Latest data:
Testing: 818,539 people have now been tested for the virus
UK Cases: 165,221 have tested positive, + 4,076 on previous day
Loss of life: 26,097 people have died in hospital, care homes and community
In Stockport: there are 796 cases of Covid-19, + 31 on previous day
Government Daily Briefing on Wednesday 29th April
First Secretary of State Dominic Raab hosted today’s Government briefing:
- Today’s figures includes all those who have lost their lives in hospital, in care homes and in the community
- Important to still follow restrictions
- UK citizens still being re-patriated
- Equivalent of £330m each year over 5 years to the international vaccine alliance
Foreign Secretary’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 29 April 2020
Slides and datasets to accompany coronavirus press conference: 29 April 2020
Press conference slides and datasets used by Professor Yvonne Doyle.
HEADLINE NEWS:
‘Happy 100th birthday to Colonel Tom Moore’
Captain Tom has been awarded the honorary rank of Colonel, Freedom of the City of London, an England cricket cap and member of the England team along with a 100th birthday fly-past in honour of his birthday and his fundraising efforts that have now raised over £31million for NHS charities.
Over 140,000 birthday cards have been sent to the war veteran. As a WW2 Spitfire and a WW@ Hurricane flew over his home, Tom remarked: “I am one of the few people here who’ve seen the Hurricane and Spitfire flying past in anger, and fortunately today they’re all flying peacefully – that’s what’s outstanding.”
FTSE reaches over 6000 points for first time since March 11th
The FTSE has opened up 0.36% by 22 points on 6,137 as hopes continue to build on drugmaker Gilead’s antiviral has significant effect on conoravirus.
National Institutes of Health in US clinical trial shows Remdesivir accelerates recovery from advanced COVID-19
Hospitalised patients with advanced COVID-19 and lung involvement who received Remdesivir recovered faster than similar patients who received placebo, according to a preliminary data analysis from a randomized, controlled trial involving 1063 patients, which began on February 21. The trial (known as the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial, or ACTT), sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, is the first clinical trial launched in the United States to evaluate an experimental treatment for COVID-19.
LOCAL / REGIONAL NEWS & UPDATES:
Hut Group launches own airline – THG /AIR
Manchester based global online retailer The Hut Group has announced a new deal with Singapore Airlines that will include buying two planes and chartering a series of over 100 flights. The agreement will see the formation of THG Air, which is hoped to remove the firm’s reliance on scheduled passenger services.
University of Manchester team working on home testing kit for coronavirus
Biotech researchers at the University of Manchester are developing a home testing fit for Covid-19 that could be used like e home pregnancy test. It has produced a prototype based on the fact that sugars coat all human cells and could be used to detect infections like coronavirus.
New ways to help residents get online during Covid-19
Because digital skills have never been more important than they are right now, Stockport’s ‘DigiKnow’ alliance, comprised of local groups and organisations, is creating new ways to help residents to get online while libraries and community groups are closed.
Telephone support is now available for anyone who has access to a?smartphone, tablet or computer, but needs help getting online for the first time or doing things online. Call the new helpline on 07537 127 095 and leave your name, number and a brief description of the help required and a volunteer Digital Champion will get back to you.
Learners who previously attended a session in a community venue run by our community partner Starting Point can now attend online sessions in place of their former face-to-face sessions. Digital Champions are supporting them to use this new method of communicating, allowing this invaluable social and learning opportunity to continue.
Webinars:
30th April: Remote Leadership Training More info / book here
1st May: Liverpool and Greater Manchester Metro Mayors
talk about the impact on Covid-19 and what the
cities are doing both independently and collectively
to support businesses and tackle the challenge. More info / book here
5th May: Financial support for small businesses hosted by
Dept Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Register to join
6th May: How to influence a hybrid parliament More info / book here
7th May: Property management tips on coronavirus More info / book here
15th May: Stakeholder Mapping in a Covid-19 lockdown More info / book here
Twice weekly: EnterprisingYou Finance support for the self-employed webinars For info about latest webinar date announcements please visit the website https://enterprising-you.co.uk/latest-news/
Stockport – is your business open for business?
Is your business in Stockport? Are you ‘open for business’?
Many businesses have been affected by the coronavirus outbreak and are currently unable to trade due to Government restrictions in an attempt to stem the spread of the virus, to keep us safe and to protect the NHS.
