1st October – Coronavirus News Updates

UK STATISTICS

Total UK Cases: 7,807,036 positive tests
Latest UK daily figure: 36,480 new cases
Number in UK hospital: 6,853
New deaths across UK: 137
Total UK deaths: 136,662
England Cases per 100,000: 333.9
R number in UK: 0.8 to 1.0

Vaccine data:

Total 1^st doses given: 48,829,118 – 89.8% of UK aged 16+
Total 2^nd doses: 44,867,373 – 82.5%
Daily 1^st doses: 31,539
Daily 2nd doses: 34,093

Latest Cheshire East data:

Total Cheshire East cases: 41,096
New cases in past 7 days: 1,844 to 27 Sep
Total deaths: 845
Cases per 100,000: 476.9
R number in North West: 0.8 to 1.0

Coronavirus cases in the UK: daily updated statistics
The latest number of coronavirus (COVID-19) tests, cases and deaths in the UK. The way deaths are reported is based on a 28-day limit between the date of a positive lab-confirmed test and date of death.

Slides, datasets and transcripts to accompany coronavirus press conferences
Slides, datasets and transcripts from press conferences at 10 Downing Street in response to coronavirus

COVID-19: background information
Information on COVID-19 including epidemiology, virology and clinical features – updated with latest global case numbers.

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.

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.

Calls to accelerate regeneration as M&S plans to close Macclesfield town centre store
Marks and Spencer recently announced it would close the town centre store in Winter 2022/23, ahead of the opening of an out-of-town food outlet at Barracks Mill, prompting calls from Macclesfield MP David Rutley for the council to accelerate its £5 million regeneration plans for the town centre.

Norwegian becomes latest airline to resume Manchester flights
Norwegian will initially operate a twice weekly service on Mondays and Fridays to Oslo, with the first service taking off on 1st October.

Marketing WAM and Bellway partner to champion region’s business success
Share your success stories from the last 18 months and let’s celebrate businesses that have survived and thrived in the Wilmslow, Alderley Edge and Macclesfield area.

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.

Useful Links:

Coronavirus Roadmap out of lockdown – what and when?

From 29 March:

People will be allowed to meet outside, either with one other household or within the “rule of six”, including in private gardens
The stay at home rule will end, but the government will urge people to stay local as much as possible
Outdoor sport facilities will reopen, including golf courses and tennis and basketball courts, and formally organised outdoor sports can restart
Weddings attended by up to six people can take place in any circumstances

Stage two (no earlier than 12 April):

All shops allowed to open, along with close-contact services, including hairdressers and beauty salons (including in people’s homes)
Restaurants and pubs allowed to serve food and alcohol to customers sitting outdoors Gyms and spas can reopen, as can zoos, theme parks, libraries and community centres
Members of the same household can take a holiday in the UK in self-contained accommodation
Weddings attended by up to 15 people can take place

Stage three (no earlier than 17 May):

People can meet in groups of up to 30 outdoors
Six people or two households can meet indoors
Pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues can seat customers indoors
Up to 30 people can attend weddings or other life events, like christenings
Remaining outdoor entertainment, such as outdoor theatres and cinemas can open
Indoor entertainment such as museums, theatres, cinemas and children’s play areas can open
Performances and large events can restart, but with limits on audience numbers
Hotels, hostels and B&Bs can reopen
International leisure travel may resume
Adult indoor group sports and exercise classes can restart

Stage four (expected 19th July):

All legal limits on social contact will be removed
No legal limits on the number of people who can attend weddings, funerals and other life events
Nightclubs will be allowed to reopen

Publishing information about your claimsIn January HMRC published the list of employers who claimed under the CJRS for periods from December onwards, on GOV.UK.

Repayment period for Bounce Back Loans extended to ten yearsBusinesses 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.

COVID-19 Winter Plan
The government’s plan for managing COVID-19 through the end of 2020 and into the start of 2021.

Government extends JRS furlough scheme at 80% for period of lockdown
The government has said the furlough scheme, due to have closed on 31^st October, would now be extended until December.

Check if your employer can use the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Check which employees you can put on furlough to use the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Calculate how much you can claim using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Steps to take before calculating your claim using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Check if you can claim for your employees’ wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

New National Restrictions from 5 November
Information on the new national restrictions, including what they mean for working from home and business closures, why they are being introduced and the financial support available.

Job Retention Bonus (JRB)
Employers are able to claim a one-off payment of £1,000 for every eligible employee furloughed and claimed for through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), kept continuously employed until at least 31 January 2021 and who meets the other eligibility criteria. Claims can be made between 15 February and 31 March.

Become a Green Homes Grant Supplier II – Trustmark and PAS 2030The new Green Homes Grant will give over 600,000 homeowners in England up to £10,000 to install insulation, heat pumps, draft proofing and more to help households cut energy bills.

Check if you’re eligible for the coronavirus Local Restrictions Support Grant
The Local Restrictions Support Grant (LRSG) supports businesses that have been required to close due to temporary COVID-19 local lockdown restrictions imposed by the government.

Self-Employment Income Support Scheme grant extension
The grant is being extended from 1 November 2020. Find out if you’re eligible and how much you can get.

Hospitality venues in England are now legally required to enforce the rule of 6 or face a fine of up to £4,000.
Designated businesses and organisations, including hospitality, close contact services and leisure venues, will also be legally required to log details of customers, visitors and staff for NHS Test and Trace and required to display official NHS QR code posters under law

NHS Test and Trace service in the workplace
Guidance on the NHS Test and Trace service for employers, businesses and workers updated to reflect the new legal requirements for designated venues to collect contact details and display official NHS QR code posters from 24^th September

Claim money back through the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme
Find out how to claim the reimbursement for discounts given to diners with the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme. The Eat Out to Help Out Scheme closed on 31 August 2020 – the page updated with removal of registration links.

Kickstart Scheme
The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to employers to create job placements for 16 to 24 year olds.

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.

Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do
Frequently asked questions on what you can and can’t do during the coronavirus outbreak – guidance updated in line with new regulations coming into force on 4 July

Business Survey:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dcms-coronavirus-impact-business-survey/dcms-business-survey-headline-measures

Apply for the coronavirus Future Fund
The Future Fund will provide UK Government loans to UK-based companies ranging from £125,000 to £5 million, subject to at least equal match funding from private investors.

Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme set to launch
Employers will be able to make claims through the Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme from 26 May.

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 – 11^th 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.

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

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 – 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

Cheshire and Warrington Growth Hub