Tag: pandemic

Major broadband providers not up to speed during pandemic

Some of the UK’s biggest broadband providers have been letting down their customers on connection reliability, internet speeds and value for money during the pandemic, according to Which?’s annual customer satisfaction survey.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, broadband has proved more important than ever – with millions of people relying on their internet to work from home, educate their children and keep in touch with loved ones.

In Which?’s annual survey, seven in 10 people (71%) said they had used their connection more since the outbreak of the pandemic, with nearly two thirds of those saying their use has increased substantially.

However, the volume of issues consumers have experienced with their broadband provider has also increased over the past year. Seven in 10 (69%) respondents said they had experienced an issue with their connection in the past 12 months – a substantial increase on last year’s survey.

Very low speeds (59%) and frequent dropouts (53%) were the most common problems experienced more often during the pandemic, compared to before the pandemic. Almost half of respondents (48%) reported they had been left without a connection for more than a day and around four in 10 (44%) said they had been left without internet for more than an hour.

The findings reflect the likelihood that an increased reliance on broadband over the past year means customers are more likely to notice – and be frustrated by – any connection issues.

Although the Big Four broadband providers – BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Virgin Media – supply nine in ten households, our survey found they have left many customers disappointed.

Virgin Media has its own cable network in parts of the UK, which allows it to offer some of the fastest broadband speeds. Yet its customers gave it poor ratings for connection reliability – with one in three Virgin Media customers saying they had experienced a connection outage lasting at least an hour in the past year and almost a quarter saying their connection was slow to upload or download.

Virgin Media customers were also less likely to be satisfied with their customer service, ease of setup and value for money. Overall, Virgin received a low overall customer score of just 53 per cent – leaving it second from bottom in Which’s satisfaction rankings.

TalkTalk and Sky fared similarly, with customer scores of 54 per cent. While TalkTalk scored fairly well for value for money, it had the highest proportion of customers who would not recommend their provider to others.

Sky rated poorly for value for money – perhaps because a quarter of Sky customers experienced frequent dropouts despite paying more for their service than the average broadband customer.

To add insult to injury, more than a quarter of Sky customers said the price of their deal had increased in the past year.

Sky also received low scores for connection speed, connection reliability and ease of setup and dropped three places in this year’s survey. The Which survey also revealed Sky to be the joint worst provider – along with Utility Warehouse – for very slow speeds, which affected three in 10 (29%) customers.

BT earned the highest score of the Big Four providers (57%) but still only managed eighth place overall – just one place up from its ranking last year. It scored middling ratings across the board apart from value for money, which scored poorly.

One BT customer said they were satisfied with BT but believed the provider could do better – especially during the pandemic, when more people are working from home and dependent on an internet connection.

More than half of BT’s customers had never been with another provider, and the majority were not planning to switch. But our results show that out-of-contract BT customers should consider making a move as they are likely to find an alternative that is both cheaper and more reliable.

Only John Lewis scored lower than the Big Four (47%), with low ratings for connection speed, connection reliability and ease of setup.

At the other end of the scale, Zen Internet achieved the highest customer score of 70 per cent and was the highest ranked broadband provider for the second year in a row (scoring 84 per cent in 2020).

Zen achieved high scores across the board and despite not offering the cheapest tariffs, 85 per cent said they would recommend it to a friend.

Zen narrowly missed out on Which? Recommended Provider (WRP) status as it has not yet signed up to Ofcom’s codes of practice on broadband speeds. However the company is actively working towards signing up soon, at which point it will become a WRP.

The survey also found customers who upgraded to fibre broadband often felt the benefits. Of the nearly 3,000 respondents who had fibre broadband, 63 per cent noticed faster speeds after switching and 45 per cent noticed fewer connection dropouts.

However, although superfast fibre connections are available to 96 per cent of the country, many are yet to take them up. Around a quarter of the respondents told Which? they still had standard broadband.

In light of these disappointing results for many providers, the broadband industry must up its game. Consumers are relying much more heavily on their internet connection during the pandemic and broadband companies will have to work harder to meet customers’ rising expectations and provide value for money.

The government has also recognised that as part of achieving its goal for at least 85 per cent of the UK to have access to gigabit-capable broadband by 2025, low consumer demand for these services in the current market must be addressed.