But there are businesses in Stockport who are allowed to continue to trade and are operating safely in compliance with the Government’s rules and guidance on social distancing measures. We want to ensure that support is provided to those businesses too and to let everyone know that, in part, Stockport is still open for business. Perhaps you have an online business? Or you have a food store. Are you offering a delivery service? Or perhaps you have a restaurant and are now offering take-aways? Whatever your business, we want to support you. And it’s free!
Follow the link, fill in the form and we will add you to our directory:
COMMUNITIES:
Coronavirus (COVID-19): letter to town and parish councils
Letter from the Secretary of State Robert Jenrick thanking town and parish councils for their work during the pandemic.
CONSTRUCTION:
Major contractors now working on 70% of sites
Build UK, whose membership includes most of the industry’s biggest names like Balfour Beatty, Laing O’Rourke, Kier, McAlpine, Skanska, Bouygues, Bam, Vinci, Wates, Mace and Morgan Sindall, said: “Build UK Contractor members are continuing to reopen sites and reported this week that almost 70% of their sites are open in England and Wales. The majority are construction (81%) and infrastructure (78%) sites, with members that include housing in their portfolios confirming that less than half of their housing sites (46%) are open for business. Productivity on construction and infrastructure sites is averaging 67%, with London construction sites proving to be a particular challenge at just 56% output being achieved.”
EDUCATION:
- High quality, flexible courses in digital and numeracy skills to support learning
- Courses on offer will help people gain skills that employers demand and help kick start the country’s economic recovery
The new platform gives people access to free, high-quality digital and numeracy courses to help build up their skills, progress in work and boost their job prospects.
Awarding qualifications in summer 2020
Private candidate policy update added to information for schools, students and parents on how GCSE, AS, A level, vocational and technical qualifications will be graded and awarded in summer 2020.
EMPLOYERS / BUSINESSES / FINANCE:
Greater Manchester Chamber Business Monitor
To assess the impact of COVID-19, GMCC launched a weekly Business Monitor survey to listen to business concerns. The results of the previous three weeks of this tracker survey have been published – https://www.gmchamber.co.uk/covid-19-coronavirus/business-monitor/
The 4th survey takes no more than five minutes to fill in and will help us to ensure that we do everything to further the interests of Greater Manchester’s business community. I would really appreciate it if you did.
The Institute for Government has published a report looks at the support being offered to business, arguing that it should shift from loans and debt guarantees to equity and direct grants in order not to leave businesses with unpayable debts. Bailout for Business after Coronavirus, written by former No.10 adviser Giles Wilkes, argues that the cost of supporting business through the crisis is easily affordable if it helps return the recession-scarred economy to growth. But the Treasury must avoid burdening companies with unpayable debts or propping up those with no prospects in the post-coronavirus economy.
The history and economics of pandemics
The Institute for Economic Affairs has published a paper looking at the history and economics of pandemics. It identifies a number of patterns from historic pandemics, arguing that features of contemporary societies such as international integration and travel mean that they spread more easily. It concludes that it is likely to last for around 18 months and that another pandemic is, at some point, likely.
Wages for furloughed employees are now being paid through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
If you have already made a claim:
Payment takes six working days from when a claim is submitted. Please do not call HMRC to chase payment as they will not be able to update you before the six working days have ended. It will automatically be sent to the bank account you nominated in your claim. Please retain all records and calculations for your claims in case HMRC need to contact you about them in future.
If you have not yet made a claim:
You can still claim online for a grant for 80% of your furloughed employees’ salaries, up to a maximum of £2,500 per employee, per month. You will receive the funds six working days after you claim, provided your claim matches records that we hold for your PAYE scheme. Please continue to keep your furloughed employees informed and ask them not to contact HMRC directly – HMRC will not be able to provide them with any information.
Cash Grant for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure and Small Business Grant Funding The grants are of £10,000 or £25,000 and do not need to be paid back. Please note, this scheme applies to England only. To ensure all eligible businesses can access these funds, we have two main calls to action:
- Check whether you are entitled to the grant, using the GOV UK checker tool.
For more information on the schemes, please click here.
Stockport businesses grant funding payments:
Stockport Council have administered a further 64 grants in the past 24 hours bringing the total amount paid to £49,180,00 across 4,237 qualifying businesses and 77.4% of those identified as eligible as at 11/03/2020. If your business qualifies for a grant, please complete the online application form.
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
EMPLOYMENT / RECRUITMENT:
Home Secretary announces visa extensions for frontline health and care workers
Free visa extensions will be automatically granted to more crucial overseas health and care workers.
HEALTH & WELLBEING:
How does contact tracing work and is my data safe?
