24th April: Coronavirus Latest Update

Latest data:

Testing: 583,496 people have now been tested for the virus

UK Cases: 138,078 133,495 have tested positive, + 4,583 on previous day

Loss of life: In hospital, 18,738 people have died + 638 on previous day

Government Daily Briefing

Thursday 23rd April

The Secretary of State for Health & Social Care Matt Hancock led the briefing in which he detailed the ‘test, track and trace’ programme, including tests for essential workers and their families from Friday, 24^th April and 18,000 people being hired for the trace programme.

Important not to lift measures too soon
On target to test 100,000 per day by end April
Tests available for all essential workers and their families / households
‘Huge enthusiasm’ from 25,000 people taking part in ONS and Oxford University study to understand the spread of the virus
Track & trace – new NHS app being trialled
18,000 being employed for the tracing programme

Slides and datasets to accompany coronavirus press conference: 23 April 2020
Press conference slides and datasets used by Sir Patrick Vallance and Professor John Newton

Wednesday 22nd April

First Secretary of StateDominic Raab led this evening’s briefing:

Social distancing measures are protecting the NHS and saving lives
Lockdown measures remain in place until the five principles have been met
Paid tribute to Captain Tom who has raised over £25m for NHS charities
PPE had arrived from Turkey

Foreign Secretary’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 22 April 2020

Slides and datasets to accompany coronavirus press conference: 22 April 2020
Press conference slides and datasets used by Professor Chris Whitty.

Coronavirus Survey:

To better understand the extent of the COVID-19 impact on business, and inform government what help businesses across Cheshire and Warrington need, Cheshire and Warrington Growth Hub are asking as many of the region’s businesses as possible to complete a short survey. Please take a couple of minutes to do this if you can, to help the Growth Hub and Local Enterprise Partnership understand what support is needed.

Complete the survey

CHARITIES:

BBC BIG Night In raises more than £27million for charities and good causes

The stars of shows such as Doctor Who, The Vicar of Dibley and Miranda have sent messages of thanks and hope on BBC One charity special The Big Night In. More than £27m was donated during the three-hour event, with the government promising to double the total. The show saw Children in Need and Comic Relief join forces for the first time.

Generous donors urged to give safely to registered charities this Ramadan

Regulator offers advice on ensuring charitable contributions reach the intended cause, including when giving online

COMMUNITY:

Support for the bereaved
Information to help bereaved families, friends or next of kin make important decisions.

Continuing to support bereaved families during difficult times
Cheshire East Council are continuing to support bereaved families through their difficult time, taking account of new measures implemented by the government and the new Coronavirus Act.

Dame Louise Casey writes to Local Authority homelessness managers and rough sleeping coordinators
Dame Louise Casey, who is spearheading the government’s response on rough sleeping, thanks those who have worked to support 5400 rough sleepers off the streets in the past month.

CONSTRUCTION:

Taylor Wimpey to re-open sites from May
The first national housebuilder to announce plans to re-mobilise sites following the industry lockdown

Coronavirus update for construction: Friday April 24This short briefing has been prepared on behalf of the UK construction sector to brief companies and individuals on the ongoing repercussions of the Covid-19 crisis for our sector.
Persimmon latest house builder to re-start sites“In the period since 25 March 2020, working closely with our colleagues, sub-contractors and suppliers, we have therefore developed and tested a range of new site protocols to enable work to recommence, while ensuring that the necessary social distancing restrictions are strictly enforced.”

Second major brick maker resumes production
Ibstock Brick has become the latest brick maker to resume production as house builders like Taylor Wimpey, Persimmon and Vistry begin to re-open sites.

EMPLOYERS / BUSINESSES / FINANCE:

HM Treasury announces revision to the UK Debt Management Office’s financing remit 2020-21
The government has announced an unprecedented package of measures to provide the critical support needed by individuals, families and businesses, through the economic disruption caused by COVID-19.

More than 70% of firms surveyed have furloughed staff as Job Retention Scheme goes live
Results from the latest BCC Coronavirus Business Impact Tracker reveal that?the vast majority of?businesses surveyed have furloughed a proportion of their workforce, and are awaiting funds from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme as payday approaches for many.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): business support grant funding – guidance for local authorities
Updated guidance with clarification of whether grants are subject to tax – for local authorities setting out details of the Small Business Grants Fund (SBGF) and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grant Fund (RHLGF).

