full this month unless help is forthcoming.

EFL rules regarding non-payment of taxes have once again been relaxed due to clubs struggling financially.

Payment of taxes was placed on hold for three months when the pandemic first struck, with a number of clubs having agreed individual payment plans with HMRC for any deferred payments.

Yet some clubs are said to have threatened to withhold further payments due to the Government’s lack of financial assistance to the EFL.

In the EFL’S written submission, they argue that VAT should be reduced to five percent for football clubs to bring them in line with the leisure and tourism industry.

The EFL have also urged the Government to expand its Job Support Scheme, with many clubs fearing the current system will be of no use to them.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak recently announced changes to the scheme, which is set to replace the furlough system, with the maximum payment of wages now at £1,541.75 a month.

Yet many clubs are still concerned that there will be hundreds of redundancies across the EFL.

The EFL is said to have offered emergency loans to clubs in an attempt to prevent them from going out of business.