Latest Data:
Testing: 313,769 people have now been tested for the virus (302,559)
New UK Cases: 98,476 have tested positive, + 4,603 on previous day
Loss of life: Sadly, of those in hospital, 12,868 people have died, an increase of 761 on the previous day (12,107)
In Stockport: there are 491 cases of Covid-19 (464 on previous day) and sadly 68 people have died.
Government Daily Briefing:
15th April by Matt Hancock, Health Minister
Yesterday evening’s press briefing focused on the Social Care sector:
- All care home residents leaving hospital will be tested before being readmitted into their care home
- A single brand for social care staff is being introduced, similar to those worn by NHS staff, to enable those in the sector can so that care staff can wear a badge with pride and receive similar favourable treatment from businesses like supermarkets.
- Wherever possible, relatives will be able to be with their loved ones at end of life due to the coronavirus
Slides and datasets to accompany coronavirus press conference: 15 April 2020
Press conference slides and datasets used by Professor Angela McLean, Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): adult social care action plan
This document sets out how the government will support the adult social care sector in England throughout the coronavirus outbreak including: controlling the spread of infection in care settings; supporting the workforce; supporting independence; supporting people at the end of their lives and responding to individual need and supporting local authorities.
LOCAL / REGIONAL UPDATES:
Dedicated helpline to support vulnerable residents in Stockport:
Support can be accessed by calling 0161 217 6046 Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm. At busy times, residents are automatically offered a call-back from one of our call handlers.
Dedicated health & wellbeing services:
- www.bigwhitewall.com The Big White Wall offers 24/7 anonymous support via a digital emotional wellbeing and mental health service, offering peer support for anyone over the age of 16, support from trained clinicians alongside a range of helpful tools and resources.
- 24/7 mental health helpline and (currently virtual) safe haven for anyone over the age of 18 in Stockport (0800 138 7276),
- An Emotional Wellbeing Hub which provides information, advice, and guidance for anyone up to the age of 25 for emotional wellbeing and mental health concerns. 0161 217 6028 – 8.30am-5pm Mon – Thurs 8.30am-4.30pm on Friday.
Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan consultation update
The statutory consultation on the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan will be delayed, due to the coronavirus pandemic. The consultation had been planned for this summer but current circumstances have limited the ability to progress the delivery of the Clean Air Plan to previous timescales.
Transport for Greater Manchester believe there may be wider economic impacts that could significantly change the assumptions that sit behind the current Clean Air Plan Outline Business Case.
There has been a transformational change in travel behaviour resulting in significant reductions in air pollution. Work will continue to assess the impact of travel changes on the pollution measured by the real-time air quality analysers across Greater Manchester.
This will help inform how changing travel behaviour – and reducing the amount of traffic on our roads in the long term – can positively impact our air quality, improve residents’ health, and help meet Greater Manchester’s ambition to become a carbon-neutral city-region. Read more HERE
EMPLOYERS / BUSINESSES / FINANCE
Stockport businesses grant funding payments:
Stockport Council have been working tirelessly to distribute the Covid-19 grants to local businesses for either £10,000 or £25,000.
UPDATE! Since 2nd April, they have issued a total of £35,350,000 across nearly 3,000 qualifying businesses and nearly 55% of those identified as eligible as at 11/03/2020.
The SMBC Team are now in the process of trying to manage the more complex liability issues.
A total of 1,176 emails were sent last night and 1,336 letters will be despatched today to businesses that have not yet had a grant processed. In addition, social media posts were also put out and the Council that these measures will hopefully prompt an increase in automatic awards being made over the next week or so in straight forward cases.
If your business qualifies for a grant, please complete the application form here: https://www.stockport.gov.uk/support-for-businesses-and-employers
There is also additional guidance for people who don’t know their Business rates account number at https://www.stockport.gov.uk/support-for-businesses-and-employers/small-business-grant-funding-coronavirus
If you have any queries please email business.rates@stockport.gov.uk
Changes to eligibility for Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Updates you on an important change to the scheme relating to employee eligibility:
- you can claim for employees that were employed as of 19 March 2020 and were on your PAYE payroll on or before that date; this means that you will have made an RTI submission notifying us of payment of that employee on or before 19 March 2020
- employees that were employed as of 28 February 2020 and on payroll (i.e. notified to us on an RTI submission on or before 28 February) and were made redundant or stopped working for you after that, and prior to 19 March 2020, can also qualify for the scheme if you re-employ them and put them on furlough.
More information on this can be found on GOV.UK.
The only way to make a claim is online. You will need a Government Gateway (GG) ID and password – if you don’t already have a GG account, you can apply for one online, or by going to GOV.UK and searching for ‘HMRC services: sign in or register’
As you prepare to make a claim, please note the online claim service will be launched on GOV.UK on 20?? April 2020 – please do not try to access it before this date as it won’t be available
Guidance on GOV.UK is being regularly updated so please review it frequently.
Webinars and videos from HMRC are now available, advising businesses on how to deal with the economic impacts of coronavirus, and how to access support.
Five tips to avoid soaring pension scams caused by COVID-19
Pension scams soared by 400% last month so Dr Anna Tilba from Durham University Business School has outlined the five best ways to avoid being caught out.
“Coronavirus is creating favourable conditions for scammers who prey on the vulnerable people and take advantage of panic, uncertainty and financial strain.’
For those thinking of transferring their pensions, her tips are useful in the fight against financial fraud
Over £1.1bn has been lent to SMEs through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme.
UK Finance has announced £700m of lending in the last week – an increase of 150%. 6,020 loans have now been made via the scheme, with the number of loans made each day growing. 28,460 applications have been received from businesses.
