Tag: coronavirus

Raab: “we are now in a position to start to think about the next phase in this pandemic”

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab gave the 7 May 2020 daily press briefing on the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic:

Good afternoon and welcome to today’s Downing Street Press Conference. I’m very pleased to be joined by Sir Ian Diamond the UK’s National Statistician from the ONS, And also by Dr Jenny Harries, Deputy CMO.

The latest data from our COBR coronavirus data file shows that, as of today:

  • there have now been 1,534,533 tests for coronavirus across the UK
  • that includes 86,583 tests carried out yesterday
  • 206,715 people have tested positive, that’s an increase of 5,614 cases since yesterday

And those who tested positive, very sadly, 30,615 people have now died, and my deepest condolences go out to anyone who has lost a loved one throughout this pandemic.

Three weeks ago, before the Easter bank holiday weekend, I set out five tests for the UK to move on to the next phase in this pandemic. Then, just as now, there were calls to ease up on the restrictions. But as the science made clear, we couldn’t responsibly do that. In fact, the advice from the group of scientific experts, SAGE, who advise the government made it very clear that there weren’t any changes at all that we could confidently take, Without risking a second peak of the virus.

That’s why we asked the public to keep going. We weren’t done yet.

We said ‘stick to the plan’, and the British public kept going. People stuck to the rules. That meant working from home, it meant worries about money it meant adjusting to home schooling, time apart from family and friends, and just not doing many of the things which we all enjoy in life.

At the same time, there’s been a lot of people who, despite their own personal sacrifices, have gone the extra mile. They volunteered to support the elderly and the vulnerable in their community, who have been shielded themselves away from the virus.

And each Thursday, of course, we now come together to applaud the NHS staff, and the carers, the people who just kept going to keep our country going.

And because of that monumental effort we have now passed the peak of the virus. The NHS hasn’t been overwhelmed. We haven’t seen hospital wards overwhelmed with patients, people left without hospital beds, people left without the ventilators that can mean the difference between life and death.

Now I know the tragic death toll in this country and around the world has been sobering for all of us, and there have been real challenges in this country – with PPE, and with care homes.

But, in this first stage of the fight against COVID-19, through this national team effort, we’ve prevented the number of deaths rising to even higher levels, and we’ve ensured critically that the NHS had the capacity to cope.

Today the Cabinet was updated on SAGE’s advice on the progress that we’ve made to date. And as a result of the social distancing measures that we’ve put in place the R level, which signifies the rate of infection, is now between 0.5 and 0.9. The overall number of new cases has been steadily falling and the rate of deaths is also steadily falling.

Now, just to be clear about what all of this means in practice. The virus is not beaten yet.

It remains deadly and infectious, and we are working very hard right across government and with local government to bring it down in areas of concern, like in care homes, and I’m confident we can do it and we will do it.

But, because we held firm three weeks ago, we are now in a position to start to think about the next phase in this pandemic.

So, this weekend, the Prime Minister will set out the next steps which we can responsibly take over the following weeks, guided by the scientific advice and mindful, as we’ve said right from the word go, of taking the right decisions at the right time.

Now, we can start setting out how we will live and work, whilst maintaining the necessary social distancing rules, we can also be clearer about those measures which are still necessary to prevent a second peak.

The Prime Minister has been directing Ministers and our teams of officials right across government to carefully develop a road-map for the next phase.

It contains appropriate measures to be taken at appropriate milestones, subject to very clear conditions.

And there be detailed guidance to help inform, advise and reassure the public, businesses and other organisations.

To get this right, we have set milestones. Some changes can confidently be introduced more quickly than others, and some of those other ones will take longer to introduce.

And, it’s important to say this, at each point along the way when we take these decisions, they will be based on the five tests and the scientific advice that we receive.

And as I set out in the fifth of our five tests when I spoke here at this lectern, on 16 April, the point at which we make even the smallest of changes to the current guidance will be a point of maximum risk.

If people abandon the social distancing, if we forget the sacrifices that were made to get us through the peak, to get us to this point, the virus will grow again at an exponential rate.

That would lead to a second peak which would threaten the NHS. It would trigger another lockdown, which prolong the economic pain, and we we’re determined to keep it temporary, to keep it as short as possible.

So, we’ve kept the current measures in place for this long, precisely so that we can bounce back with vigour and energy as soon as possible, as soon as it is responsible to start looking at the second phase.

And because of that, our next steps will be surefooted and sustainable. Any changes we make will be carefully monitored. If people don’t follow the new rules, or if we see that the R-level goes back up, we will tighten the restrictions again, we will always retain the option to do so. That way we can safeguard public health and we can also safeguard the economy in a sustainable way.

So having prepared carefully, and based on the updated advice from SAGE, this weekend, the Prime Minister will set out the roadmap for the next phase, along with the conditions for reaching each milestone.

