As Stockport’s business community prepares for recovery post-coronavirus, a group of business leaders from the town have collaborated with Stockport Council to launch a new website – www.skbusinessrecovery.co.uk to support businesses through the phases of recovery.
Latest UK data to Tuesday 16th June:
Total tests: 6,981,493 tests have been carried out or posted out
Positive tests: 298,316 have tested positive +1,279 cases on previous day
Hospitalised: 410 UK admissions / 382 on mechanical ventilators on 13/06
Number in hospital: 5,254 – down by 16% on previous week
Loss of life: 41,969 across all settings, (+ 233 on previous day)
Cases in Stockport: 1,061 (no change in last 24 hours)
Number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk in the UK
The latest number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases and risk level in the UK.
16th June 2020 daily press briefing on the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic:
Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave a statement
- Update on latest data as per above
- Number of tests up, cases down
- Review of 2m rule when safe to do so – no sooner than 4th July
- Readily available steroid – dexamethasone – proved to be successful in treatment of coronavirus, approximate 1 in 8 success rate
PM statement at the coronavirus press conference: 16 June 2020
Slides and datasets to accompany coronavirus press conference: 16 June 2020
Answers to the most common topics asked about by the public for the coronavirus press conference
Slides, datasets and transcripts to accompany coronavirus press conferences
UK HEADLINES:
Readily available steroid drug – Dexamethasone proves successful for 1 in 8 Covid-19 patients
The biggest medical breakthrough in treating the coronavirus has been made by scientists in the UK – the discovery that Dexamethasone helps reduce the risk of death. Professor Peter Horby, professor of emerging infectious diseases and global health at the University of Oxford, gave more details about the development. About one in eight more will survive thanks to Dexamethasone. Johnson said: ‘We’ve taken steps to ensure we have enough supplies of Dexamethasone, even in the case of a second peak’. The clinical trial that led to this discovery was implemented across all countries of the UK and enrolled 11,500 patients, making it the biggest study in the world. The drug is very cheap, readily available and can save extra lives. Horby said it was the drug in the study that he was most excited about. This is the first medicine that has been shown to reduce death in Covid-19 patients.
World first coronavirus treatment approved for NHS use by government
The government has immediately authorised the NHS to use the world’s first coronavirus treatment proven to reduce the risk of death.
Manchester United star prompts Government to extend meal vouchers scheme
Footballer Marcus Rashford says he wants to do more to help those in need after winning a battle to have a free school meal voucher scheme extended. His campaign prompted a government U-turn that will see parents claim vouchers for about 1.3 million children in England during the summer holidays. But he told BBC Breakfast there are “more steps that need to be taken”. Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised the England star’s “contribution to the debate around poverty”.
LOCAL / REGIONAL NEWS & UPDATES:
Phase 2 of the Local Authority Discretionary Grant fund – last day to apply
The applications for phase 2 applications close today. The qualifying criteria has been extended to include those occupying a property, or part of a property, with a rateable value above £15,000 but no more than £20,000. Full qualifying criteria can be found on Stockport Council’s website. Phase two applications close at midnight on Wednesday 17th June. Enquiries about the scheme can be emailed to SKLADGRANTS@stockport.gov.uk
By working in collaboration, Stockport can become united and encouraged to build a better future for everyone by supporting the local economy, connecting communities and promoting health & wellbeing. Find out more at www.onestockport.co.uk
Stockport nominated in the Smart City category in the Digital Leaders awards.
Vote for Stockport HERE. Voting closes at 12 noon on Friday 28th August, with the winners announced on the 15th of October.
It’s on tonight!!
Stockport’s Allied Bakeries to feature in BBC2 documentary
Fronted by Sara Cox and Ade Adepitan, ‘Keeping Britain Fed’ explores how shopping habits changed during the crisis, the stresses on supermarket supply chains and the long term impacts of the pandemic on the way we shop.
Keeping Britain Fed will air on Wednesday 17th June at 8pm on BBC2, and be available on-demand through BBC iPlayer.