The UK is planning to roll out its contact tracing app and phone team by the middle of May, in the hope that weeks of social distancing will have made new outbreaks easier to track.
Daily death reporting now includes all positive COVID-19 deaths
A new method of reporting daily COVID-19 deaths has been developed by Public Health England (PHE).
COVID-19 treatments could be fast-tracked through new national clinical trial initiative
This will accelerate the development of new drugs for patients hospitalised with COVID-19, reducing the time taken to set up clinical studies for new therapies from months to weeks.
Major home testing programme for coronavirus will track levels of infection in the community
100,000 people will be sent self-testing kits to determine if they are currently infected.
PHE data series on deaths in people with COVID-19: technical summary
A summary of the PHE data series on deaths in people with COVID-19, outlining what the changes mean and how the data compare to other COVID-19 death data series.
Repatriation during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic: Minister Adams’ statement, 29 April 2020
Foreign & Commonwealth Office Minister Nigel Adams spoke in Parliament on FCO
MANUFACTURING:
Notification of contingent liability: Rapidly Manufactured Ventilator System Project
A departmental minute outlining indemnities granted to designers and manufacturers in the Rapidly Manufactured Ventilator System Project
PROPERTY:
The coronavirus impact on the property sector – Evolving online consumer behaviour
Without doubt, many are continuing to drive efficiencies and embrace new technology. We’ve seen big increases in agents using virtual viewings – our AdReach team has recorded a 215% surge in video tours of new build homes. This ongoing activity is vital to nurturing sales pipelines once the build-up to recovery gets into gear.
Only small rise in late rent payments so far, shows survey
There was just a two per cent rise in late rental payments over the last month according to figures from an analysis of the lettings market. PropTech firm Goodlord has looked at what it calls a representative sample of 20,000 rental properties across the UK and over 120 agents.
The firm says the small increase in late payments suggests the vast majority of tenants are continuing to pay rent, and likewise only a small fraction of landlords are processing rental insurance claims, indicating that they are not yet out of pocket.
RETAIL:
Consumer organisation Which? has launched a tool allowing people to report coronavirus profiteering.
It has discovered widespread problems with items being sold for inflated prices on platforms such as Amazon Marketplace and eBay and warns that this may have affected charities and key workers trying to secure essential products. Sue Davies, Head of Consumer Protection, said the Government should ‘step in with emergency legislation to crack down on price-gouging and keep the price of essential items reasonable during a crisis.’
Sainsburys reports £500m profit hit as clothing and fuel sales drop
Sainsbury’s, which has stores across the country, said today that lockdown measures have impacted its sales of fuel, clothing and general merchandise. Clothing sales for the company are down by 53 per cent for the past seven weeks, with fuel sales dropping 52 per cent and general merchandise sales decreasing by 22 per cent.
TRAVEL:
Dominic Raab said more than 200,000 Britons had been brought home from Spain on commercial flights, as well as more than 50,000 from Australia and 11,000 from Pakistan. Via the government’s own £75 million repatriation operation, launched to bring home those stranded without access to commercial flights, Raab said this had delivered 20,000 people so far on more than 20 flights.
20,000 stranded Brits returning to the UK from South Asia on UK charter flights
More than 20,000 British travellers, on 83 Government charter flights, will return to the UK from across South Asia by 7 May.
Charter flight from Guyana for stranded British nationals
A Government charter flight to bring home around 100 Britons stranded in Guyana has been announced – with booking open today.
Another 900 British travellers in New Zealand set to return to the UK
Around 900 more British travellers in New Zealand are set to return home on three additional UK Government-chartered flights.
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:
Government – Financial Support
New 100% government backed loan scheme for small business
Stockport Council – Health & Mental Well-being: https://www.stockport.gov.uk/showcase/coronavirus
Government – Financial Support
CBILS – A guide to whether it may be the best options for a business
Government – Financial Support
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – online claims portal open
Government – Business Support:
Government launches new coronavirus business support finder tool
Government – Business Support Hub:
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support
Government – Financial Support: HMRC has published guidance on how it will work out income and profits for the self-employed or those in a partnership who have lost profits due to 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:
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
Food & Drink – advice and guidance:
Health – updates from NHS
https://www.england.nhs.uk/news/
Health – Shielding the most vulnerable
Health – 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.
Health – Dedicated health & wellbeing services:
24/7 mental health helpline & 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.
Health – the big white wall
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.
Media and Marketing:
Travel:
Recruitment: – DWP and Universal Credit
Retail: An update form British Retail Consortium
Employment: – 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.
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