UK STATISTICS
Total UK Cases: 6,978,126 positive tests
Latest UK daily figure: 37,011 new cases
Number in UK hospital: 7,541, 70 fewer than on previous day
New deaths across UK: 68
Total UK deaths: 133,299
England Cases per 100,000: 292
R number in UK: 1.0 to 1.1
Vaccine data:
Total 1st doses given: 48,245,337 – nearly 88.8% of UK adults
Total 2nd doses: 43,378,193 – 79.8% of UK adults
Daily 1st doses: 44,088
Daily 2nd doses: 113,385
There have been more than 6.9 million confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK and more than 133,000 people have died, government figures show.
However, these figures include only people who have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus.
Nearly 89% of people aged 16 and over in the UK have now had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine and almost 80% have had their second.
Latest Stockport data:
Total Stockport cases: 34,631 to 2 September
Cases in the latest week: 1005, 33 fewer than previous week
Total deaths: 747 to August 20th
Cases per 100,000: 342 per 100,000 week ending 29 August
R number in North West: 0.9 – 1.1
Stockport vaccine data:
1st dose: 85% of adults to 1 September
2nd dose: 79%
The R value and growth rate
The latest reproduction number (R) and growth rate of coronavirus (COVID-19) – the R range for England is 1.0 to 1.1 and the growth rate range for England is 0% to +2% per day as of 27 August 2021.
Slides, datasets and transcripts to accompany coronavirus press conferences
Updated with slides to accompany coronavirus press conferences
UK NEWS UPDATES:
Letter from UK health ministers to UK CMOs on COVID-19 vaccination of 12 to 15 year olds
Letter from the health ministers of the 4 UK nations asking the UK’s chief medical officers to advise on the vaccination of young people aged 12 to 15.
Britain records 37,011 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday
Britain recorded 37,011 new daily COVID-19 cases on Sunday, similar to the previous day’s total of 37,578, government statistics showed.
Vaccine passports to start in England this month
Vaccine passports in nightclubs and other indoor venues in England will be required at the end of this month, the vaccines minister has confirmed.
Why has Australia switched tack on Covid zero?
With vaccinations accelerating, he says Australians will soon “live with the virus” for the first time – that is, not try to eliminate it.
Coronavirus cases, deaths, vaccinations by country
The US, India and Brazil have seen the highest number of confirmed cases, followed by the UK, Russia and France.
REGIONAL & LOCAL NEWS:
Home survey data reveals Stockport as UK’s fastest growing property market
Stockport has been revealed as the UK’s fastest growing property market according to records of RICS home surveys collated by digital conveyancing platform, Property Inspect.
Greater Manchester employers invited to mental health at work webinar
Employers from across the city-region are being invited to take part in a series of webinars aimed at promoting mental health in Greater Manchester.
SECTOR SPECIFIC CORONAVIRUS-RELATED NEWS:
AGRICULTURE:
UK food and drink sales down by £2 billion
Sales of UK food and drink to non-EU countries were up 13%, accounting for 46.6% (£4.3 billion) of all UK food and drink exports in the first half of 2021.
Coming to the UK for seasonal agricultural work on English farms
Advice for seasonal agricultural workers coming to England to pick fruit and vegetables on farms, and their employers.
BUSINESS:
Contactless card limit to rise to £100 in October
The spending limit on each use of a contactless card is to rise from £45 to £100 from 15 October, banks have revealed. The maximum amount was increased from £30 to its current level at the start of the pandemic and plans to raise it further were announced in the Budget. Nearly two-thirds of all debit card transactions are made via the tap-and-go technology. But academics have warned that raising the limit could increase crime. Contactless payments dominated as lockdowns eased
Claim for wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Claim for some of your employee’s wages if you have put them on furlough or flexible furlough because of coronavirus (COVID-19) – info updated in section ‘When the government ends the scheme’.
CARE:
Care home diary reveals lockdown isolation
“I now have to get used to being alone all day, no-one to talk to.”
Those are the words of 94-year-old Bob Skinner, who has kept a diary of life at a care home during the pandemic. The diary – which has been turned into a book – tells of the isolation felt by a “forgotten army” as they were forced to shield from the world, with visits banned. Mr Skinner also revealed how he needed hospital treatment after catching Covid – but lived to tell the tale. “I was unlucky – I thought it was coming because I had a cold, I really felt very ill,” he said. “I was in hospital for three weeks, I didn’t think I was coming back, but I made it back.”
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.
COVID-19: infection prevention and control (IPC)
Guidance on infection prevention and control for COVID-19. Sustained community transmission is occurring across the UK.
CONSTRUCTION:
Huge jump in Barratt profits thanks to red hot homes market and post-Covid bounce-back
Barratt Developments said huge growth in the market and growing margins contributed to a 66 per cent jump in profits.
Labour shortages could last for next two years
CBI Director-General Tony Danker called on government to to get a grip on the situation as shortages hit construction and all other industries.
Surge in demand sees JCB “sold out until next year”
JCB said most of its products are now sold out until next year as demand hits historic highs. The machinery giant is recruiting another 100 new welders for its Staffordshire factories in a bid to keep up with orders. So far this year JCB has recruited 1,350 new shop floor employees and handed permanent contracts to 1,000 agency employees. The firm said “demand for JCB machines has reached historic highs with most products now sold out until next year”.