Stockport businesses grant funding payments:
Main Grant Scheme:
Stockport Council have now administered a total of 5,103 grants bringing the total amount paid to £58,695,000 and bringing the total now over 93% of those identified as eligible as at 11/03/2020.
If your business qualifies for a grant, please complete the online application form. Total grant allocation is £66.574m. If you have any queries please email business.rates@stockport.gov.uk
Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund:
So far, across phases 1 & 2, the total number of applications received: 327
Phase 2 applications close at midnight Wednesday 17th June.
Stockport – is your business open for business?
Is your business in Stockport? Are you ‘open for business’? 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:
CONSTRUCTION:
£37bn of work due out for bid by April 2021
Between £29bn and £37bn of contracts across economic and social infrastructure will be brought to market over this financial year.
The Government’s Infrastructure and Project Authority has detailed the work pipeline for this year in a bid to provide much-needed confidence and certainty to the market during the COVID-19 pandemic
EDUCATION:
Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for Tier 2, 4 and 5 sponsors
This is advice for Tier 2, 4 and 5 visa sponsors in the UK who are sponsoring those affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) – updated information on sponsoring a student who is distance learning.
Schools responses to Covid-19 pupil engagement
Teachers are in regular contact with, on average, 60 per cent of their pupils. However, on average, less than half of pupils (42 per cent) returned their last piece of set work. Most teachers (90 per cent) believe that their pupils are doing less or much less work than they would usually expect at this time of year. Pupil engagement is lower in schools with the highest levels of deprivation: Schools with the highest levels of deprivation (those in the highest free school meal quintile) report 13 percentage point lower levels of pupil engagement than schools in the middle quintile. Teachers in the most deprived schools report 30 per cent of pupils returning their last piece of work, compared to 49 per cent of pupils in the least deprived schools.
Safe working in education, childcare and children’s social care
Preventing and controlling infection, including the use of PPE, in education, childcare and children’s social care settings during the coronavirus outbreak – updated guidance to clarify PPE advice and changes in access to testing.
EMPLOYERS / BUSINESS / FINANCE:
Self-isolation for employees
Employers should support workers who need to self-isolate and must not ask them to attend the workplace. An employee who is self-isolating who can work from home must do so, by agreement with their employer. If it is not possible for them to work, employees can get Statutory Sick Pay. Workers who are self-isolating because they have symptoms of coronavirus or live with someone who has symptoms of coronavirus, can get an isolation note through NHS111 online.
OPSS coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for business and local authorities
Guidance on how OPSS is supporting businesses and local authorities and protecting consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic – second version of the enforcement guidance for local authorities on face masks and coverings published, with section 2 amended to clarify the remits of enforcing authorities.
DCMS Coronavirus Impact Business Survey
Addition of data tables to survey data on how DCMS Sectors are responding to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus grant funding: local authority payments to small and medium businesses
Local authorities have received and distributed funding to support small and medium businesses in England during coronavirus.
Consumer prices alternative basket analysis: May 2020
Data and analysis of an alternative consumer prices basket, rescaled to remove unavailable items, for the period April to May 2020 in the UK during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Guidance on the NHS test and trace service for employers, businesses and workers
Employers and businesses can play their part in the NHS test and trace programme to slow the spread of the virus. This forms a central part of the government’s coronavirus recovery strategy.
To help employers, guidance has been developed on the 5 steps for working safely, along with sector-specific guidance.
It is important to follow this guidance to help to reduce the risk of a spread of infection in the workplace. Employers must follow health and safety workplace guidance for their sector such as:
- enable working from home as a first option
- where working from home isn’t possible, implementing measures to control risk in the workplace
- workplace cleaning, maintaining safe separation, preventing transmission through unnecessary touching of potentially contaminated surfaces
Further in-depth guidance on making sure the workplace is safe for workers and others affected can be found online.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for Community Interest Companies (CICs)
The Regulator’s priority is to ensure compliance with all guidelines to reduce the spread of Covid-19. This includes ensuring social distancing of all staff. As a result of measures in place, paper submissions, such as conversion applications and special resolutions, under the current conditions now take longer to process. Please be assured we are working hard to clear these as soon as possible. The Regulator is investigating alternative methods of considering any paper filings and payments.