In August 2020, the UK government asked Which? to convene and chair the Gigabit Take-up Advisory Group (GigaTAG) to put forward recommendations on how to encourage more consumers to switch to gigabit-capable networks.

The GigaTAG is considering these barriers and the potential solutions in more detail and will report back to the government in spring 2021.

Natalie Hitchins, Which? Head of Home Products and Services, said: “With so many people at home relying on their internet during the pandemic, a good connection has never been more important – but we found some of the UK’s biggest suppliers are not up to speed.

“Broadband providers must up their game and meet the challenge of providing fast, reliable connections and good customer service for millions of customers whose needs and expectations have risen over the last year.

“The industry and government must also work together to ensure more people have the chance to switch to faster and more reliable gigabit-capable broadband services in the years to come – or risk undermining the UK’s goal of becoming a world leader in connectivity.”

New and expectant mums face increased mental health risks caused by the pandemic

Report raises concerns as services supporting women and babies come under strain

During and after pregnancy, women have faced greater likelihood of poor mental health during the pandemic, including anxiety, depression, loneliness and suicidal thoughts, according to a new report commissioned by a coalition of leading maternal mental health organisations. 

Women of colour and women from poorer economic backgrounds are more likely to experience mental health problems during and after pregnancy, according to the research. 

The rapid review of evidence commissioned by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA), and conducted by Centre for Mental Health, for the first time compiles all available evidence into one place.

This shows that access to crucial services reduced for pregnant women, new mums and babies across the UK, especially during the early stages of the pandemic. While health and care staff worked hard to deliver safe care, significant gaps emerged. Women also experienced a reduction in informal support from friends, relatives and networks of other women sharing their experiences.

Extra pressures include anxiety about giving birth during lockdown without partners present, fears of losing jobs, heightened levels of domestic violence, bereavement, worries about catching Covid-19, and concern about new infants catching the disease. 

The MMHA, a network of over 100 national organisations, together with lived experience champions and clinicians, is calling on Ministers to fill the pre-Covid gaps in specialist perinatal mental health.

In addition, the wider system surrounding these services, including health visiting and maternity, needs to be protected and enhanced. Furthermore, up-to-date monitoring and research of maternal mental healthcare should be commissioned.

It also says that without sustained funding, many Voluntary and Community Services will not survive, despite the increased demand from women for their services. 

Luciana Berger, chair of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA) said: ‘Today’s report should serve as an ear-splitting warning siren about the dangers to women’s maternal mental health and potential risks to the wellbeing of their babies.

The pandemic has placed additional challenges on new and expectant mums getting the care and support they need, taking many already-stretched services to the point of breaking. Women of colour and women from disadvantaged backgrounds have been particularly impacted, and Ministers must address this injustice with urgency.’ 

Sarah Hughes, chief executive of Centre for Mental Health, which carried out the research, said: ‘The Covid-19 pandemic has been a mental health challenge across society, but it has not affected everyone equally. It has placed especial pressure on women during pregnancy and after they’ve given birth.

“And it has made inequalities that were always there in plain sight even more pronounced. We need to take this opportunity to review and reframe what support women should expect for their mental health during the perinatal period, and to make sure that we prepare for any future crisis to avoid another loss of support at a crucial time in people’s lives.’

Aleema Shivji, Comic Relief Executive Director for Impact and Investment said: ‘The pandemic has put an unprecedented strain on the nation’s mental health and it is sadly no surprise that, as this report proves, pregnant women and new mums who face enormous challenges, have sadly been worst affected. 

“It’s clear that more work is needed urgently to help tackle the shame and stigma attached to maternal mental health for mums to feel recognised, supported and able to ask for help. At Comic Relief we have prioritised funding mental health services for over 25 years, but it is clear this is still needed now more than ever.’

Today’s report Maternal mental health during a pandemic was commissioned by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance and conducted by Centre for Mental Health, and covers all four parts of the UK.

Joanna Barrett, Associate Head of Policy (Nations) at NSPCC Scotland, said: “This report highlights the profound impact the pandemic has had on the mental health of parents during and following pregnancy, particularly in the most deprived communities of the country.

