UK STATISTICS
Total UK Cases: 7,771,294 positive tests
Latest UK daily figure: 36,722 new cases
Number in UK hospital: 6,976, 31 fewer than on previous day
New deaths across UK: 150
Total UK deaths: 136,525
England Cases per 100,000: 324
R number in UK: 0.8 to 1.0
Vaccine data:
Total 1st doses given: 48,797,579 – 90% of UK aged 16+
Total 2nd doses: 44,833,280 – 82%
Daily 1st doses: 31,853
Daily 2nd doses: 33,532
There have been more than 7.7 million confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK and over 136,000 people have died, government figures show. Over 93m vaccine doses have been received across the UK. 90% of people aged 16 and over have now had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine and over 44 million, 82% aged 16 and over have had their second.
Latest Stockport data:
Total Stockport cases: 39,440 to 29 September
Cases in the latest week: 1,452, 372 more than previous week
Total deaths: 755 to September 17th
Cases per 100,000: 494 per 100,000 week ending 25 September
R number in North West: 0.8 – 1.0
Stockport vaccine data:
1st dose: 85% of over 16s to 23 September
2nd dose: 80%
The R value and growth rate
The latest R number estimate for England is 0.8 to 1.0, while for Scotland it is 0.8 to 1.1, for Wales it is 0.8 to 1.0 and for Northern Ireland it is 0.7 to 0.9.
Slides, datasets and transcripts to accompany coronavirus press conferences
Updated with slides to accompany coronavirus press conferences
UK NEWS UPDATES:
Furlough scheme ends as businesses call for further support
Furlough was introduced during the first lockdown, it helped pay 11.6 million wages after coronavirus restrictions meant large parts of the economy closed but now, after 18 months, the UK’s furlough scheme is ending. Furlough – or the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme as it’s officially known – was brought in by the government to pay 80% of wages, with a monthly limit of £2,500. That dropped to 60% with employers making up the rest as it started winding down for its closing date today. Chancellor Rishi Sunak says he’s “immensely proud” of the multibillion-pound scheme – which is still supporting 1.6 million workers, according to latest figures. It’s been widely praised for protecting millions of jobs but some firms say they still need support because business hasn’t returned to normal.
UK lockdown rebound stronger than first thought
The economic rebound triggered by the easing of Covid restrictions during spring was stronger than initial estimates, official figures show. From April to June the UK’s economy grew by 5.5%, which was higher than the previous estimate of 4.8%, the Office for National Statistics said. Spending on retail and hospitality surged after lockdowns lifted. However, the UK economy was still 3.3% smaller than in the final quarter of 2019, before the pandemic hit. Household spending was the biggest contributor to the economic boost, which came after restrictions eased to allow outdoor dining in April. Health services and the arts also performed better than the ONS had thought at first.
Face-to-face GP consultation levels still near lockdown levels
The rate of face-to-face GP consultations in England has changed little since the winter lockdown, data shows. Just 58% patients were seen face-to-face in August – the first full month following the ending of restrictions. That compares with 54% in January and over 80% before the pandemic. Analysis of the NHS Digital data by the BBC also shows significant variation with some areas seeing less than half in-person, but others close to 75%. GPs said rising demand and shortages of staff meant they were struggling to see more people face-to-face.
Virgin Money to close 30 stores
Virgin Money is to close 20% of its store network as it responds to the long-term shift in customers choosing to bank online. 112 jobs will be lost, although the group says it intends to “find alternative roles wherever possible” for affected staff. It will close 30 stores early next year at a cost of £25m as it accelerates its digital strategy, leaving it with 131 branches nationwide.
Nationwide: Rapid house prie growth continues in September
Annual house price growth of 10% or more has been recorded for each of the past five months, according to data from the Nationwide. The UK’s largest building society said that prices in September were up 10% compared with a year earlier, a slight slowdown from 11% in August. The double-digit rise was driven by recent activity in Wales and Northern Ireland, the lender said, with London still seeing the slowest growth. The typical home now costs £248,742.
