UK STATISTICS
There have been nearly *18 million confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK and nearly 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: 17,932,803 positive tests
Latest UK daily figure: 66,183 new cases
Number in UK hospital: 13,793
New deaths across UK: 314
Total UK deaths: 158,677
England Cases per 100,000: 905.8
R number in UK: 0.8-1.1
Vaccine data:
Total 1st doses given: 52,447,403 – 91% of UK aged 12+
Total 2nd doses: 84.5%
Daily 1st doses: 10,106
Daily 2nd doses: 22,861
Daily Booster doses: 32,627
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
COVID-19: estimated administrative vaccine uptake for people aged 18 and over
Daily percentage of the UK population aged 18 and over who have received a first dose, second dose, or third or booster dose to date.
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.
Latest Cheshire East data:
Total Cheshire East cases: 103,938
New cases in past 7 days: 3,415 to 3 Feb
Total deaths: 1,004
Cases per 100,000: 883.2
UK NEWS UPDATES:
National Apprenticeships Week: What needs to be done to fill huge number of vacancies
The annual National Apprenticeships Week is due to be marked from Monday, February 7, and is aimed at shining a light on the work being done by employers and apprentices across the UK. Naomi Ilagoswa, head of strategic partnerships and external projects at The Growth Company, said there are a “huge number of vacancies to be filled” and that it is just as important to support employers to consider hiring apprentices as it is to encourage people to become one.
NHS Backlog Plan – on hold following Omicron variant
With a record six million patients on hospital waiting lists in England, a plan has been put together to tackle the backlog, made worse by the pandemic. It was due to be published today detailing wide-ranging measures but it’s been put on hold. Sajid Javid told BBC Breakfast the full plan was due to be released in early December but the emergence of the new, more transmissible coronavirus variant meant the focus shifted to the booster programme. The NHS England scheme to deal with waiting times for non-urgent operations and procedures is believed to have been supported across government but reports suggest a last-minute intervention by Whitehall means this will no longer happen – and it’s not clear when the full plan will be made public. But one part of it has been announced, an online service called My Planned Care. It’s going to be launched later this month and allows patients waiting for treatment to get more information and help them prepare for operations.
National house builder publishes “strong” annual performance
Bellway has issued a Trading Update for the six months ended January 31, 2022, ahead of its Interim Results announcement in March 2022. The Group is benefitting from ongoing investment in land to facilitate further growth in the years ahead, with 8,660 plots contracted (2021 – 8,848 plots), across 45 sites (2021 – 54 sites), at attractive rates of return. The average selling price rose by 2.8 per cent to £311,800 (2021 – £303,206) and is now expected to be over £300k for the full financial year (July 31, 2021 – £306,479), an improvement compared to previous guidance, driven by mix and pricing benefits. Market conditions and customer confidence are strong. Our substantial order book and land bank provide a solid platform for volume growth and improving margin in the current financial year and beyond.
REGIONAL & LOCAL NEWS:
Northern Mayors: “Ministers must reassess rail plans for the North of England”
MAYORS from across the North of England – Andy Burnham, Steve Rotheram, Jamie Driscoll, Tracy Brabin and Dan Jarvis – have written to the Prime Minister, Chancellor, Levelling Up Secretary and Transport Secretary challenging the Government to open a new assessment process with Transport for the North (TfN) after the Government admitted it has failed to carry out a levelling up assessment of the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP), its flagship levelling up policy. The Integrated Rail Plan, published in November 2021, saw the plans for a new railway across the North, Northern Powerhouse Rail, downgraded and the eastern leg of HS2 up to Yorkshire, scrapped. The plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail had been developed for several years, on a cross-party basis, by political and business leaders across the North but the Government’s Integrated Rail Plan fell short of what Leaders agreed was required to unleash the full economic potential of Northern towns and cities. Last month, the Government published a “Technical Annex” for the Integrated Rail Plan. The document sets out the ‘criteria framework’ for assessing different options in the IRP. The annex states that this includes “Levelling up impact” which should be assessed through a “description of potential impact of transport investment on the wider economy.” However, later in the document it states that: “Given the early stage of development of the options under consideration…it has not been possible to fully assess their impacts on the wider economy.”
Cheshire East Council prepares bid for Crewe to be home of new rail body
Cheshire East Council has welcomed the launch of a competition to find the national headquarters of new public body Great British Railways and says it ‘looks forward to developing a strong bid for Crewe’. Council leader, Cllr Sam Corcoran said: “Rail is in the blood of so many people in Crewe and bringing the Great British Railways headquarters to the town will create huge opportunities for levelling up and creating skilled jobs that will build on the town’s proud rail heritage.