That way we can provide the country with a better understanding of what lies ahead, we can offer reassurance that we will adjust the restrictions to the minimum necessary to prevent a second spike in the virus, and we can give people the confidence that we’re doing it in a way that will protect life and preserve our way of life.

Read the government’s guidance about to coronavirus.

First Minister: Haud oan, Boris!

Statement given yesterday (Thursday 7 May) by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh:

Good afternoon. Thank you very for joining us again today.

I want to start with the usual statistical update on COVID-19 in Scotland.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 12,924 positive cases confirmed – which is an increase of 215 since yesterday.

A total of 1,587 patients are currently in hospital with either confirmed or suspected COVID-19 – that is a decrease of 45 since yesterday.

A total of 86 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. And that is a decrease of three since yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, 2,954 patients who had tested positive and been admitted to hospital for the virus have been able to leave hospital, and I wish all of them well.

Unfortunately though I also have to report that in the last 24 hours, 59 deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed through a test as having the virus – and that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 1,762.

As always, let me stress that these numbers are not statistics – or just statistics. They represent real people whose loss is being felt and mourned by many. And I want again to send my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one to this virus – we are all thinking of you.

I also want to thank again our health and care workers for the extraordinary work that you are doing in these most difficult of circumstances.

And I want to thank all of you watching at home, for the sacrifices you are continuing to make as you follow our very clear advice to stay at home, save lives and help us to continue to protect the NHS.

Now I have one main point that I want to update you on this afternoon.

As I have indicated previously this week, the Scottish Government is legally required to review the regulations giving effect to the lockdown every three weeks, and the latest review falls due today.

Our assessment of the evidence leads me to the conclusion that the lockdown must be extended at this stage. More detail of our analysis will be published alongside today’s daily statistics at 2pm. But let me say this now.

We are – together – making really significant progress in our efforts to get this virus under control. I have reported today a further reduction in the number of patients in intensive care. And yesterday, National Records of Scotland reported the first weekly decline in the number of registered deaths related to the virus since this outbreak began.

All of that gives us real hope and real encouragement.

But we also know that progress remains fragile. Our estimates suggest that there are still significant numbers of people in Scotland infected with this virus.

And we are not yet confident that the all-important R number is comfortably below 1 – and I’ve explained and set out before why it is so important to get it and keep it comfortably below 1. Indeed, we think it could still be hovering around 1 just now – which means that any significant easing up of restrictions at this stage would be very very risky indeed.

Also, we think the R number may still be a bit higher here than it is in other parts of the UK – perhaps reflecting the fact that our first cases came later than England’s and so we may be at a different – and slightly later – stage of the infection curve.

Now, all of that tells me that extreme caution is required, at this critical juncture, to avoid a rapid resurgence of the virus.

Before we can judge that it is safe to begin any significant, albeit gradual, easing of the restrictions, we want to see data in the days ahead that confirms a very clear downward trend.

In particular, I want to see what our estimates of new cases and the R number look like a week from now.

And I will be looking very carefully, as I’m sure all of us will be, to see if next week’s NRS figures show a continued fall in the number of deaths.

And it is to allow for such further careful assessment that we have concluded that the lockdown – and the associated regulations – must remain in place for now.

The legal deadline for the next review of these regulations will be three weeks from now – which is the 28 May.

But I want to be very clear again today that we can make changes to the regulations before then if the evidence suggests it is safe to do so.

And let me say again, I am as anxious as anyone to restore some degree of normality to our lives as soon as possible and to reduce the harms that we know lockdown itself is doing.

It is also open to us to amend the supporting guidance if we think that is possible – and indeed there is one very limited, specific change to the guidance that we are considering already, and I want to come back to that shortly.

But, first of all, I want to address reports that you might have seen in today’s media that the Prime Minister might be planning on Sunday to announce changes to the lockdown in England. I should stress that these are only media reports – I do not know yet how accurate they are.

And before I go any further here, I want to take the opportunity to remind you that none of the decisions I am taking just now – absolutely none of them – are driven by politics. They are driven only by doing what is right to tackle this virus and to save lives. And I believe that is true for all leaders across the UK.

However, I have to be clear with you that the potential changes that are reported in the media today have not yet been discussed with the Scottish Government or, as far as I know, with the other devolved governments.

I hope we will have discussions in the next few days. We had expected a COBRA meeting today or tomorrow but it seems now that it might not take place until Sunday – which of course is the day the Prime Minister is due to make his statement.

However, in the last half hour I understand that the Prime Minister has requested a call with the devolved governments later today, and I very much welcome that.

And if and when those discussions do take place I will make very clear – as I have all along – that it is my preference, if possible, for all four UK nations to make changes, together, at the same pace. Because that certainly helps us give clear, consistent messages to you, the public.