£500m in new grants to help poorest households
The government has announced £500m of grants to help families struggling with the cost of living as other support schemes are withdrawn. The move comes as rising prices, including spiralling energy bills, are making it harder for those on low incomes to make ends meet. The end of furlough and the £20 weekly top-up to universal credit will also remove support provided during Covid. The new fund will help households pay for essentials like food and bills. Local councils in England will distribute small grants to support millions of households, the government said.
The cash will be made available in October. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will receive up to £79m of the £500m.
Weekly statistics for NHS Test and Trace (England): 16 September to 22 September 2021
Experimental statistics on NHS Test and Trace since its launch on 28 May 2020. Includes reports on NHS Test and Trace (people tested and contact tracing) and rapid (lateral flow device) testing for people without symptoms.
REGIONAL & LOCAL NEWS:
North-west hospitality sector bounces back
The North West’s hospitality and leisure industry is bouncing back with some of the region’s leaders feeling optimistic of its recovery and employment opportunities. Sacha Lord and Thom Hetherington have both been encouraged by rumours from Westminster safeguarding hospitality pay and benefits, while championing the government’s soon-to-end Kickstart scheme as a means of identifying and securing much-needed new talent for the sector. They believe with the right wage and employment terms, there is huge opportunities for fresh new talent into the sector.
Stockport motorists among nation’s top adopters of electric vehicles
Drivers in Stockport are among some of the keenest adopters of electric vehicles, new research has found, with the number of electric vehicles on the borough’s roads over six times the national average. Research from car insurance experts at money.co.uk has found that fully electric vehicles represent 10.06% of the total cars in the borough, with only Slough in Berkshire (11.98%) having a greater percentage of zero-emissions vehicles on its roads. Stockport was the only local authority area in the North of England to make money.co.uk’s top 10, with Peterborough and Renfrewshire the only other districts outside of South East England. Despite over 10% of Stockport cars being electric powered, electric vehicles represent just 1.5% of all cars on the road in the UK as a whole, with adoption in some areas including parts of Northern Ireland and the South Wales Valleys between 0.2% and 0.3%.
Weekend and evening Covid vaccine appointments open in Stockport
Stockport residents can now get their Covid-19 vaccination at more convenient times, thanks to weekend and evening appointments now available from a vaccine clinic at Trinity Methodist Church, 351 Bramhall Lane, SK3 8TP.
The clinic, operated by Scorah Chemist is open this week from 8am Thursday 30 September to Sunday 3rd October. Appointments are on offer from 8am to 6pm, Thursday to Saturday, and 8am to 2pm on Sunday. A walk-in session will take place from 2pm to 4pm on Sunday. These clinics are designed to accommodate people with busy lifestyles, and the introduction of booked appointments will now also help to limit the need to wait. Now, 16-17 year olds can also join the millions of others who have booked their jabs on the NHS National Booking Service. Or, people can book by simply calling 119 from any phone; translators are available on the telephone service if required.
Virtual careers week explains post-16 options for Stockport’s young people
Young people in Stockport will have the opportunity to learn about post-16 further education, training and career opportunities with the region’s top employers during a week of careers events. Stockport Jobs Match’s Post-16 Careers Week is a virtual exhibition taking place from 11th to 15th October for young people aged 14-19+ in the borough. www.stockport-jobsmatch.co.uk
Marketing Stockport and One+All partner to host Planet Mark’s Zero Carbon Tour Join the region’s business leaders to tackle the climate crisis at Stockport’s first Sustainability In Action Summit. One+All, a Certified B Corporation and a leading supplier of schoolwear, has teamed up with Marketing Stockport to summit, part of the Planet Mark’s Zero Carbon Tour, spreading the word about environmental strategies adopted by local businesses, and the net zero carbon message. The summit is free to attend and runs from 8.30am until 1.30pm on 6 October 2021, including lunch and refreshments. Places are limited and can be reserved through Eventbrite
SECTOR SPECIFIC CORONAVIRUS-RELATED NEWS:
BUSINESS:
Measuring the economic output of COVID-19 testing, tracing and vaccinations
An overview of our methodology for measuring the output of COVID-19 testing, tracing and vaccinations in the UK National Accounts, including revisions from previous estimates.