“Strong growth” for Eurocell as revenues beat pre-pandemic figures
A UK plastics manufacturer has announced that its revenues over the past six months have been nearly 25 per cent higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Eurocell, which manufactures and provides UPVC products such as windows and doors, reported revenues of £168.1m in the first half of the year, rising by 86 per cent on the first half of 2020 and 23 per cent above 2019. Its profits have also grown, with first half results of £14.2m, 37 per cent higher than 2019’s £10.4m. The company said that the results were driven by its commercial strategies, as well as heightened levels of demand.
EDUCATION:
How to access school-led webinars on remote education to help share good practice.
How are pupils being kept Covid-safe?
Pupils are returning to school across the UK – with new measures in place to prevent large numbers being sent home because of Covid.
Schools aren’t infection hubs, says public health boss
Dr Yvonne Doyle said she understood parents’ nervousness about schools returning after the summer in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
HEALTH & WELLBEING:
Confirmed cases of COVID-19 variants identified in UK
Latest updates on SARS-CoV-2 variants detected in UK.
COVID-19 vaccination: blood clotting information for healthcare professionals
Information for healthcare professionals on blood clotting following COVID-19 vaccination.
COVID-19 vaccine surveillance report published
National coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine surveillance report, including estimated number of hospitalisations and deaths prevented.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, UK: 3 September 2021
Estimates for England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. This survey is being delivered in partnership with University of Oxford, University of Manchester, Public Health England, and Wellcome Trust.
COVID-19 vaccine surveillance reports
Data on the real-world effectiveness and impact of the COVID-19 vaccines.
LOCAL AUTHORITY:
Local government income compensation scheme for lost sales, fees and charges
Guidance for local authorities on how to access the local government income compensation scheme for lost sales, fees and charges as a result of COVID-19.
LOGISTICS
Government ‘floating’ idea of allowing more EU HGV drivers to work here again, in bid to tackle mass shortages
The Government is apparently considering making it easier for EU lorry drivers to work in the UK again, in a bid to tackle the HGV driver crisis.
PROPERTY:
Council launches own lettings agency to help people with low incomes into homes
A council has launched it own publicly funded lettings agency and wants private landlords to sign up. The ‘Your Choice’ lettings agency, run by South Ayrshire council, claims to be different from conventional agencies. “Our focus is to help those on low incomes or people who have experienced homelessness. This fits in with our wider programme to reduce and alleviate homelessness where possible, as part of our Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan. It’s not easy for everyone to find a quality home, your income and background often determine the kind of housing you end up with” says a statement from the agency.
RETAIL:
2,000 shops shut their doors across the North in first half of the year
In the North West 982 shops closed compared to 421 openings and in Yorkshire & Humber there was a total of 738 store closures with 304 new openings in the region.
Boots to open 30 new beauty halls as it invests in local high streets
Boots is set to launch 30 new beauty halls across the country as it continues to expand and enhance its beauty offering. The launch forms part of the health and beauty retailer’s multi-format store strategy that aims to provide customers with greater access to leading beauty brands. The 30 new beauty halls are smaller versions of the reinvented beauty halls that can be found in 60 Boots flagship stores such as Covent Garden in London and The Trafford Centre in Manchester.
Has Covid affected the future of the grocery sector forever?
Over the last year, the retail sector has scurried to implement hygiene measures while boosting its online capabilities thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. Covid-19 has brought unprecedented demand for supermarket chains, particularly creating a transformational effect in how Brits buy and consume food. Grocers have dealt with stockpiling from panic buyers since the beginning of the pandemic – this was witnessed over a three-day period in mid-March last year. As a result of the pandemic, grocers have seen consumers eat more at home due to changing food habits. If any sector has experienced a form of success during the pandemic, it has undoubtedly been the grocery sector. Supermarkets have had to adapt and change more in the last year than at any other time in the last decade. Read the full article at Retail Gazette
TRANSPORT:
Food price rise fear over shortage of HGV drivers
The national shortage of lorry drivers could lead to a rise in food prices, wholesalers have warned. Darren Labbett, managing director of Woods Foodservice, told the BBC that his industry was facing a “perfect storm” of adverse effects. “We’ve got the Brexit situation and the after-effects of the pandemic coming together at the same time,” he added. Mr Labbett said the cost of vegetable oil was at a 30-year high because of higher shipping costs and demand. “As we came out of lockdown, the demand for everything went through the roof overnight,” he said.
Mr Labbett added that wholesalers were “trying our utmost” to absorb the extra costs instead of passing them on, “but we can’t absorb those price increases forever”.
TRAVEL:
Governemnt report shows extent of amber list rule breaking
Nearly a quarter of UK arrivals from amber list countries broke quarantine rules, government figures show. The Office for National Statistics found 23% either did not quarantine at home for 10 days or failed to complete PCR tests on days two and eight. One in six admitted contacting other people during quarantine, with 62% of these leaving their homes to meet people and 45% having visitors. The Daily Telegraph said four in 10 were unsure about quarantine rules and 15% mistakenly thought they were permitted to go shopping. The ONS survey was based on more than 800 unvaccinated adults arriving in the UK in July from amber destinations.
International bus or coach services and tours: vehicle documents
Check which vehicle documents you need to carry if you drive a bus or coach across international borders – from 28 September 2021, you’ll need a UK sticker instead of a GB sticker on your vehicle to drive abroad.
CORONAVIRUS GRANTS FOR BUSINESSES IN STOCKPORT:
Discretionary Grants summary:
As at 29/07/2021
- Received: 2,911
- Processed: 2,911 (100%)
- Grants Funding Issued: £10,843,331
Restart Grants summary:
Grant allocation: £14,652,603
Number of businesses eligible: 1,845
Number received a grant: 1,799
Total value of payments made: £12,823,488
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.