The UK Government yesterday opened a new walk-through coronavirus testing centre at Thimblerow Car Park (PH1 5QT), in Perth. The centre is easily accessible for people without a car.
The new facility is being provided by the UK Government as part of a UK-wide drive to continue to improve the accessibility of coronavirus testing for local communities. It is operated by Mitie on behalf of the UK Government.
The test centre is part of the largest network of diagnostic testing facilities created in British history. In Scotland, this comprises of 6 drive through sites, 13 walk through sites, 21 mobile units, plus the Glasgow Lighthouse Lab which is working round the clock to process samples.
A new Scottish megalab has also been announced – this will provide capacity to process an extra 300,000 tests a day, create thousands of jobs and play a key part of the UK’s national infrastructure response.
In Scotland, the UK Government is providing all Covid testing and test processing outside of the NHS. Around two thirds of all daily tests are provided by the UK Government, in support of Scotland’s health services.
Tests must be booked in advance at NHS Inform or by calling 0800 028 2816. People should only book at test if they have coronavirus symptoms (a high temperature, a new and continuous cough, or a loss or change to their sense of smell or taste).
Health Minister Lord Bethell said: “To respond to the coronavirus, we have built a major testing and tracing system from scratch. We are constantly working to expand and improve it with new technologies and innovations so everyone with symptoms can get a test.
“New walk-in sites like this one makes it even easier to get a test no matter where you live. If you have symptoms of coronavirus, I urge you to book a test today and follow the advice of NHS Test and Protect if you are contacted to protect others and stop the spread of the virus.”
Baroness Dido Harding, Interim Executive Chair of the National Institute for Health Protection, said: “Walk through sites offer communities better access to coronavirus testing, so everyone with symptoms can get a test.
“This new site is part of our ongoing work to expand our testing network across the UK which is now has the capacity to process more than 500,000 tests a day. We will continue to expand capacity to improve test turnaround times and push forward testing innovations to make sure anyone who needs a test can get one.
Please book a test if you have coronavirus symptoms: a new continuous cough, a high temperature and a loss or change in sense of smell or taste, and follow the advice of NHS Test and Protect if you are contacted.”
UK Government Minister for Scotland, Iain Stewart, said: The UK Government is helping all parts of the UK fight the coronavirus pandemic.
“Testing is vital, helping to manage local outbreaks and protecting people’s livelihoods. The UK Government is providing the bulk of Covid testing in Scotland, and this new walk-through centre is just the latest in our extensive testing network.
“We are pleased to be working with local and commercial partners. These sites are not possible without the hard work of many people. I would like to thank everyone involved for their incredible efforts for the good of the country at this difficult time.”
Dr Emma Fletcher, Director of Public Health for NHS Tayside said: “This new walk through testing centre is very welcome and provides an additional opportunity for people to access testing in the Tayside area.
“People are reminded that if they show any symptoms of COVID-19 they should isolate, along with their household, and seek testing immediately.
Simon Venn, Mitie Chief Government & Strategy Officer, said: Our priority during the pandemic is to support the nation’s efforts to fight COVID-19 and help keep the country running.
“Testing is a critical part of the UK’s strategy to combat coronavirus and we’re proud to support the UK Government with this vital task. A big thank you to all the NHS staff, Mitie employees and other frontline heroes in Perth, who are working tirelessly to keep us all safe.”
Drive-through testing sites
Testing under the UK programme in Scotland is currently conducted in drive-through sites operating at:
Glasgow Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Aberdeen Airport
Prestwick Airport
Inverness – University of the Highlands and Islands campus
Dundee – Dudhope Castle
There are also a number of mobile testing units which will be located in towns across Scotland for short periods each time.
Walk-through testing sites
You may be able to access testing via a walk-through testing site. You should walk or cycle to this site and avoid travelling by public transport or taxi.
