Chancellor to announce support for self-employed

The TUC has called on the government to provide urgent aid to Britain’s five million self-employed workers. The government has been accused of dithering, but Chancellor Rishi Sunak is now expected to make an announcement later today.

A report from the union body published on 23 March warns the current measures in place for self-employed workers are “inadequate” with many facing severe hardship over the coming months.

Hundreds of thousands of self-employed workers have tried to apply for Universal Credit but have experienced huge problems when trying to accessing the system, leaving them with no income.

The TUC report calls on ministers to extend the wage subsidy scheme announced on 20 March to the self-employed. The TUC said this could be done through providing the self-employed with a guarantee of at least 80 per cent of their incomes based on their last three years of self-assessment tax returns.

It says this could be paid directly to the self-employed as a tax rebate. The call was repeated by a succession of unions representing gig workers, musicians, actors, journalists and others in insecure employment.

The TUC report highlights the example of Norway where the government is providing grants covering 80 per cent of self-employed workers’ earnings. In Belgium an income replacement scheme has been set up for the self-employed.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “The government took a big and important step last week with wage subsidies for employed workers. But millions of self-employed workers – from the creative industries to construction – are still facing a collapse in their earnings.

“Many won’t be able to meet their basic living costs without further support. Ministers must urgently beef up support for the self-employed.”

She added: “Large-scale wage subsidies are the best way to boost household finances, keep businesses running and help our economy bounce back after this crisis. All workers – both employed and self-employed – should have their wages protected.”

On 23 March, the prime minister announced people may only leave home to exercise once a day, should travel to and from work only when it is “absolutely necessary”, and should shop for just essential items and to fulfil any medical or care needs.

The Chancellor is expected to make an announcement on support for the UK’s five million self-employed workers later today.

US, TAE! – Scots want to help, too

Thousands of Scots stand ready to help an NHS volunteering scheme, and the SNP government should waste no time in setting one up, the Scottish Conservatives have said.

Yesterday, UK health secretary Matt Hancock announced an initiative which allows members of the public to help out hospitals and patients with a range of tasks.

However, the plan which will ease pressure on the NHS amid the coronavirus pandemic is only on offer in England.

Holyrood’s shadow health secretary Miles Briggs has called on the Scottish Government to create a similar scheme north of the border.

The project means ordinary people – so long as they’re showing no signs of Covid-19 – can help with tasks like transporting medicine and equipment, and helping with deliveries for those who are self-isolating.

More than 250,000 people have signed up in a single day to volunteer with the NHS after the ecruitment drive was launched.

Scottish Conservative shadow health secretary Miles Briggs said: “So far, both the Scottish and UK governments have worked really well together as we face this unprecedented crisis.

“Now this volunteering scheme has been set up for England, this would be another good way for both to collaborate.

“Thousands of Scots would have seen this announcement and immediately looked into it, only to find it was just those living south of the border who could get involved.

“Hopefully now the Scottish Government will follow suit and harness the amazing goodwill that is out there.

“Ordinary people are desperate to help out our amazing NHS at this crucial time.

“Scots help out fellow Scots when they are facing tough times. That’s just how Scotland works and that’s exactly what we are all going to have to do.”

Dedicated team to co-ordinate city’s homeless support

• Hotels, self-contained flats and halls of residence could be used
• Care packages including food to be delivered

Plans have been put in place to protect people facing homelessness during the coronavirus outbreak in Edinburgh, thanks to the combined efforts of city council, public health, private and third sector workers.

As part of urgent measures to support those most at risk in the Capital, we’ve set up a dedicated team to co-ordinate support and take steps to increase the number of safe places for homeless people to stay, for the purposes of self-isolation.

Featuring officers from our homelessness, health and social care and procurement services, the new Additional Accommodation Needs Team will be responsible for co-ordinating crucial activity to step up the self-contained temporary accommodation we have available for those without a home.

This team is being supported by daily advice from colleagues within Public Health Scotland, which is greatly assisting with day-to-day decision making.

The continued delivery of care packages including food, alongside the use of bed spaces in vacant hotels, self-contained flats and University halls of residence, are among the measures being actively and urgently explored. This is alongside ongoing support for rough sleepers who we consider to be very vulnerable to the virus.

The team will build on work which has already been underway in Edinburgh to move families in shared temporary accommodation like B&Bs into self-contained places to live, and to keep Edinburgh’s homeless shelters and street-based outreach services open for as long as possible.

Council Leader Adam McVey said: “We are committed to doing all that we can during this crisis and we stand ready to support everyone who is or becomes homeless, in any way possible.

“We’ve put a plan in place that will help us ensure the safety of people experiencing homeless in the city, thanks to the incredible efforts of our housing officers and third sector partners who have been working nonstop to explore options for how we continue to care for those who need it most.

“We’ll be exploring all options to make sure our most vulnerable families and residents can still get the help they need while following the Scottish Government’s clear instructions.

“This is clearly a very challenging time for our teams and our city so I’m pleased we’ve had a very positive response from the private sector to our appeal for extra accommodation.

