Latest data:
Testing: 2,094,209 tests have now taken place + 87,063 on yesterday
Positive tests: 229,705 people have tested positive + 3,242 on previous day
Loss of life: 33,186 people have died across all settings, +494 more deaths since the previous day’s figures
In Stockport: There are 978 cases of Covid-19, + 7 cases on previous day
Update from Government Daily Briefing Wednesday 13th May:
Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, hosted the briefing concentrating on the housing sector:
- You can now move house following new Government Guidance
- Estate Agency offices may open
- Show homes may now open
- Removal firms may begin operating ‘with immediate effect’
- Viewings should be virtual where possible
- No open house viewings
- Follow strict social distancing and hygiene guidelines
- Building sites able to extend opening hours to 9pm, later in non-residential areas
- £600m for infection control in care homes
Slides to accompany coronavirus press conference: 13 May 2020
Press conference slides and datasets used by The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP and Dr Jenny Harries.
HEADLINE NEWS:
Grant top-up fund: Government publishes advice for local authorities
This additional fund is aimed at small businesses who were not eligible for the Small Business Grant Fund or the Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Fund.
Local authorities may disburse grants to the value of £25,000, £10,000 or any amount under £10,000.
The value of the payment to be made to a business is at the discretion of the local authority. Grants under the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund are capped at £25,000. The next level payment under the Local Authority Discretionary Grants Fund is £10,000. Local authorities have discretion to make payments of any amount under £10,000.
The Government is asking local authorities to prioritise the following types of businesses for grants from within this funding pot:
- Small businesses in shared offices or other flexible workspaces. Examples could include units in industrial parks, science parks and incubators which do not have their own business rates assessment;
- Regular market traders with fixed building costs, such as rent, who do not have their own business rates assessment;
- Bed & Breakfasts which pay Council Tax instead of business rates; and
- Charity properties in receipt of charitable business rates relief which would otherwise have been eligible for Small Business Rates Relief or Rural Rate Relief.
Stockport Council will add local application and eligibility criteria and this information will be publicised and circulated as soon as possible.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): business support grant funding – guidance for local authorities
BBC: Coronavirus antibody test a ‘positive development’
Public Health England said the antibody test, developed by Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche, was a “very positive development”.
The blood test looks for antibodies to see if a person has already had the virus and might now have some immunity. Until now, officials have said such tests are not reliable enough. Sources told the BBC the Roche test was the first one to offer serious potential.
LOCAL / REGIONAL NEWS & UPDATES:
Daily bread delivery is a lifeline for Stockport’s most vulnerable residents
A daily delivery of bread, thanks to the kindness and commitment of local community groups, volunteers and businesses, is making a big difference to some of Stockport’s most vulnerable residents.
Every day, for a number of weeks, Allied Bakeries has donated over 200 loaves of bread to vulnerable residents and those affected by food poverty as a result of Covid 19. The bread, which now totals over 4000 loaves, is collected daily by the Council from the bakery’s production facility on Bredbury Industrial Estate and delivered directly to local community groups, foodbanks and charities to distribute to those who are self-isolating or have difficulty accessing food. Allied Bakeries are also donating bread directly to the NHS, including Stepping Hill Hospital.
Read More
Stockport businesses grant funding payments:
Stockport Council have administered a further 41 grants in the past 24 hours bringing the total amount paid to nearly £54,000,000 across 4,686 qualifying businesses and 85.5% 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
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 but Stockport is still open for business. Are you still providing legal / financial services? 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:
https://marketingstockport.co.uk/stockport-open-for-business/
Help us to help you and your business
Totally Stockport and Stockport Council want to understand the challenges facing your organisation once you consider resuming your business so that we can provide the right help, support and advice for our businesses and local economy to recover.
Please complete this short survey (7-8 questions) to help us to understand what help is needed – by taking part you will be supporting us all to rebuild our economy together. Please encourage all of your contacts and networks to take part in the survey so that we can get as much information as possible. Visit www.bidsurvey.com and help them to help you.
COMMUNITY:
BBC: ‘Bubbles’ may be key to allowing families to meet
‘Bubbles’ of people we can meet safely may form part of the plans to move the UK out of the coronavirus lockdown. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out a road map for how Britain could start easing restrictions and this 50-page document includes the possibility of widening our “social bubbles”.
What are social bubbles? A bubble is defined as a group of people with whom you have close physical contact.
CONSTRUCTION:
Government backs site working up to 9pm
In a fresh statement on Wednesday, housing secretary Robert Jenrick said local planning authorities were now expected to approve requests to extend construction working hours temporarily until 9pm from Monday to Saturday in residential areas.
Taylor Woodrow to open sales centres and launches new offer to care workers
In a message to shareholders the firm says that during lockdown it sold 48 homes and averaged a private sales rate of 0.3 homes per outlet per week, despite restrictions. Cancellation rates have averaged 27 per cent during lockdown.
For the week ending May 10 its total order book came to 11,033 homes compared to 10,489 for the same period of 2019. Now the company is setting out what it calls “detailed plans for a return to site sales activity” and extend its customer service provision.
EDUCATION:
Procurement Policy Note 02/20: Supplier relief due to COVID-19
Added sector guidance for state funded schools to Procurement Policy Note (PPN) setting out information and guidance for public bodies on payment of their suppliers to ensure service continuity during and after the current coronavirus, COVID-19, outbreak.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for schools and other educational settings
Added both Actions for FE colleges and providers during the coronavirus outbreak and Procurement Policy Note 02/20: Supplier relief due to COVID-19 under Finance and administration to guidance and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19) in educational settings for staff, parents and carers, pupils and students.
