Latest data:
Testing: 501,379 people have now been tested for the virus
UK Cases: 124,743 have tested positive, + 4,676 on previous day
In Hospital: 17,971 currently in hospital with the virus
Loss of life: In hospital, 16,509 people have died + 449 on previous day
In Stockport: there are 619 cases of Covid-19
Government Daily Briefings
Monday 20th April
Chancellor Rishi Sunak addressed the press conference with Professor Angela McLean, Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser and Yvonne Doyle, Medical Director at Public Health England.
- Appointment of Paul Deighton, formerly Chief Executive of London 2012 Olympics to lead on domestic efforts to increase the supply of PPE
- Working to resolve the shipment of further PPE
- HMRC opened the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme this morning; by 4pm over 140,000 firms had applied
- Firms should have their cash in 6 working days
- New Government funding for start-ups and high growth businesses worth £1.25 bn
- Launch of the matched Future Fund – convertible loans for early stage companies
- £750 million of grant funding for innovative companies
Chancellor’s daily coronavirus update in full
Slides and datasets to accompany coronavirus press conference: 20 April 2020
Press conference slides and datasets used by Professor Angela McLean, Deputy Chief Scientific Adviser.
LOCAL / REGIONAL NEWS & UPDATES:
GM Mayor Andy Burnham joins DevoConnect’s Covid-19 Response, Impact & Recovery webinar
DevoConnect!, who represent nine major city regions across England with elected Metro Mayors are hosting a webinar with Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and Cllr Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds Council, for a debate, ‘COVID-19: Response, Impact and Recovery’ on Thursday 23rd April at 14:30 to find out how our cities and regions are responding to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Andy and Judith will look at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through a devolved lens and give us their assessment on how local government and Metro Mayors are responding to the enormous pressures on local and regional economies. We will talk about the political and societal impact of COVID-19 and how we adjust to “recovery mode”. Book here
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.
Dedicated health & wellbeing services:
– 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.
– 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.
EMPLOYERS / BUSINESSES / FINANCE:
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – online claims portal open
Now updated guidance on how to calculate your claim and a simple step-by-step guide. Please only call HMRC if you can’t find what you need on GOV?.UK – this will leave lines open for those who need help most.
CBILS – A guide to whether it may be the best options for a business
Figures released by the banking lobby group, UK Finance, showed that only one in five UK businesses who have formally applied for government-backed loans have been granted emergency funding during the COVID-19 lockdown. But is taking out a loan under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme the best option?
Financial support for businesses during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Details of the Future Fund added to the financial support you can get for your business.
The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change has published a ‘contingent exit plan’
The plan outlines the stages involved in ending the lockdown, and the conditions each will require: suppression of the disease and managed revival of the economy
Government launches new coronavirus business support finder tool
A new ‘support finder’ tool will help businesses and self-employed people across the UK to quickly and easily determine what financial support is available to them during the coronavirus pandemic.
Grant funding provided to businesses by local authorities in England
The Government has published data on the amount of money distributed to SMEs by every local authority in England as part of the 2 grant schemes launched to help businesses deal with coronavirus.
Guidance for those involved in managing COVID-19 deaths
A collection of guidance to support employers and workers handling loss of life.
Stockport businesses grant funding payments:
UPDATE!
Stockport Council have administered a total of nearly £41.6 million across 3,567 qualifying businesses and over 65% of those identified as eligible as at 11/03/2020.
Businesses that are the main rate payer of business rates can be eligible for grant support of between £10,000 and £25,000 and may miss out on vital financial support if they do not apply by the end of April.
It is vital that eligible businesses who haven’t already done so should contact Stockport Council to apply for a grant.
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
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.
ACAS runs a series of webinars on employment law and employment relations
Covid-19 Business Grant Funding Documentation
HEALTH:
Public Health England has launched the Every Mind Matters platform that looks to support people’s mental health through the coronavirus pandemic.
The Exercise of Functions by the National Health Service Commissioning Board (Coronavirus) Directions 2020
Directions given to the National Health Service Commissioning Board by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.
Specification for ventilators to be used in UK hospitals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
This guidance sets out the clinical requirements based on the consensus of what is ‘minimally acceptable’ performance in the opinion of the anaesthesia and intensive care medicine professionals and medical device regulators.
MANUFACTURING:
What is the UK Government Ventilator Challenge?
The Prime Minister asked companies to help manufacture, design and build thousands of NHS ventilators in the fight against COVID-19.