You can book an appointment via the usual booking process. We have walk-through test sites in:
UK Government concludes negotiations with Moderna to secure access to 5 million doses of its promising coronavirus vaccine
vaccine could be delivered to the UK from Spring 2021, if approved by the medicines regulator
deal increases total number of doses secured by the UK to 355 million, as part of the government’s strategy to build a diverse portfolio of promising vaccines
The UK government has completed negotiations with biotech company Moderna to secure access to 5 million doses of its promising vaccine, enough for around 2.5 million people, the Business Secretary announced last night.
If it meets robust standards of safety and effectiveness and approved by the medicines regulator, the vaccine could be delivered to the UK and Europe as early as Spring 2021 with the potential for the government to procure more doses next year.
This would follow the first deliveries of the Pfizer/BioNTech and the Oxford University/AstraZenece vaccines which, once final data from their phase 3 clinical trials has been published and if they receive regulatory approval, could be available before the end of the year.
The agreement is part of the government’s strategy to develop a diverse portfolio of vaccines, increasing the UK’s chances of securing access to a promising vaccine. Today’s deal means the government has put in place agreements with 7 different developers and has secured 355 million vaccine doses, giving the UK the best possible chance of protecting the public from coronavirus as soon as possible.
The news comes as Moderna today publishes initial data showing that its candidate is nearly 95% effective in protecting against COVID-19, with no safety issues identified to date. The safety data is still to be released by Moderna to show whether the vaccine is both safe and effective.
Until a vaccine is found to meet robust standards of safety and effectiveness, the public must continue to take necessary actions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe, including following the Hands, Face, Space guidance and other public health advice.
Business Secretary Alok Sharma (top) said: “Today’s announcement is on top of the 350 million doses the UK has already secured from a range of other vaccine developers, putting us towards the front of the international pack on a per capita basis.
“The speed at which scientists around the world have worked on a vaccine has been incredible, and it is thanks to their ingenuity that we are on the cusp of one of the biggest scientific breakthroughs in recent years.
“While this is exciting news, I urge the public to not be complacent – we are at a critical point in the pandemic and in order to save lives we must continue to follow guidance by maintaining social distancing, wearing face masks and washing our hands regularly.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Today’s announcement is excellent news and an encouraging step forward in our fight against COVID-19.
“We have moved swiftly to secure 5 million doses of this hugely promising vaccine meaning we are even better placed to vaccinate everyone who will benefit should the rigorous safety standards be met.
“But we are not there yet. Until science can make us safe, we must remain vigilant and keep following the rules that we know can keep this virus under control.”
Moderna is currently conducting phase 3 clinical trials of its vaccine and is using mRNA vaccine technology.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has started a rolling review of Moderna’s vaccine. MHRA will carefully and scientifically review the safety, quality and effectiveness data once it has all been submitted to determine how it protects people from COVID-19 and the level of protection it provides.
The data must include results from the lab and clinical trials; manufacturing and quality controls, product sampling, and testing of the final product.
Once they have thoroughly reviewed the data, the MHRA will seek advice from the government’s independent advisory body, the Commission on Human Medicines. They will critically assess the data too before advising the government on the safety, quality and effectiveness of any potential vaccine.
The MHRA is globally recognised for requiring the highest standards of safety, quality and effectiveness for any vaccine.
Chair of the government’s Vaccine Taskforce Kate Bingham said: “Today’s news from Moderna is very encouraging. The Moderna mRNA vaccine has posted excellent efficacy data to date from its initial phase 3 readout. The vaccine uses mRNA technology demonstrating that these novel vaccines are showing early promise in being effective against COVID-19.
“The government has now signed agreements with seven vaccine developers to secure the most promising vaccines for the UK. The government’s Vaccine Taskforce are pursuing a portfolio approach to obtaining vaccines for the UK across different vaccine formats, to maximise the chances of finding safe and effective vaccines.
“We will continue to monitor the field of promising vaccines, and are very encouraged by the effectiveness shown by these early frontrunners, but we must remain vigilant to the fact that no vaccine is yet approved for use by regulators.”
The devolved administrations have united to call on the UK Government to ensure those who are entitled to financial support are receiving it.
Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has joined Ministers from Wales and Northern Ireland in writing to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Thérèse Coffey, asking to work together to create a benefit take-up strategy.
The devolved nations have also asked the UK Government to make permanent the current £20 a week increase for Universal Credit (UC) and extend it to the benefits which will eventually be replaced by UC, such as Working Tax Credits. The uplift was introduced to help low-income families cope with the extra cost of the COVID-19 outbreak, and is to come to an end in April 2021.
Ms Somerville said: “It’s vital that we make every effort to ensure everyone is aware of and able to access the support available to them.
“Maximising benefit take-up is a moral obligation, especially in these uncertain times when there is clear evidence of increased need for support.
“The £20 uplift was needed before the pandemic, and so it is vital now. People must be given the certainty that it will be made permanent and that they are not facing a cliff edge in a matter of months when this support is pulled.”
The Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government Hannah Blythyn said: “The pandemic will cast a long shadow on those who are most in need and has reiterated the importance of a robust financial safety net for individuals and families, ensuring existing funding programmes have the maximum impact on the lives of those in poverty.
“Having a strategic UK approach will ensure that everyone can get the support they need during this difficult time.”
The Scottish Government published its first Benefit Take-up Strategy in October 2019, and will publish the next one by October 2021.
Northern Ireland’s benefit take-up initiative Make the Call has generated over £260 million in additional annual benefits for its residents since 2005.
It aims to ensure that every individual and household is receiving all the social security benefits and other supports and services to which they are entitled. The most recent results for 2019/20 show that this has benefited just under 10,000 people who are now better off by an average of £88 per person per week.
The Department for Work and Pensions has no published approach to promoting UK benefits or supporting people to access the money which they are due.
Many people need to be in receipt of a DWP benefit in order to claim other benefits – for example the Scottish Child Payment, where eligibility is reliant on receipt of UC, or Pension Credit which means people can claim a Council Tax reduction, or those over 75 qualify for a free TV licence. So it is vital people are aware of what they are entitled to.
As part of their Benefit Take-up Report – published 11 March 2020 – the Scottish Parliament’s Social Security Committee recommended that the UK Government develops a strategy that aims to maximise take-up of reserved benefits across the UK.
A report by the National Association of Welfare Rights Advisors, published in September, showed a 40% reduction in claims for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) being made during the pandemic. Almost 90% of those surveyed have never seen a take-up advert for PIP.
Independent Age has called for ‘an ambitious action plan detailing how the UK government will work to increase the uptake of Pension Credit over the next five years’. More details here.
This follows research which concluded that if Pension Credit take-up was lifted from 61 per cent to 100 per cent, then almost 450,000 pensioners could be lifted out of poverty, reducing pensioner poverty to its lowest ever level, and resulting in substantial savings to the NHS and social care systems over the long term.
England death rate up to 6 times higher from coronavirus during the first wave of the pandemic than the general population, Public Health England study finds.
It found 451 per 100,000 people registered as having a learning disability died with COVID-19 between 21 March and 5 June, a death rate 4.1 times higher than the general population after adjusting for other factors such as age and sex.
But as not all deaths in people with learning difficulties are registered on these databases, researchers estimated the real rate may have been as high as 692 per 100,000, 6.3 times higher.
Deaths were also spread much more widely across the age spectrum among people with learning disabilities, with far greater mortality rates in younger adults, compared to the general population. The death rate for people aged 18 to 34 with learning disabilities was 30 times higher than the rate in the same age group without disabilities, researchers found.
Among people with learning disabilities, the rate of COVID-19 deaths for adults in residential care was higher than the rates of COVID-19 deaths of adults with learning disabilities generally. This difference is likely in part to reflect the greater age and disability in people in residential care.
People with learning disabilities are more likely to have other physical health problems such as obesity and diabetes, and certain kinds of learning disability, such as Down’s syndrome, can make people more vulnerable to respiratory infections, which can increase their risk of dying from COVID-19.
