!! Important update: Additional Restrictions Grant Discretionary grant scheme
Applications are now closed: Funds for the Additional Restrictions Grant Discretionary grant scheme have been allocated and applications for the scheme are now closed
UK NEWS UPDATES:
Self-isolation law could be scrapped in England this month
All remaining Covid restrictions in England – including the legal rule to self-isolate – could end later this month, Boris Johnson has said. Under the current rules, anyone who tests positive must self-isolate for at least five full days. The current restrictions are due to expire on 24 March. But Mr Johnson told MPs he expected the last domestic rules would end early as long as the positive trends in the data continued.
He said he intended to return after parliamentary recess – which runs from Thursday to 21 February – to outline the government’s strategy for living with Covid.
REGIONAL & LOCAL NEWS:
Gove: “the Nortth is where the action is”
The secretary of state reiterated his promise to give more powers to local leaders in a bid to speed up the government’s sluggish levelling up agenda. “We simply can’t allow the gulf between rich and poor, and North and South to grow,” Michael Gove told a room of political and business leaders. Gove was speaking at the Convention of the North at The Spine in Liverpool, where figures from across the North gathered to discuss the region’s future following the publication of the government’s Levelling Up White Paper last week. On a day of enthusiastic speeches from Northern stakeholders around the ambitions they have for their areas, Gove acknowledged that the North would act as the crucible for levelling up over the next decade.
“This is where the political action will be for the next nine years and beyond,” he said. “Wherever you stand on the political spectrum, or whatever your background, [levelling up the North] has to be the central economic, social and moral mission.”
Ten half-term vaccination clinics across Stockport
Ten more pop up COVID-19 vaccination clinics will be open across Stockport this February half-term from Monday, 14 February, to Friday, 18 February. There will be a choice of two clinics each day. It’s an ideal time for those who are 12-17 years of age to get their vaccination whilst school and college are out.
One in six North West retailers cancel contracts over ethical and sustainable concerns
A new report has suggested around one in six (15%) of retailers in the North West have cancelled contracts with suppliers across the last 12 months who don’t meet stringent ethical and sustainable standards. Barclays Corporate Banking’s ‘Reshaping retail: how ethics and sustainability are changing retail’s ecosystem’ concludes that the pandemic and an increasing focus on Environment, Sustainability and Governance (ESG) are shifting business priorities. In a study of more than 300 retail decision makers, 53% in the Northwest say sustainability is more important now than it was two years ago and 53% say the same about ethical standards.
Food & Drink entrepreneurs offered Recipe4Success with return of support scheme
Ambitious Stockport food and drink producers that are keen to grow their brand can access expert support from the return of the Recipe4Success programme from GC Business Growth Hub. The scheme first launched in 2015 to help small food and drink producers across Greater Manchester raise the profile of their businesses and has seen brands get their products stocked in stores, from independent retailers to national chains such as Selfridges. Recipe4Success is open to start-ups, entrepreneurs and small businesses who are in their first three years of trading and based in Greater Manchester; the next programme starts on March 22nd.
Welcome Back Fund supports pop-up Woodland Park in Merseyway
A woodland themed pop-up park has opened at Merseyway in Stockport thanks to government funding to welcome shoppers back to high streets following the Covid-19 pandemic. Officially opened by Stockport Council Leader, Cllr Elise Wilson, ‘Merseywood’ forms part of Stockport Council’s programme of activities to support recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact on the town centre and district centres across the borough. The scheme has been funded as part of the Government’s Welcome Back Fund, which is supported by the European Regional Development Fund. The temporary woodland pop-up park has been created by award-winning City Dressing, in partnership with Easy Peel, a community design studio and woodwork specialists based at The Merseyway Workshop. Merseywood has been built using a range of sustainable materials including wood from local trees felled in Mersey Square back in 2020.
SECTOR SPECIFIC CORONAVIRUS-RELATED NEWS:
BUSINESS:
COVID-19 rapid lateral flow test kit instructions: SureScreen
How to do a SureScreen rapid nose-only test for COVID-19 and report the results. This test is usually for people without symptoms of COVID-19.
CARE:
Monthly statistics for adult social care (England)
Experimental statistics on a range of topics including infection control measures, COVID-19 vaccinations, flu vaccinations and testing for COVID-19 in adult social care settings.
COMMUNITY:
EDUCATION:
Letter to heads about the release of Advance Information
A letter from Chief Regulator Jo Saxton after Advance Information for GCSE, AS and A level exams was released on 7 February.
PROPERTY:
Asking prices show no sign of levelling-up
Average asking prices in Britain have risen by 53 per cent over the past 10 years according to Rightmove. They have risen from £222,989 to £341,019, with significant differences by region. And broadly speaking the most expensive regions have performed most strongly – flying in the face of the new Levelling Up agenda.
SPORT:
GOV & BBC UK daily coronavirus data:
There have been 18 million confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK and almost 160,000 people have died, government figures show. Over 52 million people have now received a first dose of the vaccine, 91% of people in the UK aged 12 and over. More than 48 million, 85% have had their second and more than 37 million, 65% have had a booster.
*Government case figures now include people in England and Northern Ireland who have tested positive for a second time – after at least a 90-day gap – rather than just first infections.
Total UK Cases: 18,000,119 positive tests
Latest UK daily figure: 68,214 new cases
Number in UK hospital: 13,545 (277 more than on previous day)
New deaths across UK: 276
Total UK deaths: 158,953
England Cases per 100,000: 850
R number in UK: 0.8-1.1
Vaccine data:
Total 1st doses given: 52,458,207 – 91% of UK aged 12+
Total 2nd doses: 84%
Daily 1st doses: 10,804
Daily 2nd doses: 24,721
Daily Booster doses: 31,720
The R value and growth rate
The latest reproduction number (R) and growth rate of coronavirus (COVID-19).
The R range for England is 0.8 to 1.1; the growth rate for England is -3% to +1% per day as of 4 February
Latest Stockport coronavirus data:
Despite a drop in Covid rates over the past fortnight, the fall has begun to level off and we are still seeing very high rates in Stockport, which are currently at 797.5* per 100,000 or around 334.3 per day. See the latest published data online.
Total Stockport cases: 88,836 to 8 February
Cases in the latest week: 1,931 (673 less compared with previous week)
Total deaths: 838 to January 28th
Cases per 100,000: 656 per 100,000 (30 Jan to 5 Feb)
Stockport vaccine data:
1st dose: 86% of over 12s to 3 February
2nd dose: 81%
3rd / booster dose: 65%
Covid-19 Webinars:
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:
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.
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