“I’m grateful too for the incredible sacrifice and dedication of Edinburgh’s key workers who continue to do their jobs, day and night, to keep our essential homelessness and health services running and our people protected, as far as they can.”

Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “The new team we’ve set up has an incredible responsibility and challenge ahead of them. They will constantly be checking the numbers of rooms we might need, working in the face of a national lockdown to prioritise our city’s most vulnerable people.

“They need to do this while factoring in the additional support needs many individuals who experience homeless will have.

“It’s not going to be easy but we are all in this together. Hotels and other organisations are already responding to our call and we’re urgently looking at how we join forces as a city at this very difficult time.”

Surgeons take to social media to ask people to stay home

It’s a picture we’ve seen from around the world. Now clinicians from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow have recreated it for their own audience.

The group shows the emergency surgical team including Dr Elaine Yeap saying “We stay at work for you. Please stay at home for us.”

Elaine said: “It’s a very simple message. We saw doctors in Italy and the States sharing this, so decided to do a special Queen Elizabeth version.

“It’s so important people heed the warnings and stop the onward spread of Covid-19.

Please share this message with your family and loved ones and help us slow down the spread.”

Irresponsible members of the public continue to ignore our politicians: maybe they’ll listen to our hard-pressed medical staff?

Key Workers: further guidance published

Employers are being urged to think critically about what staff are considered key workers. The plea from the Scottish Government and COSLA comes as further guidance on key workers is published.

Before seeking childcare places, employers should consider:

• working with unions and workers to identify only those staff absolutely necessary to deliver the COVID-19 response and to provide essential and safe services
• introducing new shift patterns, working from home, recruiting more staff or dropping non-essential tasks
• having discussions with staff to identify if they can access any appropriate alternative childcare. This may include another parent or carer who is not a key worker

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “We all have a vitally important role to play in the fight against COVID-19. For some that will involve a front line role in a hospital, but for others, staying at home to care for your children will also help to save lives.

“Where children are unable to safely stay at home, including vulnerable children, local authorities are providing childcare. However, only key workers who cannot fulfil their critical functions when they are working remotely from home may qualify for critical childcare provision.

“The number of children taking up these places must be kept to an absolute minimum. The priority must be for children of the most critical key workers and for the most vulnerable children in our society.

“I would urge employers to look at the guidance and consider if there is any way they can provide their essential services in a way that enables children to stay at home.”

Alison Evison, President of COSLA, said: “We recognise the extreme pressures faced by all businesses and employers at this very difficult time. Our priority is to ensure that vital services continue as far as possible.

“Local authorities have worked tirelessly to ensure that there is provision available for the children of key workers in an extremely tight timescale. However, our capacity to do so needs to be established in line with public health advice.

“The safety of our children, young people and staff is paramount. This guidance is aimed at making sure we all work together to get through this crisis while trying to minimise the impact on our society and economy.”

Guidance on key workers

Being active on social media will help you cope with isolation

Active use of social media will be a lifeline for people coping with social isolation during the Covid-19 crisis, says the British Psychological Society’s Cyberpsychology section.

Cyberpsychology expert Dr Lisa Orchard has shared tips on how to get the most out of social media during the Covid-19 outbreak. She says that interacting with other people is hugely important for our wellbeing, so social distancing and isolation will be tremendously difficult for many.

“While there can be dangers in social media, it’s going to play a vital role in helping people stay connected”, she said.

“Research suggests active social media use is better for you than passive use, so consider writing a blog or posting status updates as a way of expressing yourself. And it may help to organise virtual meet-ups with friends and family. These needn’t be limited to chatting: they can take part in group activities like watching films or cooking together.”

Useful tips for using social media during Covid-19 include:

Take the time to look at how you are using social media – Are you overwhelmed by the news or does discussing it give you a sense that you are part of a community and not alone in feeling the way you do? If you are overwhelmed, it may be a good idea to limit how long you spend online.

Be critical of what you see and post – The volume of discussion of Covid-19 makes it hard to find accurate information. Fake news can be difficult to spot – don’t rely on the number of likes or comments a post has as an index of its value. It’s best to follow verified official accounts to ensure information is accurate. Be wary of sharing information if you are not sure of its validity.

Be on alert for cybercrime – Crime rates often rise in times of crisis and recent news reports suggest the Covid-19 crisis is seeing an increase in cybercrime. The uncertainty and the way we have become isolated may make us more vulnerable. The National Cyber Security Centre has a wealth of resources to help you be on your guard. Follow it on social media for updates and tips.

Use hashtags and follow wisely –We cannot control what others post, but we can control who we follow and who we block. If you find your newsfeed is dominated by discussions of Covid-19, follow hashtags related to your hobbies or interests as a distraction. Hashtags and groups can be used to find people with similar interests, which provides a sense of belonging if you are feeling isolated.

Look for the positives – Social media often gets a bad name, but it can promote acts of altruism. Recent days have seen stories of people sharing scarce supplies and creating online support groups to look out for vulnerable neighbours. You may find it helpful to seek out this type of content to balance more negative stories.

