News

Today (Wednesday 10th June 2020), is the last day in which employers can place employees on furlough for the first time and be eligible to claim the relevant grant payment. The Scheme will be closed to new entrants from 1 July 2020 and, from that point onwards, employers will only be able to furlough employees … Read more

Main points from today Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, led the briefing today. He stated that the latest guidance from SAGE was that the R rate was ‘below 1 in all regions.’ No deaths in hospitals in London or Scotland. He said ‘we are winning the battle but there is further to go.’ 287,399 positive tests … Read more

Main points from today Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, led the briefing today. He announced that from 15th June all staff in hospitals will be required to wear surgical face masks. All hospital visitors and outpatients must wear face coverings. The R rate is between 0.7 and 0.9 as of 5th June. The R rate may … Read more

Main points from today Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, led the briefing today. He announced that from 15th June it will be mandatory for passengers to wear face coverings (not necessarily surgical masks) on public transport. 281,661 confirmed cases as of yesterday, an increase of 1,805.  39,904 deaths, an increase of 176 from yesterday (lowest weekday … Read more

Main points from today The PM led the briefing today. He said that as the NHS Test and Trace becomes established ‘we will be able to replace national lockdown with individual isolation and, if necessary, local action where there are outbreaks.’ 279,856 confirmed cases as of yesterday, an increase of 1,871.  39,728 deaths, an increase … Read more

Main points from today Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, led the briefing. He said that there is plenty of testing capacity available and anyone with symptoms should obtain a test. 277,985 confirmed cases as of yesterday, an increase of 1,61.  39,369 deaths, an increase of 324 from yesterday. 436 new hospital admissions, the lowest since 20th … Read more

Main points from today Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, led the briefing. He said that the Test and Trace service is running successfully with a high degree of compliance, but he was unable to provide any figures to support this. In the last 24 hours 1,570 new cases and 111 deaths both announced as the lowest … Read more

Main points from today The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, led the briefing. He announced changes to the CJRS as follows:- From 1st July an employee can come back to work part time as part of a flexible furlough scheme.  In the example he gave relating to a five day a week worker, if a worker came … Read more

Main points from today The Prime Minister led the briefing. He confirmed that the 5 tests to ease lockdown were currently being met. Therefore, from Monday 1st June up to 6 people from different households can mix outdoors, including in private gardens, providing social distancing rules are observed. Those who were advised to shield should … Read more

Main points from today Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, led the briefing. Announced that contracts signed to manufacture 2 billion items of PPE in the UK. The drug Remdesivir is being used to treat coronavirus, shortening recovery by 4 days.  Matt Hancock said it was ‘the biggest step forward in the treatment of the virus’. 265,227 … Read more