However, for that approach to work, we must agree to make changes only when all four governments are satisfied that they don’t risk a resurgence of the virus.

And – again, let me be clear – if the Prime Minister decides that he wants to move at a faster pace for England than I consider is right for Scotland –  that is of course his right. I will respect that and I will not criticise him for doing that.

But I hope you understand, and indeed I hope you agree, that I must make judgments, informed by the evidence, that are right and safe for Scotland.

I will not be pressured into lifting restrictions prematurely, before I am as certain as I can be that we will not be risking a resurgence of infection rates.

Now, of the changes that are floated in the media today, there is only one I may – and I would stress at this stage, may – be prepared to agree to in the immediate future – and that is a change to the guidance limiting outdoor exercise to once a day only.

That is currently, as you know, one of the limited number of reasons that you are permitted to leave home.

As I alluded to earlier in the week, we are already considering whether it would be possible now, without increasing the R number, to permit you to exercise outdoors more often than once a day – but on the strict conditions that you still stay within your own household group, stay two meters away from others, and stay reasonably close to your own home.

It would – and let me stress this point – it would not change the overall message to stay at home except for the limited reasons of exercise, food and medicine.

We will report back on our consideration and indeed any four nation discussion of that over the next few days. In the meantime however, let me be clear that the once a day rule does remain in place.

The other possible changes that are reported in the media today – such as encouraging more people back to work now or opening beer gardens or encouraging more use of public transport  – would not, in my judgement, be safe for us to make yet.

And I particularly strongly believe that for us to drop the clear, well understood ‘Stay at Home’ message right now could be a potentially catastrophic mistake.

Now, there’s discussion in many countries about the timing of lockdowns.

All along we have taken the decisions we considered right and at the time we thought right. And that’s what we will continue to do. And of course, none of us have the benefit of hindsight when we make those decisions.

But right now we do have the benefit of foresight. And what I do not want a few weeks from now is for us to see a resurgence of this virus and for you to be asking me this – why on earth did you start to ease lockdown a week, or a couple of weeks, too early?

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the decisions we take now are a matter of life and death. And that is why they weigh so very, very heavily. And it’s why they must be taken with great care. And it is why, as I take them, I will continue to err on the side of caution.

Now I will keep you updated of any and all discussions with the UK governments – other UK governments – over the weekend.

For now though, the advice remains the same as it has been.

It is easier for us to start emerging from lockdown, the lower the R number is, and the fewer infectious cases that there are.

And so for all of us, the way in which we emerge from lockdown that bit more quickly, is to stick with the current restrictions now.

So please, stay at home except for essential purposes such as exercise, or buying food or medicines.

Stay more than two meters from other people when you are out, and do not meet up with people from other households.

Wear a face covering if you are in a shop or on public transport. And isolate completely if you or someone else in your household has symptoms.

I know that these restrictions are very tough – and I also know and worry that any talk of easing the lockdown might make it more tempting to go out that bit more often.

But please, resist that temptation. Stick with the current rules. We must – absolutely must –  protect the progress that we have all made together so far. Because it is by doing that that we will continue to slow down the spread of the virus, continue to protect the NHS, and continue to save lives.

Thank you very much indeed for listening. I’m going to hand briefly to the Cabinet Secretary for Health before her, I, and of course the Chief Medical Officer take questions from journalists.

Give the cash to our councils, says Briggs

Scottish Conservative Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has hit out against Finance Secretary Kate Forbes’ refusal to pass on £150 million in funding from the UK government for Covid-19 relief.

City of Edinburgh Council, like the other 32 local authorities in Scotland, have been told to use their reserves for dealing with Coronavirus.  On 31 March 2019 Edinburgh had reserves of £243.1 million.

The UK Government announced another £1.6 billion in funding for local councils in England, but SNP Ministers are declining to hand the equivalent money on to cash strapped councils in Scotland.

The Scottish Conservatives have previously criticised cuts to council  budgets before the outbreak of Covid-19 and the withholding of funds to council to fight Covid-19 is a continuation of this trend.

Councils across Scotland have increasingly had to use their reserves to make up the reduction in council funding in the SNP/ Green budget each year, which has depleted their reserves and led to warning from Audit Scotland that Councils are running on empty.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “Edinburgh City Council has an important role to play in tackling Covid-19, but are being hindered by the refusal of SNP Ministers to pass on funding for Council that has been made available to Councils in England.

“Health and Social care services have been amongst the hardest hit by Coronavirus and they will continue to struggle if SNP Ministers to not provide them with proper funding.

“Councils are going to become increasingly important in the management of Covid-19 once lockdown is lifted and measures need to be put in place to limit social distancing and have adequate levels of PPE.

“To be effective they will need the funding to be able put these measures in place, funding which is currently being withheld by SNP Ministers.”