“We have long warned that without the right support at the right time, adult mental health problems during pregnancy and the first year can have serious immediate and long-term consequences for both young children and their families.

“That’s why our Fight for a Fair Start campaign is calling on the Scottish Government to invest in universal early years support, to give professionals the ‘time to care’ to develop positive and trusting relationships with infants and their families.

“This will give babies the best possible start in life, the support to recover from the pandemic, and the opportunity to thrive not just survive.”

CentreforMH_MaternalMHPandemic_FullReportDownload

Calor offers £85,000 in grants for vital causes and kickstarts search for Rural Hero of the Year

Leading off-grid energy supplier, Calor, has launched a nationwide search for the very best rural community projects, with £85,000 in grants up for grabs.

On top of this, the Warwickshire-based firm is also launching an exciting new award, the Rural Hero of The Year, which will celebrate those who have gone the extra mile for others during the pandemic.  

Designed to provide a helping hand and much-needed funding across the UK to rural community groups who aren’t connected to the mains gas grid, the 2021 Calor Rural Community Fund launched on Wednesday 10th March and entries are open until Wednesday 21st April.

This past year, communities have had to support each other from a distance like never before and in recognition of this, Calor has also launched its Rural Hero of the Year Award so that special individuals could be recognised for the great community work they’ve done.

The award is a separate category within the Rural Community Fund, where people can nominate themselves or someone in their local community who went above and beyond to help others during 2020.

That could be a neighbour who provided Zoom story-telling classes for children in the local village, someone who did the food shopping for the elderly neighbours in their area, or any other deserving initiatives throughout the pandemic that shows how an individual helped their local community out in some way. Entries are open from Wednesday 10th March until Wednesday 23rd June.

The winner of the Rural Hero of the Year award will be presented with a commemorative trophy and special prize from Calor recognising their outstanding contribution to community spirit in 2020.

Andy Parker, Head of Strategy and Corporate Affairs at Calor, said: “We’re passionate about engaging with and helping rural communities across the UK. Through the Rural Community Fund we are incredibly proud to have been able to support 214 projects with over £460,000 generated through donations and Calor contributions over the last four years.

“This funding is absolutely vital to these projects and it’s been incredible to see these grants bring to life everything from local football teams’ new facilities to outdoor learning centres for primary schools.

“We understand that this past year has been particularly hard which is why we wanted to recognise those individuals who have put their heart and soul into helping others.

“It’s one of the many reasons we launched our Rural Hero of the Year category which will celebrate those who have gone above and beyond to help their community throughout the pandemic. We’re incredibly excited to see all of the entries for this and the Rural Community Fund, over the coming months.”

The Calor Rural Community Fund gives applicants the chance to win funding of £1,000, £2,500 or £5,000 for anything from vital renovations and upgrades to public facilities, through to new equipment for children’s groups in often remote areas of the country.

Applicants for the fund will be listed on the Calor Rural Community Fund website and then encouraged to share their project through social media to gain points. Those projects with the highest number of points in each funding category will become shortlisted finalists, and will be reviewed by a Calor Committee before being announced as Finalists.

To find out more about the Calor Rural Community Fund and the Rural Hero of The Year award, as well as more detail on how to enter and get involved, head to communityfund.calor.co.uk.

£45m support package for schools

A new package of £45 million will help local authorities to provide support to schools and families as they deal with the challenges of remote learning during lockdown, Education Secretary John Swinney confirmed yesterday.

Councils may use the funding – sufficient to fund 2,000 additional teachers – for purposes including recruitment of additional staff, additional digital devices or to provide additional family support.

This is on top of £160 million already committed for education recovery since the start of the pandemic, bringing the total additional support provided to more than £200 million since the start of the pandemic. Private and third sector day care of children settings will also receive almost £4 million in temporary financial support.

Mr Swinney has also asked HM Inspectors of Education to commence with a national review of the quality and effectiveness of remote learning across the country with the first report published next Friday, 22 January.

The Scottish Government will ensure all appropriate mitigations are in place to support a safe return including enhancing our testing programme in schools. We expect that pilots of two different testing models – one using in-school testing with Lateral Flow Devices (LFD), and another involving at-home testing using PCR tests – will begin in a small number of schools from next week.