HEALTH & HEALTHCARE:
World first coronavirus treatment approved for NHS use by government
The government has immediately authorised the NHS to use the world’s first coronavirus treatment proven to reduce the risk of death.
MHRA suspends recruitment to COVID-19 hydroxychloroquine trials
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has instructed UK clinical trialists using hydroxychloroquine to treat or prevent coronavirus (COVID-19) to suspend recruitment of further participants.
Special feature: GAD supports the coronavirus response
People from GAD support the government’s fight against coronavirus by continuing to engage with our clients to deal with issues caused by COVID-19.
COVID-19: guidance on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing
Advice for parents and carers on looking after the mental health and wellbeing of children or young people during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak – added guidance on support bubbles.
HOSPITALITY:
Cineworld has announced it will reopen its UK cinemas on Friday 10 July.
In a statement, the company added that the move is subject to final clarifications and confirmation in relation to various government Covid-19 restrictions. The company has made several operational changes and invested in new technology to ensure a safe but enjoyable cinematic experience for all our visitors. Among the new measures introduced is an updated booking system to ensure social distancing within and throughout the auditoriums; adapted daily movie schedules to manage queues and avoid the build-up of crowds in lobbies; and enhanced cleanliness and sanitation procedures across all of our sites.”
IT & TECHNOLOGY:
Crowdfunding platform releases app to help investors post-Covid-19
A Dutch company has released an app that allows investors across the globe to access real estate investments, as Covid-19 continues to restrict close physical content and travel, and increasingly forces people online instead. Max Crowdfund enables registered investors to access high-quality real estate investment opportunities in a matter of minutes, from any computer or mobile device, ‘with the security of AML procedures and blockchain technology’.
RETAIL:
Boohoo swoops for Oasis and Warehouse online business
The Manchester online retailer paid restructuring firm Hilco, the owner of the Homebase DIY chain, £5.25m in cash for the brands which closed their doors in April as the coronavirus pandemic took its toll.
The deal sees Boohoo take over the online businesses and IP of the brands. The latest acquisitions wraps up a strong three months for Boohoo. Sales for the three months to 31 May were up 45 per cent to £367.8m, that’s up from £254.3m for the same period last year.
Greggs set to open remaining 1000 stores within weeks
Now the firm has unveiled new-look stores, with floor markings, protective clothes for staff and screens at counters among several measures to protect against coronavirus spreading. There will also be a reduced menu to ensure social distancing in kitchens and workspaces. Greggs warned sales are likely to remain subdued as the chain copes with fewer customers allowed in stores at any one time, following a series of small-scale trials near its offices.
TRAVEL:
Taiwan travel during coronavirus (COVID-19): information about available flights and routes
Information about available flights and routes and English-language travel agents for British people in Taiwan during the coronavirus restrictions.
Covid-19 Webinars:
17th June: Flexible Furlough and Recovery preparation More info / Book here
18th June: Thriving through disruption More info / book here
18th June: Managing your mind with meditation More info / Book here
25th June: Staying healthy at home, move & stretch class More info / Book here
Business Growth Hub webinars:
Find out more details and how to book below or on the website.
Make your workplace COVID-secure:
You can find recordings of webinars covering other types of workplace here
HMRC:
Coronavirus COVID-19 Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme:
Providing an overview of the scheme, this webinar looks at who can claim, when to start paying SSP, employees you can claim for, making a claim, keeping records, and more. Choose a date and time
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – How to make a claim:
This guides you through making a claim, including the essential information you need, what to do before you make your claim, calculating and processing your claim.