Psychologists publish advice for key workers and their children

Psychologists from the British Psychological Society have produced guidance for key workers and their children on navigating the emotional effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Children are likely to be feeling unsettled by the upheaval of the Coronavirus lockdown, and some may be more worried because of having a parent who is still going to work.

The booklet for parents gives some straightforward tips on how they can help their children to cope, which includes:

  • Asking the child questions and talking to them
  • Giving the child choices over their time
  • Making their routine as consistent as possible, particularly at bedtime
  • Helping them to understand and share their feelings

It also provides guidance on finding a balance between work and home life at a time when there are many different things for key worker parents to manage at once.

Dr Bethan Phillips, a member of the Division of Clinical Psychology’s Faculty for Children, Young People and their Families that produced the documents, said: “We are all extremely grateful to key workers for the role that they are playing in keeping everyone safe and the country going, but we also appreciate the vital role of parenting.

“We hope that this information will be helpful to both key workers and their children in navigating these difficult times.”

In addition to the guidance for parents, there is also an advice sheet aimed at their children to answer the questions they may have.

It explains what a key worker is and why they have to spend so much time at work right now, discusses Coronavirus safety on a basic level and encourages young people to talk to their parents when they’re feeling worried.

Advice for keyworker parents – helping your child adapt

More cash for Scottish carers

As part of the next emergency coronavirus legislation, the Scottish Government is proposing an additional £19.2 million investment in Carer’s Allowance Supplement.

Around 4,735 in Edinburgh benefitting from this additional financial support. 

This is in recognition of the additional pressure that carers are under as a result of the ongoing pandemic.

If approved by parliament, around 83,000 eligible carers will get an extra £230.10  through a special one-off Coronavirus Carer’s Allowance Supplement in June.

As with the current supplement, they will not need to do anything to get this extra payment as it will be paid automatically to people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance.

This would mean that carers receive an additional £690.30 this year on top of their Carer’s Allowance and any other income. This supplement is not paid in the rest of the UK.

Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People, Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “We introduced the Carer’s Allowance Supplement to recognise the important contribution unpaid carers play in our society.

“They provide vital support to family, friends and neighbours. Our collective efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus will see many of these carers experiencing additional pressures, particularly financial, right now.

“The payment will benefit carers who are on low incomes and already have some of the most intense caring roles, providing at least 35 hours unpaid care weekly to a disabled child or adult in receipt of higher level disability benefits.

“This additional payment would be an acknowledgement to carers that we know that they are doing even more right now, and we thank you.”

Around 4,735 carers in Edinburgh are due to benefit from the one-off payment, which will be paid automatically to people in receipt of Carer’s Allowance. 

Pentlands MSP Gordon MacDonald said: “Carers in Edinburgh make an absolutely vital contribution to our society, and it’s only appropriate that their hard work is valued and they are properly supported by the Scottish Government. 

“This one-off payment will benefit carers who are on low incomes and already have some of the most intense caring roles, providing at least 35 hours unpaid care weekly to a disabled child or adult in receipt of higher level disability benefits. 

“This additional payment will be an acknowledgement to carers that we know they are providing vital support to family, friends and neighbours, and playing an absolutely crucial role in our collective efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus. 

“I am delighted that carers across Edinburgh are being recognised by the SNP Government for the important contribution they make to our communities in these extremely difficult circumstances.”

Coronavirus: UK death toll tops 30,000

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick yesterday gave the government’s latest response to COVID-19 and the work being done locally:

Good afternoon, Welcome to the coronavirus press conference from Downing Street.

I’m joined this afternoon by Professor Yvonne Doyle Medical Director for Public Health England and Dr Nikki Kanani Deputy Medical Director of Primary Care for NHS England.

Today’s data shows that:

  • 1,448,010 tests for coronavirus have now been carried across Great Britain, including 69,463 tests carried out yesterday
  • 201,101 people have tested positive, that’s an increase of 6,111 cases since yesterday
  • 13,615 people are currently in hospital with coronavirus in Great Britain, down from 13,922 the yesterday
  • And sadly, of those tested positive for coronavirus, across all settings, 30,076 have now died. That’s an increase of 649 fatalities since yesterday.

Behind that number is a heart-breaking loss for the loved ones of all those who have died, and once again our thoughts and prayers are with their families and friends.

Professor Yvonne Doyle will provide an update on the latest data on coronavirus.

But first, as Communities Secretary I would like to take this opportunity to give an update the work being done locally during the pandemic to keep people safe, to provide support people’s jobs and businesses and to prepare for the re-opening and recovery of our local economies.

That’s why it is appropriate that today we are joined by regional journalists who are doing so much to keeping people informed about how the national effort is being co-ordinated in their communities.

A free country needs a free press and the national, the regional and the local newspapers are under significant financial pressure.

