Main points from today Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, led the briefing. 1 billion items of PPE have been delivered.  Further PPE being sourced from around the world and in conjunction with 159 UK manufacturers. Team from Oxford University will begin human trials on a Covid-19 vaccine on Thursday this week. 533,342 tests, 129,044 positive, an increase of 4,310.  17,366 hospital deaths, an increase of 852 from yesterday Latest Guidance (employment and business) Confirmation from HMRC that there is no requirement for a written agreement between an employer and employee that the employee will do no work while on furlough.  This is despite the opposite stated in the Treasury Direction published last week. www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wages-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: step by step guide for employers Check if you can claim for your – Read More…

Main points from today Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, led the briefing. HMRC opened the CJRS at 8am today and by 4pm 140,000 businesses had submitted applications, covering over 1,000,000 people. Payments will be made to businesses within 6 working days. Two new initiatives to support innovative businesses through the Future Fund and Innovate UK. 501,379 tests, with 19,316 tests yesterday.  124,743 positive tests an increase of 4,676 from yesterday.  16,509 hospital deaths an increase of 449 from yesterday. Latest Guidance (employment and business) The online service used to claim went live this morning: www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wages-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: step by step guide for employers – a seven page guide to using the CJRS. First published 7:06pm, 17 April 2020. Check if you can claim for your employees’ wages through the Coronavirus – Read More…

Main points from today Business Secretary, Alok Sharma, led the briefing and announced that the Government has launched a Covid-19 taskforce to help efforts to develop a vaccine ‘as soon as possible.’ Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme extended to end June (see below). Chief Scientific Officer, Sir Patrick Vallance, was confident that NHS capacity would not be breached during the pandemic. Latest Guidance (employment and business) Chancellor extends furlough scheme to end of June – This afternoon the Treasury have announced that the CJRS has been extended to the end of June.  Previously it was in place from beginning March to end of May.  This would appear to be because large employers, proposing to make over 100 employees redundant, would need to start the minimum 45 day consultation process imminently in – Read More…

Main points from today Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, led the briefing and announced that the lockdown in the UK would be extended for at least 3 more weeks. 103,093 positive tests and 13,729 deaths, a rise of 861 from yesterday. Evidence that social distancing measures are being successful but too early to make any changes. 5 points would be considered when looking at relaxing lockdown measures:- Sufficient critical care capacity in the NHS. A sustained and consistent fall in the daily rate of deaths. The rate of infection decreasing. Sufficient testing capacity. Any adjustments do not result in a second peak. Latest Guidance (employment and business) Claim for your employees’ wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – updated at 1.39pm yesterday.  Major change is the date that a furloughed – Read More…

Main points from today Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, led the briefing today. Too early to make changes to lockdown arrangements. Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, said ‘we are probably reaching the peak of new cases, we are not past the peak.’ Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme rules published (see below). Latest Guidance (employment and business) Claim for your employees’ wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – updated at 1.39pm today.  Major change is the date that a furloughed employee had to be on a payroll is now 19th March 2020.  Previously this was 28th February 2020. The Chancellor has made a Treasury Direction in relation to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.  Treasury Direction made under Sections 71 and 76 of the Coronavirus Act 2020 Basically, these are the formal rules – Read More…

Main points from today Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, led the briefing today. 93,873 positive cases, 12,107 deaths an increase of 788 from yesterday. Evidence that the number of hospitalisations is stabilising and plateauing. Latest Guidance (employment and business) Claim for your employees’ wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – updated at 5.33pm on 9th April 2020 The 3rd version of the CJRS was published on 9th April 2020.  The main changes were:- Employees who are off sick can be furloughed. If your employee is on sick leave or self-isolating as a result of Coronavirus, they’ll be able to get Statutory Sick Pay.  The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is not intended for short-term absences from work due to sickness, and there is a 3 week minimum furlough period. Short term illness/ – Read More…

Main points from today Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, led the briefing. 65,077 positive cases, 16,784 in hospital. 7,978 deaths an increase of 881 from yesterday. Dominic Raab said ‘we are not done yet and must keep going with the social distancing measures’ and that ‘it will be the end of next week before there is any further update on social distancing.  We will be guided by the science to make sure we are past the peak.’ Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, said the numbers of people in intensive care, which was previously doubling every 3 days, was now doubling at 6 or more days.  This shows that the curve was being flattened as a result of the social distancing measures. Latest Guidance (employment and business) Claim for your employees’ – Read More…

Main points from today Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, led the briefing today and announced a £750 million support package for charities. Latest Guidance (employment and business) Social distancing in the workplace during coronavirus (COVID-19): sector guidance – NEW – a list of tailored advice for different scenarios as an example of how social distancing and other measures might be implemented by employers in England to help protect their workforce and customers from coronavirus while still continuing to trade. Claim for your employees’ wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Although not formally updated, the guidance on whether furlough applies to employees off sick or those with caring responsibilities has been clarified:- If your employee is self-isolating or on sick leave If you’re employee is on sick leave or self-isolating, they’ll be – Read More…

Main points from today Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, led the briefing and is deputising for the PM. The PM remains in intensive care.  He was stable overnight, is in good spirits and is receiving standard oxygen treatment.  His progress is being monitored. The Cabinet have clear instructions from the PM and are implementing them. 55,242 total cases.  New cases 3,634 down slightly from yesterday.  Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, said it ‘was possible we are seeing the beginning of the change in terms of the curve flattening.’ New guidance for Schools just published this morning with new guidance regarding initial teacher training published this afternoon. Latest Guidance (employment and business) Claim for your employees’ wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was updated in the morning of Saturday 4th – Read More…

New guidance for Schools just published this morning that we did not want to wait to send out.  It will also be included in our update this evening, following the Government’s daily update. Latest Guidance (employment and business) Claim for your employees’ wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was updated in the morning of Saturday 4th April 2020. Updated ACAS Guidance states – ‘If an employee is ‘furloughed’ (temporarily sent home because there’s no work), they can still request and take their holiday in the usual way. This includes taking bank holidays.’ However, it remains unclear whether the furlough payment can be used to discharge holiday pay entitlement, with the employer making up the additional 20%.  We believe it cannot, but further guidance is needed.  Our view is based – Read More…