Latest data:
Testing: 2,219,281 tests have now taken place + 125,072 on yesterday
Positive tests: 233,151 people have tested positive + 3,446 on previous day
Loss of life: 33,614 people have died across all settings, + 428 more deaths since the previous day’s figures
In Stockport: There are 978 cases of Covid-19 + 7 cases on previous day
Update: Government Daily Briefing Thursday 14th May by Transport Secretary Grant Shapps:
- Briefing commenced with ‘Stay Alert’ message
- Reiterated infrastructure spending on projects during lockdown
- £250m already spent of £2bn programme to promote cycling and walking
- Department of Transport published guidance to make transport network safer
- Projects continuing despite lockdown – 419 Network Rail projects; 1,000 transport upgrades; £96m on rail improvements in the North;
- Announced a further £2bn to upgrade roads and railways
- Rollout of electric charging facilities
Anti-body testing proved 100% accurate
In the press questions, Van-Tam outlined the Roche antibody test that has been approved by health professionals following testing that revealed it has 100% accuracy for those who have had COVID-19. He wasn’t sure of when it would be rolled out but said it would be started with NHS and frontline staff.
Slides and datasets to accompany coronavirus press conference: 14 May 2020
Press conference slides and datasets used by The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP and Professor Jonathan Van-Tam.
HEADLINE NEWS:
Antibody test rolled out ‘in days and weeks’ says Transport Secretary
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.
The test-track-trace system is due to be rolled out to the rest of the country
From next week the test-track-trace system will be rolled out from next week following completion of the trial on the Isle of Wight. The announcement is accompanied by the news that a Roche antibody test to identify people who have already had the virus has been approved for use in the UK. The two programmes together will produce reliable information about the real extent of the virus infection across the country, as well as identifying people who have developed some degree of immunity.
Government’s business support during coronavirus (COVID-19)
The Cabinet Office has commissioned an independent research organisation, Kantar, to conduct important research about the provision of Government support to UK businesses and self-employed during the coronavirus crisis.
They are interested in the views of self-employed, business owners and senior managers who can tell us about how their business has been affected by coronavirus and what business decisions may be taken to mitigate this impact.
The survey should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.
Taking part is easy – just click here or on the button below to start the survey. You can complete the survey on a mobile, tablet, laptop or desktop computer. You may exit and return to the survey at any point up until the survey’s closing date at the end of Monday 18th May.
LOCAL / REGIONAL NEWS & UPDATES:
Business Growth Hub update compliance information based on new guidance
The latest compliance information is based on new guidance recently released and changes to the Government’s guidance and legislation. Any future updates will be published updated on the Business Growth Hub pages.
Mayors say ‘too early’ to lift restrictions in North West
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham and Liverpool city region Mayor Steve Rotheram have written a joint letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson warning that the Government’s easing of lockdown restrictions comes “too early” for the region, which is working hard to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Manchester Airport calls for Government to rethink quarantine proposals
Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has called on Downing Street to consider how best to implement its proposed passenger quarantine system which could impact international air travel, while Liverpool John Lennon Airport is already in talks with airlines over re-starting operations, while building on recent increases in cargo traffic. MAG owns and operates Manchester Airport, as well as London Stansted and East Midlands Airport.
Public sector shared procurement service, STAR has revealed its 10 point plan to support the economic recovery in Greater Manchester.
As Government restrictions begin to be lifted, Stockport Council are continuing with and increasing the support available to local communities, business communities and VCSE sector with our ‘new normal’. In recognition of this, STAR have been supporting our Partners and Clients since the beginning of lockdown to help local businesses through this unprecedented situation. We are launching our 10 point plan now to provide further assistance throughout the continuation of lockdown, and to support residents with special educational needs and disabilities
A new hub dedicated to helping Stockport’s residents with special educational needs and disabilities has been launched by Stockport Council – SEND
With education settings being affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) may be facing additional challenges. As a result, the council has launched its new SEND Hub to offer support and advice to families.
The team of officers making up the hub, which will offer support from birth to 25 years old, will provide a central point of contact so families can discuss any concerns they may have about their child.
Once residents have shared their concerns, the SEND Hub team will work with them to provide support or signpost them to the best support options, guidance and available information.
Stockport students thank the NHS
Students at Stockport Grammar School (SGS) have been busy taking part in a variety of fundraising activities including collecting donations, raising money and designing PPE equipment. Kirsty Franklin, a former SGS teacher who is now a midwife, collected a donation of toiletries from the school for staff at Stepping Hill Hospital. As well as donating toiletries, the school in Stockport, Greater Manchester, has contributed PPE equipment, including goggles and face visors to local hospitals and care homes to help combat the current shortage in supply.
Stockport businesses grant funding payments:
Stockport Council have administered a further 34 grants in the past 24 hours bringing the total amount paid to £54,335,000 across 4,720 qualifying businesses and over 86% 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.