I’d like to echo the words of the Culture Secretary recently in encouraging those who can, to buy a newspaper.

I have said before that the battle against coronavirus would be won in every city, town and village across the country.

This is a national effort taking place at a local level.

My department, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, has played a vital role in bringing people together to tackle the virus.

We’ve provided local authorities with over £3.2 billion during this pandemic so that they can continue to support the communities that need it through this most challenging time and respond to the immediate pressures they are facing due to coronavirus, while also protecting and preserving vital public services.

And at the start of March I established a taskforce to support Local Resilience Forums – known as LRFs – standing them up at a local level across the country, to prepare each and every community for a range of scenarios.

There are 38 LRFs in England which are made up of emergency services, a range of government agencies, health bodies and local authorities.

They are headed by the most senior and experienced local leaders of the emergency services, councils, the NHS and others who together are leading their communities through this crisis with the full support of central government.

Recognising the unprecedented challenge that we faced, I took the decision to embed within them some of the finest military planners in the world from our armed forces and I am very grateful for their work.

This combined expertise and leadership is ensuring a comprehensive, co-ordinated and consistent response across the country.

Responding to the urgent need for personal protective equipment to reach the frontline of the care sector, we’ve mobilised LRFs to help distribute PPE and thus far they have delivered over 67 million items in England alone, since early April.

Together with local councils, they are also assisting us in supporting some of the most vulnerable individuals in their communities and to date they have helped to ensure that a million boxes of food and essentials have now been delivered to those people identified by the NHS as extremely clinically vulnerable to coronavirus, the “shielded”.

With more than 290,000 boxes being distributed every week, this has been a huge team effort, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved for the role that they have played and will play in the weeks ahead.

We are also working very closely with Mayors to make sure that we have a coordinated approach to tackling coronavirus at a local level.

The government has also been determined to ensure that the vital work keeping people safe in their homes also continues.

So, with the support of the Mayors for London, the Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, Sheffield and the West Midlands, and others, we were able to announce the Building Safety Pledge.

These Mayors have come together because they have a number of high rise buildings with highly flammable cladding in their respective regions, and the pledge that we agreed, sends a very clear message that vital building safety work must continue, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

And we have been joined by 25 local authorities, including 18 in London, have also given their fulsome support.

As work on many of these critical sites was paused early on, it is now slowly starting to reassume as a result of this initiative.

And I would urge any building owner or contractor to do so, as soon as practicable, where it is safe to begin work once again.

Now coronavirus will not stop our mission to level-up, to unite and to unleash the potential of this country.

The Prime Minister will set out on Sunday our approach the second phase of this pandemic.

As we look ahead to supporting businesses as they are able to re-open, my department will lead our work on how our local economies can adapt, evolve, recover and grow.

I will continue to support mayors and local government leaders, who will play critical roles in this work.

Every local economy now needs a plan to re-start and recover.

We will be informing those plans with our own detailed work in areas such as:

  1. How workplaces, from factories to construction sites to offices can be adapted.
  2. How outdoor spaces, leisure and businesses, from parks, to high streets, to markets can be managed.
  3. And how public transport networks, from the tube, to trams, to buses, can operate.

In each case, guided by scientific and medical advice, we want to ensure appropriate and safe social distancing, providing the public with the confidence to return to work, and to return to public spaces, to public transport and to school, knowing that it’s always safe to do so.

We are considering how we can create more room in the town centre for pedestrians.

How we can make it easier to cycle or walk to work.

And we will work with towns and places whose economies have been hardest hit intensively as the recovery begins.

And our commitment to infrastructure investment remains undimmed.

For example, over two thirds of HS2 sites are open.

We want infrastructure and construction work to begin again wherever it is safe to do so.

It is clear to everyone that the pandemic is putting huge pressure on economies the world over.

And there is no denying the challenges lie ahead in our own country.

But we cannot, and will not, let this pandemic halt our work to improve connectivity, to provide vital social and cultural infrastructure and to boost economic growth across the regions.

That’s is how we will begin to rebuild and recover from this national emergency.

We are working to ensure the right support is available to local businesses.

And last week high street businesses began to receive the £22 million package designed to mitigate some of the effects of coronavirus.

With grants of us to £25,000 being paid into bank accounts of those business.

And of course the 100 towns benefiting from our £3.6 billion Towns Fund will continue to receive our support.

And we will be working at pace with them in the months ahead.

Local authorities have now paid out over £8.6 billion in grants to around 700,000 businesses.

As Local Government Secretary I’d like to congratulate those councils that have worked extremely hard sometimes around the clock to get those grants out to the businesses that desperately need them.

I’d like to congratulate Chichester, Ealing and Hyndburn councils who are the three highest performing councils so far in England.