Mr Swinney said: “I appreciate only too well the additional burden home learning is placing on many of our children and their families. After the last period of school building closures we commissioned an Equity Audit, published today, to better understand the impact on children’s learning and health and wellbeing, particularly disadvantaged pupils.

“Since the start of the pandemic our funding has led to an additional 1,400 teachers and over 200 support staff being appointed. The new funding can be used to recruit further staff – which might include teachers, classroom assistants, administrative staff, home/school link workers or other support workers – as well as the resources that families and schools need to support home learning, including additional digital devices where there is any remaining unmet need, and other home learning resources.

“The quality and effectiveness of remote learning across the country will be reviewed by HM Inspectors of Education. A programme of ‘national overviews’, will commence immediately and last for the duration of remote learning. These will seek to identify what is working well and where further improvement is required. These overviews will be published weekly to ensure they are available for everyone to learn and build from, starting week ending 22 January.

“I am aware that remaining open for very small numbers of children creates pressure for some childcare providers, and I can therefore confirm we will make temporary financial support of up to £3.8 million available for each four week period of restrictions to day care of children providers and childminding settings caring for 12 or more children who remain open for vulnerable and keyworker children during these restrictions. We will confirm details as soon as possible.

“If the evidence tells us we can get some pupils back safely, we will do that, and we will ensure the package of mitigations in schools remains robust and tailored to the circumstances we face. As part of that work, we expect that pilots of two different testing models – one using in-school testing with Lateral Flow Devices, and another involving at-home testing using PCR tests – will begin in a small number of schools from next week, helping to inform options for wider rollout.

“I am grateful to our hardworking, dedicated teaching professionals for their intense work to plan, organise and deliver learning. The virus will be beaten, and schools will return fully to intensify our efforts to achieve excellence and equity for all of Scotland’s children.”

Advice and support for parents and carers is available at the Parent Club.

Letters: Keep Music Flowing

Dear Editor

As we move into 2021 and parents, teachers and pupils once again find themselves facing additional challenges to deliver and attain a full and rounded education, it is worthwhile remembering the role that music can and should play in improving our lives. 

Firstly, music will help support and sustain our young people through the coming months. For children and adults alike, the creative arts play a vital role in promoting wellbeing and positive mental health, providing both a means of expression during the isolation of “lockdown” and a practical as well as enjoyable pastime.   

Secondly – and just as importantly – playing an instrument is complementary to academic subjects and has been shown emphatically to improve wider educational success. As we consider the often daunting challenge of the return to home schooling, those parents whose children can mix domestic timetables with musical lessons will understand the release and stimulation playing an instrument can deliver.  

Across society music is integral to our identities and is made to be shared. We now have the means to do that successfully and safely with online tools whose use has been well-honed by recent experience. 

So whether you’re at the start of a musical journey, or are well advanced in music -let’s keep singing, keep dancing and keep music lessons flowing, particularly while the restrictions necessitated by the pandemic keep us apart in our own homes.

Dr Kenneth Taylor,

Headteacher, St Mary’s Music School,

Coates Hall, 25 Grosvenor Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 5EL

How coronavirus has changed day-to-day living in UK cities

DIY, baking and watching TV grow in popularity

People in cities across the UK are finding different ways to spend their time during the pandemic, according to analysis of data by Leeds Building Society.

Over 2,500 people in different UK cities were asked how their lives had changed as they adapted to spending more time in their homes during the pandemic. The data was part of a national survey by TLF Research*.

Growing vegetables is taking up more time for people living in Edinburgh (20%), Glasgow (18%) and Belfast (18%). Baking and home cooking has also risen in popularity in Belfast (44%), Leeds (43%), Southampton, Bristol and Cardiff (all 39%), Edinburgh (38%), Norwich (34%) and Glasgow (32%).

Notably, young people are spending more time in the kitchen, with 43% of 18 to 24-year-olds doing more cooking and baking – higher than any other age group, according to the findings.

The pandemic has made us all think about how we can improve our homes. DIY and painting and decorating proved popular in Liverpool (62%), Belfast and Sheffield (both 56%), Leeds (54%) and London (53%).

Other key findings from the survey:

People in Cardiff (46%), Leeds (45%), Sheffield (43%), Norwich, Glasgow, Nottingham (all 42%) said they are shopping online more. The biggest increase was among 18 to 24-year-olds (47%) and over 65-year-olds (47%).