EDUCATION:
Preparing for the wider opening of schools from 1 June
A planning guide for primary school leaders to help prepare them to open their schools for more pupils during the coronavirus outbreak.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for schools and other educational settings
Added ‘Preparing for the wider opening of schools from 1 June’ to guidance and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19) in educational settings for staff, parents and carers, pupils and students.
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.
Actions for FE colleges and providers during the coronavirus outbreak
Guidance for further education (FE) providers on maintaining education and skills training, changes to funding arrangements, data collections and assessment updated to provide further information to plan for wider opening, including what to consider and steps to take when planning increased attendance. Other updates include vulnerable young people, safeguarding and mental health support.
Awarding qualifications in summer 2020
Guidance for Heads of Centre, Heads of Department and teachers on objectivity in grading and ranking document 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.
Awarding qualifications in summer 2020
Information for schools, students and parents on how GCSE, AS, A level, vocational and technical qualifications will be graded and awarded in summer 2020.
Guidance for Centres – The awarding of vocational and technical qualifications, and other general qualifications, in summer 2020 added.
Critical workers who can access schools or educational settings
List of critical workers (key workers) who can send their children to school or other educational settings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak updated to reflect that children of critical workers are encouraged to attend school, and to reflect plans for wider opening of schools from 1 June, at the earliest. Updated information defining vulnerable children, in line with existing guidance, for the purpose of continued education.
EMPLOYERS / BUSINESS FINANCE:
Over 1000 jobs promoted to local job seekers at National Careers Service virtual jobs fair
Last week, from Monday 4 May, the National Careers Service held a Virtual Jobs Fair across England and over 1000 jobs were identified and promoted to local job seekers. The fair was held to help address the ongoing impact of the coronavirus on employment across the country, which has seen people lose their jobs and need to explore different opportunities. With face-to-face career service appointments paused and employment support from local centres stopped, there is a gap in ground level careers and employment support at a time when it’s needed most.
OBR updates cost of Government coronavirus policies
In addition to its impact on public health and families’ wellbeing, the spread of the coronavirus and the public health restrictions put in place to limit it will raise the budget deficit and public debt significantly, reflecting both the associated economic disruption and the Government’s economic policy response designed to support incomes and minimise business failures to prevent greater economic damage. The estimated cost of the Chancellor’s policies is £123.2 billion
The tracker found that over 70% of respondents had furloughed staff, with 63% of firms being able to un-furlough staff as restrictions eased, but 36% not being able to. 75% said they could implement social distancing restrictions.
HEALTH & SAFETY:
Coronavirus (COVID-19): charter for safe working practice
A Charter, co-produced by the government and the Home Building Federation, committing signatories to safe working whilst COVID-19 remains prevalent.
PHE publishes a weekly COVID-19 epidemiology surveillance summary.
The report includes data from a variety of different sources: community, primary care, secondary care, virology and mortality surveillance data. Combined these sources show a wider community picture including a breakdown by age, gender, ethnicity and geography which will help plan the national response to the pandemic and assist regional stakeholders in local planning.
70 million face masks for NHS and care workers through new industry deal
More than 70 million face masks will be manufactured in the UK and delivered to frontline health and care workers following an agreement with a global technology company.
HEALTH & WELLBEING:
MHRA guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19)
Added a link to NIBSC announcement on antibody research reagent which is now available for COVID-19 in guidance and information for industry, healthcare professionals and patients covering the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): local death management
Added templates for local authorities to statutory guidance for local authorities in England on Schedule 28 to the Coronavirus Act, which provides powers to support local and national death management.
TRANSPORT:
Multi-billion pound road and railway investment to put nation on path to recovery?
The package will target around 11 million nuisance potholes, enough to tarmac a road stretching a third of the way around the Earth. It will also see smaller improvements completed to upgrade local networks, such as enhancing road safety at key locations, the installation of priority bus lanes, and the creation of projects to help lock in improvements in air quality experienced during lockdown.
Government publishes safer travel guidance for passengers
As with most other departments this week, the Department for Transport announced it to help make the transport network safer. The first is for local authorities on how they should prepare for a dramatic increase in cyclists and pedestrians; the second is for transport providers to ensure they have safer services; and the third is for passengers who are being encouraged to walk, cycle or drive, though there is also advice if public transport is a necessity.
TRAVEL:
Transport Secretary’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 14 May 2020
Describing how the time during lockdown has been used to fix and upgrade road and rail infrastructure, including plans to help the economy bounce back.
Attestation forms for travel to and within France
Updated rules following French government announcements to information for UK nationals about which attestation form to use when travelling to and within France during the coronavirus (COVID-19) decree.
National Express set to restart UK journeys from July
Public transport company National Express Group has confirmed plans to restart UK journeys from July. In a brief trading update this morning, the group has said it has started selling tickets for journeys in a core coach network from July 1. The Birmingham-headquartered firm reported a 50 per cent revenue decrease for April compared with the same period in 2019.
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
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