Businesses are also receiving discounts of almost £10 billion on their rates bills in response to COVID-19, with the hardest hit by the pandemic, such as shops, cafes and pubs, paying no business rates whatsoever this financial year.

Together with existing reliefs, this means that 1.1 million ratepayers are no longer paying business rates this year.

This week the Chancellor and I announced an additional 5% uplift – up to £617 million – available to local councils to fund small businesses that rent space in shared offices, industrial units or innovation centres, as well as regular market traders, B&Bs that pay council tax rather than business rates and also to support small charities.

And local councils will now how have flexibility to make pragmatic decisions to keep those business going so they can bounce back once they are able to do so.

Moving forward, our mission is to do everything we can to help people get back to work safely, to reunite friends and family and reintroduce the things that make life worth living in a safe way, as soon as it is safe to do so.

Finally, on Friday, we will celebrating as a country the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

My department had been helping to plan some of the public celebrations, but we know that sadly we will now all need to mark this important occasion from home instead.

Cabinet colleagues have been speaking with veteran organised by The Royal British Legion and I had the pleasure earlier this week of speaking to Leslie, a 98-year-old World War Two veteran, on the phone.

Leslie was full of warmth and wisdom, telling me how he spent VE Day in Siena having fought his way through North Africa and Italy, and how he would be spending Friday, more sedately, celebrating, at home.

As he said to me, that as we rebuilt and recovered then, he is certain we’ll do so again this year.

While one terrible milestone was passed yesterday, another, more positive, landmark was reached – the Westminster Government announced that over one  million boxes of essential food have now been delivered to those at highest risk across England.

  • Nationwide milestone reached as part of unprecedented government effort to protect the most clinically vulnerable from coronavirus
  • In the last week, the government-led programme has delivered 330,000 food boxes to those most at risk across England
  • Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick hails the ‘astonishing’ achievement, thanking everyone involved in the national effort

Over 1 million boxes of essential food have now been delivered to those at highest risk across England, with more than 290,000 boxes being distributed every week and 330,000 delivered in the last week, Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP announced yesterday.

The Communities Secretary hailed the efforts of everyone involved in surpassing this milestone for the government-led programme, including national food distributors, Brakes and Bidfood, who have been delivering packages directly to clinically vulnerable people’s doorsteps.

The shielding programme, an unprecedented package of support for those most at risk from coronavirus, has seen government partner with the food industry and local councils to deliver a programme on a scale not seen since the Second World War.

Communities Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said: The coronavirus emergency has brought uncertain and difficult times but the willingness of people to pull together and support those most in need is an inspiration to us all.

This week, another significant milestone has been achieved with one million food packages delivered to those most at risk from the virus. This is an incredible achievement from this government programme’s standing start of at the end of March.

“I could not be prouder and I want to thank everyone involved, from the food box delivery drivers, to volunteers and council officials ensuring local support networks meet the needs of their communities – together, our continued and astonishing effort will provide the support that those most at risk need, for as long as they need it.”

Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “I would like to say a big thank you to Brakes and Bidfood for getting more than one million food parcels onto the doorsteps of those in need. It is an excellent achievement in such a short space of time.

“The food and drink industry is working incredibly hard to support the most vulnerable at this time, but we know there is more to do. We are continuing to work closely with local authorities, charities and industry partners to support those who still need help getting essential food supplies.”

There are around 2.1 million people with underlying severe health conditions which make them most at risk from coronavirus who must be protected and have been asked to stay at home and shield.

Many have local family and friends who can get the vital provisions needed – but for those without, the government has committed to providing the support they need, for as long as they need it.

There is further guidance available on how people can access food and other supplies, including those who are not clinically extremely vulnerable.

Vulnerable people risk going hungry without urgent government action, warns Which?

Which? is calling for urgent action from the UK government and the devolved administrations after hearing reports from more than a thousand people, including those who are at very high-risk or vulnerable and unable to access the food and basic supplies they desperately need amid the coronavirus pandemic.

While measures have been introduced by governments and supermarkets that are designed to help high-risk and vulnerable people, more than six weeks into lockdown the consumer champion continues to hear from people who are struggling to book supermarket delivery slots, are unable to find the help they need locally and in some cases find themselves forced to risk their health to get supplies.

Millions of individuals have been identified by the governments around the UK as extremely vulnerable and in the very high-risk group, but Which? is hearing that some are missing out on the provision they need through no fault of their own.

Others who are vulnerable, or have been asked to ‘self-isolate’ because they are elderly, pregnant or suffer from medical conditions that could cause severe illness if they were to contract Covid-19, are even more likely to have fallen through the cracks.

Which? found a range of issues among the huge number of reports received. As well as very high-risk people who are shielding and struggling to get deliveries or being forced to visit stores despite being advised to stay at home, others have been unable to navigate complex, confusing and often overwhelmed government and supermarket helplines or other support systems.