Manchester Airport opens new state-of-the-art education centre
Manchester Airport has unveiled a new state-of-the-art education centre aimed at inspiring future generations about a career in aviation. Greater Manchester’s Mayor Andy Burnham was on hand to mark the opening of the AeroZone, delivered as part of the airport’s £1 billion transformation programme, on 7th February. He was joined by Manchester Airport’s Managing Director Karen Smart and 15 pupils from Outwood Primary School in Heald Green, who were then treated to a tour of the new facility. AeroZone is expected to welcome more than 5,000 children and young people aged between four and 18 every year, with curriculum-linked sessions focused on the wide range of careers available in aviation. Cutting-edge design and educational technology will be used to link aviation-related activities to the curriculum at the AeroZone, which offers a mix of classroom space and interactive zones. The design of the centre is influenced by aviation, boasting a cabin with real seats and a cockpit, complete with flight simulator.
SECTOR SPECIFIC CORONAVIRUS-RELATED NEWS:
ANIMAL OWNERS:
Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for people in England with animals
Advice for pet owners, livestock and animal keepers on looking after the welfare of animals and people during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This advice applies to England only – updated guidance on face coverings, the list of animals that can can catch COVID-19 and the evidence for transmission.
BUSINESS:
Covid support grants must be included on company tax returns
HMRC has warned that businesses must declare any coronavirus (COVID-19) support grants or payments on their company tax returns and stated that the grants and payments are taxable. The deadline for filing company tax returns is 12 months after the end of the accounting period. The deadline to pay corporation tax will depend on any taxable profits and when the end of the accounting period occurs. It is generally nine months after the end of the accounting period unless profits exceed £1.5 million. Grants to be included as taxable income include:
- Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate
- Coronavirus Business Support Grants (also known as local authority grants or business rate grants)
- Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) grant
- Eat Out to Help Out payment.
COMMUNITY:
COVID-19 vaccination: British Sign Language resources
British Sign Language (BSL) videos on COVID-19 vaccination – added new BSL videos on second dose for 16-to-17 year olds and waiting after your COVID-19 vaccination, links to updated booster for 18 year olds and older and pregnancy videos.
DVLA Coronavirus (COVID-19) update
Find out the date of applications we are processing and how to access our online services – update to processing dates.
COVID-19 medical exemptions: proving you are unable to get vaccinated
How to apply for official proof that, for medical reasons, you’re unable to be vaccinated or unable to be vaccinated and tested for coronavirus (COVID-19).
EDUCATION:
Subject-by-subject support for GCSE, AS and A level students in 2022
Overview of the support being provided for each qualification for students taking GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2022 – links through to the detailed information from each exam board have been added to each subject.
HOSPITALITY:
Sign the petition: Long Live the Local
It’s a challenging time for everyone. Rising fuel costs and increasing cost of living are front of mind. Pubs are also facing growing energy bills and as one of our most over-taxed industries, this is added pressure our local pubs don’t need. In the last two years over 2,700 pubs have closed their doors for good – without support more will close. The pandemic has seen the pub sector lose £14bn in revenue – that’s an average loss of £300,000 per pub. The great British pub urgently needs your support. If Government don’t act now to help them more will close for good. The new petition is asking for; an extension in the current lower level of VAT for food and beverages sold in pubs with a view to making this permanent; an overall reduction in beer duty and alcohol duty reforms that support British pubs and beer as a lower strength product; lower business rates for pubs equitable to other similar businesses. Help local pubs survive and thrive, sign the petition now at www.longlivethelocal.pub.
RETAIL:
Retail sales higher than pre-pandemic levels by 7.5%
New research has found that retailers have seen a strong start to the year following strong demand in furniture and household products.
Sales grew by 11.9% in January, according to the BRC’s data compiled with KPMG. The year-on-year increase in revenues was partly flattered by high inflation – which meant the same goods often cost a lot more. The BRC warned that the rise in the cost of living could mean shoppers are likely to budget in the months ahead. January’s data inevitably showed a sharp improvement on period a year ago when lockdowns meant that non-essential shops were shut. But sales were also 7.5% higher than pre-pandemic levels at the start of 2020.
TRAVEL:
Portugal and Greece relax testing rules
Portugal now stipulates adults need only present a valid vaccination certificate on arrival and that children under 12 do not need to present a test. Adults and children over 12 who are not fully vaccinated can take a supervised lateral flow test 24 hours before boarding. The requirement for a passenger locator form remains for all arrivals. The rules are slightly different in the Azores, where international arrivals must present an antigen test taken 48 hours before departure. Children 12 and under can travel without a certificate or test. UK arrivals must fill in an online questionnaire that is different from one demanded by the mainland. Greece has also dropped the requirement to take any pre-departure test provided travellers can demonstrate full vaccination status.
Small businesses received £21.3 billion in COVID-19 support from local authority grants 
Two year extension announced for Covid Recovery Loan scheme 
Research finds Covid-19 has not fundamentally changed the UK labour market