£1 billion Business Support Fund opens

Grants to help businesses with COVID-19 impact

Businesses can now apply for grants to help them deal with the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The one-off grants are designed to help protect jobs, prevent business closures and promote economic recovery, and more than 90,000 ratepayers across Scotland will be able to benefit.

The grant support is additional to separate tax relief measures and is part of a package of measures worth £2.2 billion.

Small businesses in receipt of the small business bonus scheme or rural relief, as well as hospitality, leisure and retail business can benefit.

Two types of grant are now available to ratepayers:

• a one-off £10,000 grant to ratepayers of small businesses

• a one-off grant of £25,000 available to retail, hospitality and leisure business ratepayers with a rateable value between £18,001 and £50,999

The list is not exhaustive and if businesses think they may be eligible for one of these grants, they should contact their local authority, which are administering the scheme on behalf of the Scottish Government.

Cabinet Secretary for Finance Kate Forbes said: “While our primary concern is for people’s health, it is clear that the Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak will have severe economic consequences, and we are treating it as an economic emergency.

“We are determined to help keep companies in business and support them and their staff during this difficult time.

“Local authorities are the most efficient way to deliver this and we have worked closely with them to deliver these measures – and eligible businesses can apply now.

“Local authorities will aim to make payments within 10 working days, and I’d like to thank them for their help in ensuring this support is delivered as quickly as possible.

“The COVID-19 situation, however, is both severe and fast-moving and requires a coordinated UK response: I will continue to work closely with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations.”

More information on how to apply can be found at:
https://www.mygov.scot/non-domestic-rates-coronavirus/

Coronavirus: NHS Lothian launches new Community Hub

NHS Lothian has announced the launch of a new Community Hub to help reduce pressures on GP practices and hospitals amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The Hub, which is part of a national approach, will be staffed by a mixture of nurses and doctors. The Hub will handle calls with members of the public, triaged initially through NHS 24’s 111 phone line, who may be experiencing symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) and who may need further assessment and advice.

As well as providing information and reassurance, The Hub service will facilitate face to face scheduled appointments for those individuals who may need further clinical assessment, but who do not need emergency care.

David Small, Director of Primary Care Transformation, NHS Lothian said: “For many weeks now, we have been working hard to increase capacity across our services.

“The launch of the new Community Hub will help ease some of the pressure that both GP practices and NHS24 have been experiencing as a result of coronavirus (COVID-19).

“At one Lothian GP practice alone, we experienced over 150 extra calls in a single day from patients worried about coronavirus (COVID-19). The Hub will help to better manage this demand, providing information, advice and clinical assessment, meaning that both GP and hospital resources can focus on managing patients with other conditions.

“In what is no doubt a challenging and unsettling time for many, I hope that by sharing these plans, it will offer some reassurance.”

The public should continue to use NHS Inform for information and advice, and to call NHS24 (111) if they have symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) which are not improving. Calls will be triaged to the Community Hub if they require more specialist advice.

To stay up to date with the latest coronavirus (COVID-19) advice, visit NHS Inform: https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19

A free helpline has been set up for those who do not have symptoms but are looking for general health advice. This can be accessed by calling 0800 028 2816. The helpline is open Monday to Friday, 8:00am – 10:00pm, Saturday and Sunday, 8:00am – 6:00pm.

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre closed

Unfortunately the Neighbourhood Centre has closed its doors until further notice. We are expected to be closed for at least the next three weeks and will then be guided by Government directives.

Emails to the Neighbourhood Centre will be remotely monitored by Roy and Lynda as will our Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Emails to info@drylawnc.org.uk is the preferred method of contact.

We hope to see you all very soon and will let you know when we are open for business. Until then stay safe.

MSPs support UK Coronavirus Bill

The Scottish Parliament has backed measures contained in UK emergency legislation that will help strengthen Scotland’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19).

The UK Coronavirus Bill, which was introduced to the House of Commons on 19 March, includes new reserved and devolved laws that will help to slow the spread of the virus.

New measures include:

• bringing more health professionals and social workers into the workforce
• relaxing regulations to ease the burden on frontline staff
• enhanced public health measures designed to contain the virus or slow its spread
• collecting necessary information to enable monitoring of disruption to food supply chains

The bill includes new powers that will enable authorities to cancel events and close premises, and to allow the police to compel potentially infectious people to undergo COVID-19 screening and assessment.

These new emergency powers cover a two-year period that can be extended if necessary and will only be used if required.

The Scottish Government has confirmed that it will use powers within the Bill to ensure that action to implement social distancing and impose restrictions on gatherings, events and operation of business activity can be enforced.

Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said: “This new emergency legislation will help to save lives as we face this unprecedented crisis.

“It is only because of the extraordinary public health challenge confronting us, as a result of the global pandemic, that these measures have had to be considered.

“These are emergency powers that will be in force temporarily and only used if required.

“I am grateful that the Scottish Parliament supported the bill and we are committed to reporting on how and when the emergency powers included in the Bill have been used.”

In addition to the UK ‘four nations’ Bill, the Scottish Government will also bring forward emergency Coronavirus legislation to the Scottish Parliament soon.

The Coronavirus Bill can be viewed on the UK Parliament website.