Some of these vulnerable customers told Which? that they are having to stay up into the early hours of the morning in an attempt to book supermarket delivery slots, while others are left relying on the kindness of neighbours.

Gillian Medlar and her husband are both on the very high-risk or extremely vulnerable list as she has Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and he has lymphoma.

They haven’t been able to get a supermarket delivery slot, and described them as “gold dust”. They’ve been forced to rely on a neighbour, but want to limit how much they are asking of her.

The problem also affects carers, who cannot leave the house but are not in the high-risk category themselves so also have to rely on getting delivery slots.

Melvin, whose son is in the highest risk category, has received letters advising him to shield for three months. The whole household is shielding but they have not been recognised as extremely vulnerable by the supermarkets’ websites as the online accounts are in Melvin’s name and not his son’s.

Carers of vulnerable people can go out for groceries but this may not always be possible if they also need to self-isolate themselves.

Geoff Wilson, 86, described feeling like he and the 96-year-old lady he is a full time carer for were “the forgotten ones”. They aren’t eligible to register as extremely vulnerable, and have been unable to get a home delivery from anywhere.

Supermarkets say they have been overwhelmed by demand. While many have gone to great lengths to increase their capacity, without a more coordinated effort from government and better access to other forms of provision in local areas, deliveries will continue to fall short of what’s needed to make sure that every vulnerable person is able to access food and basic supplies without leaving their home.

We have also heard from people who are vulnerable and need help, regardless of their Covid-19 risk. One disabled and housebound individual told Which? she felt she had “completely fallen off the radar for pretty much all of the supposed support measures. Unable to get the delivery slots she relied on, she described being ‘trapped with no deliveries for three of the past four weeks”.

Governments in England, Scotland and Wales have provided the supermarkets with edited lists of those that fall in the extremely vulnerable category and have requested support with getting food. Part of this support is the offer of priority delivery slots by supermarkets.

Supermarkets began by cross-referencing the lists received against existing registered customers and offering priority delivery slots to them. Some supermarkets have also helped people on the government list who aren’t existing customers .

However, Which? has also heard from extremely vulnerable people who despite receiving a letter from the government letting them know that they qualify for priority supermarket delivery slots, have then been left in the dark for weeks on end about what they need to do.

There have been issues identifying the most vulnerable people and in some cases they have to identify themselves but there has been a lack of clarity and no central point of contact in order to find the best solution for each individual or area – which may not always be supermarket delivery but instead community based solutions from either smaller independent shops or volunteers.

Amanda Kontzle told Which? that her father is over 70 and having stem cell cancer treatment. He has been contacted by the government to reassure him that he is on the list of very high-risk people, but has been unable to get a delivery slot with any supermarket despite registering as a customer.

Amanda said: “I’m absolutely disgusted at how he has been treated during this crisis so far.”

Which? believes that the UK’s four governments must step up efforts to ensure that no one who is vulnerable has fallen through the cracks and is struggling to access basic supplies.

Better coordination between governments, local authorities, the food industry and local charities is also urgently needed for those who are vulnerable but not in the highest risk group, so that they understand how to easily access the support they need, whether that is through their local supermarket or community based provision.

Many of the people who have contacted Which? say they feel have been let down by the supermarkets because they are unable to get delivery slots – but there are limits to supermarkets’ ability to address some of the issues experienced by vulnerable consumers without additional government support.

The governments across the UK must now urgently coordinate their approach to make sure that no vulnerable person has to navigate confusing, long-winded and complicated systems in order to access food during the pandemic lockdown.

Sue Davies, Head of Consumer Protection and Food Policy at Which?, said: “Based on the huge number of reports we’re seeing from vulnerable people struggling to get access to basic food and supplies, it’s clear that the current system is not working for those who need it the most.

“Without easily accessible and clearer information for these people, and stronger coordination between the UK’s central and devolved governments, the food industry, local authorities and local charities, there is a risk that many will go hungry during this pandemic.”

Can tradespeople still work in my home? Lockdown questions answered

New advice has been issued to households in Scotland to help answer questions over whether maintenance or servicing work can still be carried out in the home during the Covid-19 lockdown.

According to a survey conducted before the pandemic, over half of UK homeowners were planning to have work completed on their property during 2020, at a total cost of £55bn.

Many households may now be asking whether their plans can still go ahead in the current climate and, in response, OFTEC, the registration body for off-grid heating work, has answered some of the most common questions to help homeowners in Scotland comply with government advice and stay safe.

These include: 

Can work continue in my home?

  • Repair and maintenance work can be carried out by a tradesperson providing no one in your, or the tradesperson’s, family are showing any Covid-19 symptoms. However, two metre social distancing rules must be followed and regular handwashing is recommended. It may also be worth considering whether it may be better to postpone ‘non-essential work’. OFTEC has advised technicians to undertake additional risk assessments and many businesses have signalled that they will only carry out emergency work.