Actions for FE colleges and providers during the coronavirus outbreak
Added Procurement Policy Notice (PPN) 02/20: Supplier relief due to COVID-19 – additional post 16 educational sector to guidance for further education (FE) providers on maintaining education and skills training, changes to funding arrangements, data collections and assessment.
Education unions’ joint statement on the safe reopening of schools
The statement follows a longer statement to the Secretary of State on Friday (8 May), which set out in full detail the principles and tests necessary for the safe reopening of schools. It is signed by AEP, GMB, NAHT, NASUWT, NEU, NSEAD, Prospect, UNISON and Unite.
EMPLOYERS / BUSINESS FINANCE:
Public Health England: 7 simple tips to tackle working from home
Coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed everything, and we’re all struggling to adjust to new ways of living and working. There are some perks to working from home we can all enjoy (bye-bye commute!), but feeling stress, boredom, anxiety and uncertainty is also completely normal.
These 7 simple tips can help you adjust to working at home, feel more productive and take care of your mental health in these unprecedented times.
ABI backs Government plans for a temporary reinsurance scheme for businesses to access trade credit insurance
The scheme could help speed up the economic recovery, ensuring the continued availability of trade credit insurance in the face of unprecedented financial pressures currently being faced across most business sectors. It follows similar action being taken in other European countries, and Canada, where state- backed schemes have been developed to help businesses continue to benefit from affordable trade credit insurance protection. The ABI will look to continue to work with the Government to develop the scheme, so that businesses can trade with confidence despite the challenging economic circumstances.
New ministerial-led taskforces have been set up to plan how closed sectors can reopen safely.
Five new ministerial-led taskforces have been set up to develop plans for how and when closed sectors can reopen safely, following publication of the UK’s roadmap to rebuild Britain. Businesses and shops in indoor environments or with closer contact between people, like pubs, hotels and non-essential retail, will likely have a higher risk of transmission, as is the case with many places of worship.
Government guidance to help Britain’s top sportsmen and women to return to training safely
Elite athletes and professional sportsmen and women can resume performance training under new guidance published today, in a significant step towards a safe resumption of live sport behind closed doors.
FSB survey: Four in ten (41%) businesses have been forced to close
“The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has been felt right across the small business community, with thousands of small firms all over the UK fearing for their futures. The Government has stepped-up with a huge range of support for millions of small businesses and sole traders, from income support schemes, to cash grants, to help with accessing finance and business rates breaks.
Hallidays: Holiday entitlement and pay during coronavirus
This guidance outlines how holiday entitlement and pay operate during the coronavirus pandemic. It is designed to help employers understand their legal obligations, in terms of workers who continue to work / have been placed on furlough as part of the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS)
Lockdown doesn’t mean firms are locked out of investment opportunities
Mercia Asset Management has invested more than £11m in the seven weeks since the lockdown began. The company, which is one of the most active investors in regional SMEs, has completed 26 transactions during the crisis, including new investments and support for its existing portfolio companies.
Mercia – which has around £300m in unrestricted free cash within venture capital, private equity and debt to invest – is urging entrepreneurs and business owners to press ahead with their growth plans as the lockdown is being unwound.
HEALTH & WELLBEING:
Coronavirus (COVID-19): hospital discharge service requirements
Sets out how health and care systems and providers should change their discharging arrangements and the provision of community support during the coronavirus situation. Added 3 new documents: ‘What you need to know about leaving hospital – Easy Read leaflet’, ‘When you leave hospital to go home – Easy Read leaflet’ and ‘Leaving hospital to go to a care home – Easy Read leaflet’.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): hospital discharge service requirements
Sets out how health and care systems and providers should change their discharging arrangements and the provision of community support during the coronavirus situation. Added 3 new documents: ‘What you need to know about leaving hospital – Easy Read leaflet’, ‘When you leave hospital to go home – Easy Read leaflet’ and ‘Leaving hospital to go to a care home – Easy Read leaflet’.
How tests and testing kits for coronavirus (COVID-19) work
The different types of tests and testing kits for COVID-19, and the specifications for manufacturers.
MHRA guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19)
Guidance and information for industry, healthcare professionals and patients covering the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak – linked to new guidance on how tests and testing kits for coronavirus (COVID-19) work in the ‘Medical Devices’ section. This replaces previous guidance on COVID-19 tests. It includes an explanation of how the different testing kits work, the specification industry need to follow and how to apply for exemptions.
PROPERTY:
Housing Secretary’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 13 May 2020
The Housing Secretary on the government’s response to COVID-19 and the plan to safely restart, reopen and renew the housing market.
RETAIL:
BRC: April sales decline by 19.1% compared with previous year
“With lockdown measures in full swing, April saw a record fall in retail sales. Food sales were disappointing, with the virus preventing large family gatherings and turning Easter into a more modest affair. For many non-food goods, such as clothing, footwear and large household items, the decline was particularly steep as consumers responded to lockdown conditions. The proportion of goods purchased online rose sharply”
WHSmith reports positive first half results but warns very different in second half
Covid-19 Webinars:
14th May: ACAS: HMRC Job Retention Scheme Book here
15th May: Stakeholder Mapping in a Covid-19 lockdown More info / book here
20th May: Growth Hub: Navigating the funding maze More info / book here
20th May: Grant Thornton: Leading through the unknown More info / book here
26th May: Is more devolution key to recovery? More info / book here
2nd June: Digital Futures – join tech experts More info / book 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/
Useful links:
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
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
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
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).
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:
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/
Employment: – Stockport Jobs Match