Banks have agreed less than half of applications made under the government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).
While £2.8bn of loans have been agreed compared with the £1.1bn approved up to last week, banks are wading through a large backlog. Only 16,624 applications have been approved out of 36,000. Many small firms have told the BBC they require quick access to cash in order to survive.

£2.8 billion provided to SMEs through Coronavirus lending scheme
The banking and finance sector has provided over £2.8billion of lending to SMEs so far through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), as part of a broad package of support for UK businesses, according to the latest data¹ published by UK Finance.

Total lending under CBILS has doubled in the week from 14 April to 21 April, with an increase of £1.45 billion. Over 9,000 loans have been provided in the same period, with the total number approved increasing by almost 120 per cent to over 16,600.

Economic Indicators:

IBISWorld has further downgraded Real GDP growth for FY2020. Although it is expected that GDP will make a strong recovery across the year, GDP is falling faster rate than the financial crisis.

The business rates holiday will result in ?14bn reduction in tax receipts. This will result in increases in government borrowing and an increase to long-term public sector net debt.

Although there is no government data yet for unemployment in March/April 2020, IBISWorld predicts that unemployment rates could rise to as high as 10% in a worst-case scenario. Recovery however is expected to be fast barring any exogeneous shocks.

How HMRC works out total income and trading profits for the Self-employment Income Support Scheme
HMRC will assess your eligibility for the grant based on your total income and trading profits and will use the figures on your tax returns for your total trading income (turnover), then deduct any allowable business expenses and capital expenditure.

Reminder – Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Employers can claim online for a grant for 80% of their furloughed employees’ salaries, up to a maximum of £2,500 per employee per month.More than 285,000 businesses have already applied for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme since it went live on Monday 20 April.

You will need to complete an application online; it will take approximately 6 working days from making an application to receive the money. Please keep a note or print-out of your claim reference number as you won’t receive a confirmation SMS or email. HMRC have produced this step by step guidance on how to make a claim. There is also a calculator to help you work out your claim. A guide is also available to view on YouTube

Webinars and videos from HMRC are now available, advising businesses on how to deal with the economic impacts of coronavirus, and how to access support.

ACAS runs a series of webinars on employment law and employment relations

Covid-19 Business Grant Funding Documentation

EDUCATION:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): financial support for education, early years and children’s social care
Updated funding and financial support available for education, childcare and children’s social care organisations to align with updated HMT/HMRC guidance.

Four tips for a smooth home learning routine

Everyone is adapting to an unusual situation and some parents are feeling the pressure to replicate school behaviour systems. When supporting your child’s behaviour, and their social and emotional needs, there are a few key principles that should help

The Children’s Commissioner has published guidance on how to tackle the disadvantage gap between children, which is likely to be exacerbated by school closures.

The briefing sets out how schools can be supported to improve access to meaningful educational opportunities for disadvantaged children.

Ofqual consultation on awarding vocational and technical qualifications in summer 2020
We’re seeking views on the exceptional arrangements we have set out for awarding vocational and technical qualifications, and general qualifications (other than GCSEs, AS and A levels).

Coronavirus: emergency grant funding needed to support vulnerable adult learners
Council-run adult education providers should be eligible for urgent grant funding in the same way schools and colleges are in order to scale up the number of courses they deliver remotely, the LGA says.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for schools and other educational settings
Guidance and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19) in educational settings for staff, parents and carers, pupils and students, managing premises through Covid-19

Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for schools and other educational settings
Added guidance for children’s social care services during the coronavirus outbreak to advice for staff in educational settings, parents and carers, pupils and students.

Councils given flexibility with free childcare funding
Councils can move free entitlements funding between settings in exceptional cases to meet demand during Coronavirus outbreak

Digital minister urges parents to follow new guidance to keep children safe online during lockdown
The government has today (Thursday 23 April) published new advice to help people, particularly children, stay safe online during the coronavirus outbreak.

What parents and carers need to know about schools and education during the coronavirus outbreak
Updated sections on closures, transport, vulnerable children, critical workers and resources in information for parents and carers about educational provision for critical workers, school closures, exams, free school meals and home schooling.

EMPLOYMENT:

Adult social care recruitment care campaign launched to boost workforce

A new national adult social care recruitment campaign has been launched to boost the adult social care workforce in England as part of a wider plan to attract more staff into the sector.

Coronavirus: Can my boss make me return to work? And other questions

The government has said that everyone should work from home if possible, and only go into a workplace if their job “absolutely cannot be done from home”.