EDUCATION:
BBC launches biggest education offering with Bitesize Daily
The BBC has launched its biggest ever education offering designed to help children through the coronavirus outbreak. Bitesize daily has been put together in just 4 weeks and offers 14 weeks of curriculum-based learning for children across the UK aimed at minimising disruption for their education.
The Department for Education has announced a package of measures to support online learning, which includes the provision of laptops and free 4G routers for disadvantaged pupils.
Supporting vulnerable children and young people during the coronavirus outbreak
Clarifications to the existing guidance including the actions to be taken for each group around their attendance or otherwise at an education setting. We have not changed the groups included in the definition of vulnerable children.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): SEND risk assessment guidance
Guidance for special schools, specialist colleges, local authorities and any other settings managing children and young people with complex special educational needs and disability (SEND).
What parents and carers need to know about schools and education during the coronavirus outbreak
Updated information on support for parents, online resources and vulnerable children and information for parents and carers about educational provision for critical workers, school closures, exams, free schools meals and home schooling.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for schools and other educational settings
Added ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19): SEND risk assessment guidance’ to guidance and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19) in educational settings for staff, parents and carers, pupils and students.
Actions for schools during the coronavirus outbreak
Updated information on online resources and remote learning, workforce, and vulnerable children.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): reducing burdens on educational and care settings
Guidance on which data collections, services or requests will be cancelled, paused or will continue in the 2019 to 2020 academic year.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): free school meals guidance
Updated information about school food contracts and free school meal eligibility in guidance for schools and local authorities on free school meals arrangements during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and a sample application form on the temporary extension of free school meals eligibility to NRPF groups.
TRANSPORT / TRAVEL:
Return flights for most vulnerable Britons from New Zealand
New Government charter flights will bring home the most vulnerable Britons stranded in New Zealand this week with three flights from Auckland and two from Christchurch.
UK set to bring home hundreds more British travellers from across the Philippines
Another charter flight from the Philippines will bring home around 200 more British nationals, including from remote areas, it has been announced today.Traffic orders: advertising during coranavirus (COVID-19)
Additional and temporary guidance on making traffic orders during coronavirus restrictions.
MEDIA / COMMS:
Prolific North’s next free webinar, taking place this week, welcomes two marketing specialists to discuss the allocation of marketing budgets at a time when everything is up in the air.
EMPLOYMENT:
DEFRA launches ‘Pick for Britain’ website for people looking for work on farms
From pickers and packers, to plant husbandry and tractor or forklift drivers, there are a wide range of roles available. Here you will find recruiters in your area
Stockport Jobs Match
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:
The British Beer & Pub Associationhas said that pubs need ‘urgent support’ following Michael Gove’s comments that restrictions on the industry would be among the last to be lifted. It is calling for an expanded and extended version of the business support grant scheme, with an expanded threshold and an extension of the furlough scheme. It warns that without this, ‘many pubs’ could ‘close for good’.
The British Retail Consortium reports that footfall decreased by 44.7% in March owing to the lockdown.
Shopping centres the most negatively affected location, and retail parks the least owing to their wider open spaces and the proportion of supermarkets. Chief Executive Helen Dickinson said that, once the restrictions were imposed, footfall dropped by ‘over 80% on the previous year’.
Primark boss: “In time we can rebuild the profits – we can’t replace the people we lose”
The chief executive of the parent company of Primark has confirmed that he is willing to ‘accept lower sales’ in order to fight the spread of COVID-19.
In a statement this morning, Associated British Foods chief executive George Weston stressed the importance of slowing the coronavirus outbreak through reducing footfall in Primark stores when lockdown is lifted.
Much as I would love to be allowed to reopen Primark stores across the UK, Continental Europe and the USA soon, because lockdown has so harmed our business and our supply chains, I know that we must not do so until we have suppressed this disease.”
Takeaway orders increase by 33% but over 36% of takeaways close
Takeaway delivery platform Foodhub revealed record figures for online orders over the past couple of weekends. During the COVID-19 crisis many businesses are shutting down and the majority of the country is in isolation but, this hasn’t stopped people from ordering their favourite food. However, in contrast to these findings, Foodhub also reported that 36% of takeaways closed within a seven day period.
Lidl on search for new retail sites
As one of the UK’s fastest growing supermarkets, Lidl need new retail sites across the country. Flexible when it comes to type of tenure, the retailer offer a competitive fee structure too.
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
Stockport park unveils tribute to young community hero 
Last chance to get the winter Covid-19 booster 
Stockport hosts further pop-up Covid-19 vaccination clinics ahead of Christmas