Choose a date and time
If you’ve missed any of HMRC’s live webinars, you can catch up series of recorded webinars on HMRC’s YouTube channel – available at a time to suit you.
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/
Join an HR virtual community HRD: A Virtual Experience.
Join 2,500+ senior HR Leaders from across the globe including The Clorox Company, Diageo, DHL, Siemens, Nestle, Vodafone, Tiffany & Co, ING and more.
Date and time: Thursday June 18th from 10am CET/9am BST
Summit theme: The Resilient Organisation
Sign up here – it’s completely free!
ACAS – run a series of courses to help businesses with transition from lockdown
Useful links:
New tools and resources available from Acas:
Redundancy letter templates
Redundancy process map Acas have also contributed to the development of a new return to work toolkit in partnership with SOM, CIPD, BITC and Mind.
Applications Now Open for the Local Authority Discretion Fund. Businesses that had been eligible for the Self-Employment Income Support are also now eligible for the LA Discretionary Business Grant.
Apply for the coronavirus Future Fund
The Future Fund will provide UK Government loans to UK-based companies ranging from £125,000 to £5 million, subject to at least equal match funding from private investors.
Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme set to launch
Employers will be able to make claims through the Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme from 26 May.
Stockport Council publishes details for Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund.
Stockport Council has confirmed its criteria in consideration of awarding the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund, announced as the grants Top-up fund by the Government on 1st May.
Business Support in Stockport – a centre pool of information to support business owners in Stockport:
www.skbusinessrecovery.co.uk
Government – Guidance on Returning to Work safely
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19
Government – Setting out of Road Map to recovery – 11th May 2020
Our plan to rebuild: The UK Government’s 60 page COVID-19 recovery strategy
The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy. The strategy sets out a cautious roadmap to easing existing measures in a safe and measured way, subject to successfully controlling the virus and being able to monitor and react to its spread.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
Coronavirus Act 2020: status
A table setting out the status of each measure in the Coronavirus Act 2020.
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 – IT safety support:
Government Warnings Over Coronavirus Scams – Here’s How to Protect Yourself
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: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-business-support-grant-funding
Government – Business Support:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses
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: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision
UK Lockdown – Further businesses to close and exceptions: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/874732/230320_-_Revised_guidance_note_-_finalVF
Business Growth Hub:
www.businessgrowthhub.com/coronavirus https://www.businessgrowthhub.com/coronavirus/resources/2020/03/coronavirus-business-support-webinar-series
Food & Drink – advice and guidance:
https://marketingstockport.co.uk/news/food-delivery-and-takeaway-guidance-for-food-businesses-looking-to-diversify/
Health – updates from NHS
https://www.england.nhs.uk/news/
Health– Shielding the most vulnerable
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19
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).
Health – 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:
Prolific North are publishing daily updates on their blog as to how Covid-19 is impacting on the marketing, media and technology industries
Travel:
https://media.northernrailway.co.uk/news/coronavirus-travel-information
Recruitment: – DWP and Universal Credit http://news.dwp.gov.uk/dwplz/lz.aspx?p1=MQsDU1NjQ5MlM2OTA0OjNCNDJBOEZCRTJDOUJEOTc1ODQ0RTRCRDNDNzk4QUNF-&CC=&p=0
Retail: An update form British Retail Consortium
https://brc.org.uk/news/corporate-affairs/coronavirus-latest-retailer-activity/
Employment: – Stockport Jobs Match
Community – Guidance for businesses seeking to help voluntary, community, and social enterprise organisations during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
How businesses can offer services, funds and volunteers to civil society during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Find out more information here.
Employment – 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
Can you claim back Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay in the Rebate Scheme
From Tuesday 26 May 2020, small and medium-sized employers, with fewer than 250 employees, will be able to apply to recover the costs of paying coronavirus-related Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) payments they have made to their employees.
Stockport park unveils tribute to young community hero 
Research finds Covid-19 has not fundamentally changed the UK labour market 
Government sets out ‘Living with COVID’ next steps from 1st April