Your employer has a duty to protect your health and safety. If you or a member of your household have an underlying health condition which increases vulnerability to coronavirus, you could argue that you have a right not to come into work.

If you still do not want to go in, you could ask to take time off as holiday or unexpected leave, but your employer does not have to agree to this.

An employer could bring disciplinary action against an employee who they consider to be refusing to work without a good reason.

Cheshire East Jobs Match

Cheshire East Council has launched a new job matching service to help people, who are temporarily not working, find jobs in key roles where support is needed.

The free job matching service will help to connect employers across Cheshire East who have urgent temporary or permanent vacancies with applicants who are immediately available and in need of employment.

For more information about this, and about financial support during the Covid-19 outbreak, visit the Council website:

cheshireeast.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/council_information/coronavirus/covid-19-and-financial-support.aspx

HEALTH:

Coronavirus testing extended to all essential workers in England who have symptoms
Up to 10 million essential workers in England and members of their households who are showing symptoms of coronavirus will now be able to get tested. All workers deemed essential can register for tests on the government’s website, if they or a family member has symptoms.

Multi-million support for vulnerable children during COVID-19
Extra support to keep children at risk of neglect or abuse safe during the Coronavirus outbreak

Government begins large-scale virus infection and antibody test study

20,000 households in England are being contacted to take part in the first wave of a major new government study to track coronavirus (COVID-19) in the general population.

COVID-19: guidance for health professionals
‘Guidance for taking swab samples’ added to information on COVID-19, including guidance on the assessment and management of suspected UK cases.

MHRA approves COVID-19 vaccine trial in 7 working daysEurope’s first human trial of a Covid-19 vaccine is underway in Oxford. The application to carry out the trail was made on 18 March, and on 26 March the MHRA gave the COVID-19 Oxford Vaccine Trial the green light. The procedures for tailored scientific advice and guidance, and a speedy approval process, are part of MHRA’s pledge to prioritise clinical trial applications submitted for COVID-19.

COVID-19: guidance for health professionals
Added ‘National COVID-19 surveillance reports’ to information on COVID-19, including guidance on the assessment and management of suspected UK cases.

COVID-19: guidance for stepdown of infection control precautions within hospitals and discharging COVID-19 patients from hospital to home settings
Added clarifications of testing capacity and strategy to advice on appropriate infection prevention and control (IPC) precautions for stepdown in hospital or discharge to home or residential settings.

Coronavirus: How to help safely
Across the UK people are playing their part and providing essential support to their friends and family who are in isolation.

Tracking infection and immunity

News of a study aimed at informing the government’s strategy for easing the lockdown. Some 20,000 households are being approached to take part in the pilot phase of a project that will see volunteers provide nose and throat swabs once a week for five weeks and then every month for 12 months.

Britain’s biggest network of diagnostic labs are completed in 5 weeks
Sites in Milton Keynes, Glasgow and Alderley Park in Cheshire are now live and are already testing thousands of patient samples for coronavirus (COVID-19) each day.

The Government has launched a major effort to tackle loneliness and social isolation during the coronavirus outbreak and period of social distancing.
Led by Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden, the plan will aim to ensure that, for people of all ages and backgrounds, staying at home does not need to lead to loneliness.

Diagnostic laboratory sites in Milton Keynes, Glasgow and Alderley Park in Cheshire are now live and are already testing thousands of patient samples for coronavirus each day.
The new mega-labs are staffed by an army of highly qualified staff and volunteers from industry and academia, drawn from across the country.

These groups are working tirelessly to rapidly analyse coronavirus tests for NHS, social care and other frontline workers, allowing those testing negative to safely and quickly return to work.

Mind, Samaritans, Shout, Hospice UK and The Royal Foundation today launch Our Frontline for frontline staff and key workers

The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is formally supporting Our Frontline and helping to ensure that frontline staff and key workers in need of help are aware that the services are available. The Foundation has a long history of raising awareness of the importance of mental health and played a leading role in creating Shout and the Mental Health at Work programme, both of which are key elements of the Our Frontline initiative.

IT & SECURITY:

Banking and mobile industries unite to tackle Covid-19 text message scams

So far 50 bank and government brands have been protected from ‘spoofing’, 172 trusted senders have been registered, and over 400 unauthorised senders have been blocked.

Which? launches new scam alert service as coronavirus creates ‘perfect storm’ for fraud

Which? is launching a free scam alert service to warn consumers about the latest fraud attempts and give advice about how they can protect themselves, as criminals exploit the coronavirus outbreak to unleash a new range of scams.