Are there circumstances when work must not be carried out in my home?

  • Work should not be carried out in households where occupants are self-isolating or being ‘shielded’. If there is an urgent need to address a direct risk to those living in the property, such as emergency plumbing or repair work, this can go ahead if the tradesperson is willing to do so. Additional precautions may also need to be put in place.

If it is safe to carry out work in my home, what should I expect?

  • Many tradespeople have introduced additional precautionary measures and it is important to follow these carefully. They may include:
    • Asking you to stay in a separate room whilst the work is completed
    • Requesting doors and windows are open to increase ventilation
    • Adapting payment methods e.g. no paper invoices or cash payments
    • Wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
    • Regularly washing their hands and bringing their own towel
    • Declining refreshments

Can I still have heating oil delivered?

  • Yes. There are 135,000 households in Scotland who rely on oil to heat their homes and, fortunately, the price of oil has plummeted which is a welcome relief when many incomes have been reduced. However, delivery times may be slightly longer than normal so regularly check your oil level to ensure you don’t run out. Some oil delivery firms are prioritising vulnerable households so ask your provider if you fall into this category. More information is available from the liquid fuel distribution trade association’s website: UKIFDA.

Malcolm Farrow of OFTEC, commented: “It is a very unsettling time for many households and there is a lot of confusion about tradespeople working in homes. The government advice is regularly being updated so ensure you check their website for the latest information.

“Most tradespeople are also introducing new safety measures as a precaution for both your and their benefit so don’t take it personally if they change the way they work! If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to raise them with the tradesperson.

“Remember, always ask to see an ID badge to check their credentials such as whether they are OFTEC (for oil and solid fuel) or GasSafe (for mains gas) registered. This will ensure the work is completed safely and to a high standard.”

More information and advice is available on the OFTEC website.

Scottish Government aid for landlords

A £5 million fund will offer interest-free loans to landlords whose tenants are having difficulty paying rent during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. The Private Rent Sector Landlord COVID-19 Loan Scheme will offer eligible landlords up to 100% of lost rental income for a single property.

It will support private-sector landlords who are not classified as businesses, have five or less properties to rent and have lost rental income due to tenants unable to pay rent as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “We want to ensure no one loses their home during this unprecedented public health pandemic which is why we passed legislation to protect tenants against any eviction action for six months.

“This new £5 million loan fund builds on that action and offers landlords the same security as tenants, ensuring they have financial support if tenants struggle to pay rent because of coronavirus.

“While all tenants should pay their rent if they can, we recognise the financial pressure people are facing. The Scottish Government encourages landlords to talk to their tenants about rent payment issues. We also expect landlords to be as flexible as possible with their tenants, discuss managing rental payments and help them find sources of financial support and advice.”

Chief Executive of the Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) John Blackwood said: “We are pleased the Scottish Government has taken this first step in helping the private-rented sector weather the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which recognises the role private landlords play in the housing system.

“Collectively the housing sector needs an approach that protects all parts of housing in Scotland to guarantee we can provide the different types of quality housing we need.  We want to continue to work with the government, as well as other public bodies, trade bodies and charities to ensure to achieve that and hope there will be further steps taken soon.”

The Private Rent Sector Landlord (non-business) COVID-19 Loan Scheme opened for applications yesterday. Read more information.

The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 already protects tenants from any eviction action for six months.

Care Homes and Coronavirus: Holyrood committee launches survey

The Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee has launched a survey looking into the particular issues faced by care homes during the coronavirus pandemic.

The digital survey is aiming to finding out the preparedness of care homes to respond to this pandemic, and how they have been supported and equipped to deal with its effects. The Committee is seeking views from care home residents, their families and care homes staff.

Over the coming weeks, the Committee will be undertaking a series of short inquiries into the Scottish Government’s response to the pandemic.

As well as looking at the issues faced by care homes, the Committee will be looking at the Government’s testing policy, issues around personal protective equipment (PPE), and the emergency planning and preparation that was in place with a view to supporting the health and social care sector’s ability to manage any potential ‘second wave’ of the virus, or future pandemic.

Lewis Macdonald MSP, Health and Sport Committee Convener, said: “As the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic has continued to rise, it has become clear that care homes in particular have suffered many tragic losses.

“The most recent data from the National Records of Scotland shows more than half of Scotland’s coronavirus deaths are now happening in care homes.

“This is shocking and has a devastating impact on residents, staff and their families.

“Our Committee is determined to find out the issues that care homes are facing, how they have been supported by the Government and what can be done now to help them deal with this unprecedented challenge.”

The survey is available here: www.parliament.scot/care-homes-covid

It closes on 20th May.