CARE:
Free personal protective equipment (PPE) scheme
The provision of free PPE for all health, social care and public sector workers for COVID-19 infection control, between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2022.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing in adult care homes
How to access test kits and step-by-step guides on how to use PCR and rapid lateral flow test kits for regular and outbreak testing of residents, staff and visiting professionals – changes to policy when there is one case of COVID-19 in a care home. Change to LFT testing frequency. Change to policy when there are 2 or more cases of COVID-19 in a care home. Change to ending outbreak restrictions, when they can be lifted and ongoing testing after this period.
COMMUNITY:
Private providers of coronavirus (COVID-19) testing
Lists of and information about private providers who have self-declared that they meet the government’s minimum standards for the type of commercial COVID-19 testing service they offer.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) rapid lateral flow home test kit instructions for nose-only test: ACON Flowflex
Step-by-step guide on how to do an ACON Flowflex rapid nose-only test for COVID-19 and report the results. Rapid tests are only for people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19.
EDUCATION:
Admission appeals for school places
These guides will help admission authorities advise those involved with school admission appeals to understand their roles and responsibilities – updated ‘changes to school admission appeals due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic’ to reflect that the temporary regulations have been extended until 30 September 2022.
Awarding qualifications in summer 2022
What schools and colleges need to know about the contingency arrangements for awarding VTQs and other general qualifications in summer 2022.
Ofqual’s approach to grading exams and assessments in summer 2022 and autumn 2021
Ofqual’s approach to grading for GCSE, AS and A levels to be fair to students: a transition year in 2022.
Contingency arrangements: GCSE, AS, A level, Project and AEA
Consultation proposals for contingency arrangements for the award of GCSE, AS, A level, Project and AEA qualifications in 2022.
HOSPITALITY:
New Hospitality Council to guide the sector’s recovery
A team of?industry?experts?has been?assembled?to help?England’s?pubs, restaurants and cafes?to thrive. The Hospitality Sector Council?is made up of experts who represent?a cross-section of the sector, to?support?the?delivery of?the?government’s?Hospitality Strategy.?
PROPERTY:
£5m to be spent on self-employed agents
An online operator called Nested is to spend £5m to promote the self-employed estate agency concept in 100 parts of the country – and it says it is gunning to be the number one company in that space. Back in March this year Nested – which had already secured £20m in past funding – announced that it was to receive £5m from the German Axel Springer publishing empire, which also invested in Purplebricks. Nested’s own model formerly offered a ‘guaranteed buy’ of a vendor’s property if it did not sell within a set period for a minimum price, but now the agency has changed direction and is promoting what chief executive Matt Robinson calls “our Modern Estate Agent offering”.
Safeagent opposes grants and loans to clear arrears
Not-for-profit accreditation scheme safeagent wants the government to help tenants clear Covid-related arrears through an overhaul of Discretionary Housing Payments. Enhancing these payments – which can be made to tenants in need by councils – would be the most effective way to support those who are in arrears as a result of the pandemic, it claims. This marks out safeagent from most industry bodies, which have recently united to call on government to institute emergency grants and interest-free loans to help tenants clear pandemic debts to landlords.
Understanding the possession action process: guidance for landlords and tenants
Guidance for landlords and tenants in the private and social rented sectors to explain the possession action process in the county courts in England and Wales.
RETAIL:
Record £976m sales leads to US expansion for Boohoo
Almost £1bn of sales in the first financial half has enabled Boohoo to further its US growth. According to the London stock exchange, Boohoo has doubled its market share in the UK and US over the last two years. Total group sales are up 73 per cent since the first half of the financial year 2020. Boohoo also claims to have increased its addressable market to 500 million potential customers in key markets. Following the growth of the business Boohoo has also committed to opening a new distribution centre in North America in 2023.
Covid-19 Webinars:
Remote education webinars
How to access school-led webinars on remote education to help share good practice – new dates for webinars for teachers added.
Help and support if your business is affected by coronavirus (COVID-19)
Watch videos and register for the free webinars to learn more about the?support available to help you deal with the economic impacts of?coronavirus. The YouTube video for Self-Employment Income Support Scheme – Universal Credit and Child Benefit has been updated.
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.