Greater Manchester Chamber Commerce are operating a survey to get the immediate reactions, feedback and an overview on what is happening to business right now due to COVID-19 measures.
The survey can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/GMCCBusinessMonitor
You don’t have to be a Chamber Member to complete this and any information supplied is anonymous.
ACAS runs a series of webinars on employment law and employment relations
Covid-19 Business Grant Funding Documentation
HEALTH:
COVID-19: guidance for commissioners and providers of services for people who use drugs or alcohol
COVID-19 guidance for commissioners and service providers for those dependent on drugs or alcohol. Added guidance for commissioners and providers of services for people who use drugs or alcohol.
Testing of care home residents and staff
The Department of Health and Social Care has said that all care home residents and staff with coronavirus symptoms will be tested. They have also published a plan on how the Government will support the adult social care sector throughout the coronavirus outbreak.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): social care guidance
Information for the social care sector on responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
EDUCATION:
Response to 31 March direction from Secretary of State for Education
Response from Sally Collier, Chief Regulator, Ofqual, to the Direction from the Secretary of State for Education, about awarding results for GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2020. It refers to work that will now be done in order to calculate students’ GCSE, AS and A level results during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Ofqual seeks views on GCSE and A level grading proposals for 2020
Consultation published on exceptional arrangements for awarding GCSEs, AS, A levels, Extended Project Qualification and Advanced Extension Award in maths.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): early years and childcare closures
Updated introductory sections and sections on Who this guidance is for, Prioritising children, Funding, Staying open for children of critical workers and vulnerable children, Early Years Foundation Stage and Holidays. Guidance for local authorities, early years settings and childminders about childcare provision following the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Guidance to relax the process of school admissions appeals so that they do not have to be made in person.
Parents must continue to have the right to appeal to any school which has refused their child a place. We will, therefore, be making regulatory changes that, subject to legislation, will come into force on 24 April 2020.
TRANSPORT / TRAVEL:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) transport data: methodology note
Data sources and methodology information for transport data that is part of the government’s daily media briefings on coronavirus (COVID-19).
Emirates rolls out rapid pre-flight Covid-19 testing
Emirates has announced a range of new precautionary measures to guard against the spread of coronavirus, including testing all passengers for Covid-19 prior to boarding for the first time.
NATS eligible for funding of up to £92 million to maintain services
£1.1 billion support package for air navigation service providers across Europe affected by COVID-19 events.
Government gives approval for work to start on HS2
Barry White, chief executive of Transport for the North, said:
Today’s announcement that HS2 has been given permission to start building the network in earnest is fabulous news.
“It marks the beginning of a new era in British railway construction that will see new high speed lines built to the North of England – the first railways to the North in more than a century. This will give much needed new capacity to help economic growth and prosperity and rebalance the British economy.
“Together with Northern Powerhouse Rail, transforming connectivity across the North, there is a real opportunity for levelling up to enable the North to realise its potential as a world-class area to live, work and invest.”
CONSTRUCTION:
Homes England ramps up development pipeline to support the housing market Homes England, the government’s housing agency, has revealed that it acquired 19 sites in the last financial year worth £180 million, with the land having the capacity for 5,000 new homes across the country. Several major acquisitions were completed in the lead up to financial year-end, demonstrating how the agency is taking a long-term view of housing demand in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing to develop a strong pipeline of projects to support the recovery of the housebuilding sector.
EMPLOYMENT:
Stockport Council has launched a FREE job matching website to help support employers with vacancies and individuals across the Stockport borough who are looking for work. The service, Stockport Jobs Match, will help to connect employers who have urgent temporary or permanent vacancies with applicants who are immediately available and in need of employment. The website also helps signpost individuals to available support services and information. www.stockport-jobsmatch.co.uk
RETAIL:
High Street stores Oasis and Warehouse enter administration
Fashion chains Oasis and Warehouse have entered administration, with about 200 jobs lost and more than 1,800 staff furloughed.
The group sells womenswear under Oasis, womenswear and menswear under Warehouse, and menswear through The Idle Man.
They will continue to be sold online short term while administrators from Deloitte try and secure a sale.
The brands had already shut their 92 stores because of the coronavirus lockdown, while Oasis Warehouse group also had 437 concessions in department stores including Debenhams and Selfridges.
How are you doing?
If you are a business owner in Stockport, Totally Stockport and Stockport Council are also keen to find out what your needs are at this difficult time so they can provide the most appropriate advice and support.
To help them understand more, visit www.bidsurvey.com and help them to help you.
Useful links:
Stockport Council – Health & Mental Well-being: https://www.stockport.gov.uk/showcase/coronavirus
Government – Business Support:
https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/
Government – Business Support: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19
Government – Financial Support:
Government – Business Support:
Bank of England – Financial Support:
https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/news/2020/march/the-covid-corporate-financing-facility
Stockport Council Grant scheme:
https://www.stockport.gov.uk/business-rates-support-measures
Gov.uk: Maintaining Educational Provision:
UK Lockdown – Further businesses to close and exceptions:
Business Growth Hub:
www.businessgrowthhub.com/coronavirus
Health – updates from NHS
https://www.england.nhs.uk/news/
Health – Shielding the most vulnerable
Media and Marketing:
Travel:
https://media.northernrailway.co.uk/news/coronavirus-travel-information
Recruitment: – DWP and Universal Credit
Retail: An update form British Retail Consortium
https://brc.org.uk/news/corporate-affairs/coronavirus-latest-retailer-activity/
Useful information for the Self-Employed:
News and Guidance for the self-employed:
Concerned how Coronavirus might impact you and your business?
Please get in touch with Enterprising You and you will be connected to someone who can help. You can also access information and guidance including the latest Government updates via www.businessgrowthhub.com/coronavirus