MANUFACTURING:

Manufacturing PMI has seen the sharpest fall in output since July 2012.
The impact of Coronavirus on manufacturing is somewhat mixed, with some sectors of manufacturing suffering heavily and others performing well, dependent upon key factors such as supply chain.

Some manufacturers are now benefitting from repurposing manufacturing to assist the NHS with production of medical equipment.
Source: Hallidays Business Advisors CF Team/IBISWorld

Jaguar Land Rover and Aston Martin among UK firms planning return

Major names in British car manufacturing, construction and retail have announced plans to return to work in tentative signs that businesses are preparing to kickstart an economy paralysed by the coronavirus pandemic.

MEDIA & MARKETING:

Innovative creatives launch Not Fur Long pro-bono agency
An innovative group of creatives who have been furloughed have set up their own temporary, pro-bono ad agency called Not Fur Long specifically to help SMEs stay alive and thriving. It’s free, no catch and will disappear when the scheme ends

PROPERTY:

Residential – Social distancing and fears surrounding COVID-19 have limited demand.
BoE rate changes may mean that many mortgages will be reevaluated. Mortgage repossessions generally halted by the FCA. Residential house prices were stagnant for March. IBISWorld expects house prices to decline in 2020.

Demand for warehouse space has spiked since the beginning of the pandemic.
This has been driven mainly by supermarkets, online retailers and pharmaceutical third party logistic firms. REITs face a fall in real estate capital values as social distancing has been affecting retail sales and therefor retail property rental values. Office space has been less affected but it is not immune. Working from home has driven integration of technology into businesses which may reduce the demand for office space.

Source: Hallidays Business Advisors CF Team/IBISWorld

RETAIL:

Cath Kidston agrees to hand over pay owed to UK staff in U-turn

Just over 900 people who were made redundant on Tuesday, with immediate effect, were told they would not be paid more than three weeks of salary due on Friday. An email to staff made clear they would also not receive any holiday pay, redundancy pay or compensatory notice settlement because of “the company’s current financial position”.

New measures to protect UK high street from aggressive rent collection and closure
High street shops and other companies under strain will be protected from aggressive rent collection and asked to pay what they can during the coronavirus pandemic.

TRANSPORT & TRAVEL:

Coronavirus: letter from DVSA Chief Executive to driver and rider trainers
Letters from Gareth Llewellyn, Chief Executive of the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), to driver and rider trainers about coronavirus.

19,000 British travellers return from cruise ships after major international effort
The FCO has worked with cruise operators and more than 20 international governments and militaries to arrange flights to get Brits home safely.

£17 million government package to protect freight routes to Northern Ireland
Funding to safeguard ferry routes between Great Britain and Northern Ireland during COVID-19 pandemic.

Vital routes for supplies and people kept open through coronavirus support package
Action will protect the transport links the country relies on.

Philippines travel during coronavirus (COVID-19): Department of Tourism contacts
Department of Tourism (DoT) local contacts for British people in the Philippines during the coronavirus restrictions, who are due to travel to the airport.

Pressure is mounting on government to respond to travel refund crisis
ABTA is urging government to act on refunds. ABTA chiefTanzer said the association’s pleas for government guidance and support on its proposed refund credit note regime have been echoed by consumer groups – most notably by consumer watchdog Which?, which set out a new 10-point plan to “maintain travel in trust”.
Jet2 owner asks staff to take 30 per cent pay cut amid fears of £109m pandemic impactThe company predicted that it will see a net impact of £109m caused by the current pandemic, and said that despite the government’s coronavirus job retention scheme, its monthly salary bill “remains a substantial proportion of [its] overall costs”

New Updates and Guidance – Business Support FAQs

Frequently asked questions for businesses and employers, on business closures and stay at home, and on the self-employment income support scheme, are available on the business support website.

Useful links:

Government – Business Support:

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.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

Webinars and videos from HMRC are now available, advising businesses on how to deal with the economic impacts of coronavirus, and how to access support.

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 East Council

Grant scheme: https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/business/business_rates/business-rates-relief/coronavirus-covid-19-help-for-business-rates-customers.aspx

Business helping businesses: https://www.cheshireeast.gov.uk/council_and_democracy/council_information/coronavirus/cheshire-east-business-helping-business.aspx

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

Cheshire and Warrington Growth Hub