Brexit Webinars:
Exporting: Actions you need to take now: An overview of the actions you need to take now before you export goods from Great Britain to the EU and move goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Key processes include – staged border controls, zero-rated VAT, customs declaration, using an intermediary as well as licences, certificates, and authorisations. Please register to take part if you’re planning to export.
Trader responsibilities when using an intermediary: You now need to complete import or export declarations to trade goods with the EU. These are complex and a lot of businesses choose to use an intermediary to do these for them. This webinar explains your responsibilities as a trader if you choose to use an intermediary. Please register to take part if you’re planning to import or export.
What are customs import declarations?: If you import goods, you now need to make customs import declarations on controlled goods and all goods by the end of June. This webinar will help you understand what they are in more detail. This includes what is needed for simplified declarations, supplementary declarations, how to make them, and delayed import declarations. Please register to take part if you’re planning to import.
Importing: Staged controls and how to prepare to use them: This webinar will walk you through the three stages of the new border controls introduced on 1?? ?January?? ?2021, and what actions you need to take for each stage. Please register to take part if you’re planning to import.
LATEST LINKS:
Repayment period for Bounce Back Loans extended to ten years
Businesses that took out government Bounce Back loans to help them through the Coronavirus crisis now have more time to repay. Companies will be contacted with options to extend the length of the loan from six to 10 years as part of a new ‘pay-as-you-grow’ initiative. The new proposals give businesses three new options:
1. Extending the length of the loan from six years to 10;
2. Making interest-only payments for six months, then repaying the principal on a phased basis with other interest-only periods;
3. Delaying repayments entirely for up to six months.
Financial support for businesses during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Pay VAT deferred due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
Find out how to pay VAT payments deferred between 20 March and 30 June 2020.
Report an outbreak of Coronavirus in Stockport:
https://www.stockport.gov.uk/coronavirus-in-stockport/report-a-coronavirus-outbreak
Home workers can claim £26 tax relief for job expenses
If you’ve asked your employees to work from home, and you’ve not reimbursed them already, your employees may be entitled to claim tax relief on additional household expenses they’ve incurred, such as heating and lighting.
New hotline launched to report COVID fraudsters
A new hotline has been launched to stop fraudsters illegally targeting COVID stimulus schemes.
If you would like to register your interest in creating one or more Kickstart Job, please complete the Kickstart Employer Enquiry Form and a member of the Council’s Kickstart Team will contact you to explain more.
Kickstart Scheme
The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to employers to create job placements for 16 to 24 year olds.
Kickstart Scheme terms and conditions
Kickstart Scheme terms and conditions for employers and gateways receiving the Kickstart Scheme grant from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Kickstart Scheme employer resources
If you’ve been offered Kickstart Scheme funding, you can use these resources to show your support for the scheme.
Kickstart Scheme employer contacts
List of regional contacts for employers applying for a grant through the Kickstart Scheme.
Apply for a Kickstart Scheme grant: 30 or more job placements
If you are an employer looking to create 30 or more jobs placements for young people, apply for funding as part of the Kickstart Scheme.
Apply for a Kickstart Scheme grant: 29 or less job placements
If you are an employer looking to create 29 or less jobs placements for young people, apply for funding as part of the Kickstart Scheme.
Visit the Stockport Council website to report details of any outbreaks online.
https://www.stockport.gov.uk/coronavirus-in-stockport/report-a-coronavirus-outbreak
Opening times for Stockport Council Coronavirus Helpline
The helpline for vulnerable people across Stockport can now be accessed through new opening times by calling 0161 217 6046:
• Monday – Thursday from 9am to 5pm
• Friday from 9am to 4.30pm
• Saturdays from 10am to 1pm
At busy times, residents are automatically offered a call-back from one of our call handlers.
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.
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
Stockport Council’s FREE job matching website helps 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
Stockport Council – Health & Mental Well-being https://www.stockport.gov.uk/showcase/coronavirus
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.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
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
Business Growth Hub:
www.businessgrowthhub.com/coronavirus https://www.businessgrowthhub.com/coronavirus/resources/2020/03/coronavirus-business-support-webinar-series
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. Health updates:
Health – updates from NHS
https://www.england.nhs.uk/news/
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.
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.