In Manchester (72%), Leeds (67%), Liverpool (65%), Bristol (62%), Cardiff (61%) and Belfast (60%) respondents said they were watching more TV and films. Those aged 18-24 (75%) reported the highest rise; meanwhile the lowest was in the over-65s (52%).

People in London and Bristol (both 31%) and Southampton (27%) have all devoted more time to keeping fit.

In Leeds (24%), Glasgow (19%) and Belfast (18%), people said they were indulging in more home comforts like nice meals and buying more loungewear.

“It’s interesting to see how improvements around the house have become a priority for so many people across the country and how we are all adapting,” says Jaedon Green, Chief Customer Officer at Leeds Building Society.

“Lockdown gave us a chance to pause and think about our immediate and long-term goals, and for many of us this included making our home more comfortable and relaxing as we adapted to new ways of living.

“As people’s priorities shift it looks like more of us will be making changes to ensure we have the homes and lifestyles we want,” he adds.

Headteachers and Deputes placed under huge pressure throughout COVID pandemic

The EIS has published a new briefing paper which highlights the views of Headteachers (HTs) and Deputes (DHTs) on the pressures of working in schools during the pandemic.

The EIS recently surveyed members across Scotland on a wide range of COVID-related issues and is publishing a series of themed briefings. Today’s report is based on comments received from HTs and DHTs in response to the national survey.

Key issues identified include:

  • Senior leaders highlighted that they are doing their best to implement the guidance to keep their schools safe, but there are just too many pupils in classrooms and in communal areas.
  • Some members suggested that the transmission within their school is not being reported.
  • There was widespread concern over the wellbeing of school staff who feel under pressure with their workload and are anxious about teaching with so many pupils in class full time.

EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “Headteachers and Deputes have been under immense pressure throughout the pandemic.

“Many Headteachers and Deputes worked through the summer holidays to prepare schools for return after the lockdown, and have continued to work extremely long hours ever since.

“Added to this, HTs and DHTs have been compelled to take on responsibility for contact tracing in their schools, with little or no additional support. With some school buildings set to remain open right up to Christmas, many HTs and DHTs will be expected to handle track and trace calls throughout the festive period.”

A sample of comments from HTs and DHTs who responded to the survey is included below:

  • “The amount of additional pressure and workload on head teachers is disgraceful. Now working 7 days a week as on call constantly with no time back or recognition. Schools are not safe.”
  • “Quite concerned about the way in which the public health team is dealing with confirmed cases in school. Parent can report that child has tested positive before 9am yet it takes until 3pm for any decision to be made about the class/staff isolating.”
  • “All staff are working in a very stressful environment due to working within guidance and are exhausted.  Many feel vulnerable and would have appreciated being offered the flu vaccine as some protection against illness this winter.  Many are also feeling undervalued as it’s fine for them to work with 30 different families but not for them to visit their own.”
  • “My desire would be that schools remain open and that our pupils get the service they long for. If the public health situation is severe enough for a level 4 lockdown and all non-essential shops are closed, then serious consideration must be given to risk of staff and pupils in schools. I believe that blended learning is a half-way house and pupils would get a better deal by staff being fully committed to remote learning. The remote learning offer is now far better than what it was in April to June.”
  • “We are finding staffing incredibly challenging.  I currently have 50% of my teachers off and while we are able to cover, the lack of supply teachers available is very concerning.  I am concerned about the impact on the staff who are in and the impact long term staff absence is having on our children.”
  • Staff are exhausted and anxious. There may be a limit to how long they can continue under such pressure.”

Today’s briefing (below) on Headteachers and Deputes is the latest publication to support the EIS campaign #NotAtAllCosts, which argues against the government plan to keep schools physically open ‘at all costs’ even in areas with high rates of COVID infection.

EIS-HTs-and-DHTsDownload

The EIS is continuing to share members’ comments online and urges individual teachers to do the same using the hashtag #NotAtAllCosts and tagging the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in their posts.

Today’s briefing and further information on the #NotAtAllCosts campaign can be accessed via the EIS website at www.eis.org.uk/Coronavirus/NotAtAllCosts