Professor John Newton, Director of Health Improvement at Public Health England, said: It is deeply troubling that one of the most vulnerable groups in our society suffered so much during the first wave of the pandemic. We must do everything possible to prevent this happening again.
“There are now regular tests in care homes to make sure cases of coronavirus can be quickly identified and isolated, even if people do not recognise the symptoms themselves.
“But with cases developing across the country, it is essential to practice rigorous infection control if you are in contact with someone with a learning disability, whether or not they live in a care home.
“Wash your hands, wear a mask and keep a safe distance. The fewer people you meet, the more you’ll stop the spread.”
A learning disability is a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information and learn new skills and a reduced ability to cope independently which started before adulthood, with a lasting effect on development.
That means that people with learning disabilities often may find it harder to manage basic everyday skills, and rely upon support for many tasks, including communicating, managing money or looking after themselves.
People with learning disabilities are likely to have had difficulty recognising symptoms of COVID-19, or following government advice about getting tested, self-isolation, social distancing and infection prevention and control, the report says. It may also be more difficult for people caring for them to recognise the onset of symptoms if these cannot be communicated.
Helen Whately, Minister of State for Social Care, said: “Every death from COVID-19 has been a tragedy, and my deepest sympathies go out to everyone who has lost loved ones during the pandemic. I know how difficult this pandemic has been for people with a learning disability and those who care for them.
“A third of those with learning disabilities who sadly died were living in residential care. There is now regular testing of staff and residents in care homes, and testing has also been rolled out to supported living settings in high risk areas.
“We’re also offering free PPE, and the Joint committee on vaccines and immunisation has proposed those living and working in care homes should be top of the list for vaccination.
“This report adds to our knowledge of COVID-19 and how those with learning disabilities are affected by this cruel disease. I am asking SAGE to review the findings and give advice on what more we can do to keep people safe.”
Prime Minister’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 9 November 2020
Across the country and around the world this evening, people are asking one question about our fight against Covid. Does the news of progress towards a vaccine that’s been announced today mean we are at the beginning of the end of our troubles?
So, let me set out our assessment.
The Pfizer/BioNTech Vaccine has been tested on over 40,000 volunteers and interim results suggest it is proving 90 per cent effective at protecting people against the virus.
But we haven’t yet seen the full safety data, and these findings also need to be peer-reviewed.
So we have cleared one significant hurdle but there are several more to go before we know the vaccine can be used.
What I can say is that if and when this vaccine is approved, we, in this country, will be ready to start using it.
Earlier this year the UK Government ordered 40 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine – enough for about a third of the population, since you need two doses each.
That puts us towards the front of the international pack on a per capita basis – and I should add we’ve ordered over 300 million doses from 5 other vaccine candidates as well.
If the Pfizer vaccine passes all the rigorous safety checks and is proved to be effective then we will begin a UK-wide NHS led programme of vaccine distribution.
We will decide the order in which people are offered the vaccination taking account of recommendations from a group of scientific experts, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
They’re looking at a range of factors, including the different characteristics of different types of vaccines, to work out the most effective way to protect as many people as possible and save as many lives as we can.
And we will be setting out more detail about that in due course.
But – and you know I am going to say this – I must stress, these are very, very early days.
We have talked for a long time, or I have, about the distant bugle of the scientific cavalry coming over the brow of the hill. And tonight that toot of the bugle is louder. But it is still some way off.
And we absolutely cannot rely on this as a solution.
The biggest mistake we could make now would be to slacken our resolve at such a critical moment.
On Friday, SAGE reported that the R is above 1 in England – though this does not take into account the current national restrictions.
Alas, the death figures are tragically rising, running at an average of over 300 a day – sadly double where they were 24 days ago
The number of Covid patients in hospital has risen from just over 10,000 two weeks ago to nearly 13,000 on 5 November, and we are heading towards the levels of the previous peak.
Irrespective of whether there is a vaccine on the way or not we must continue to do everything possible right now to bring the R down. And that is why we hope and believe that mass testing will help.
Our first pilot began in Liverpool on Friday, in partnership with Liverpool City Council.
We’ve tested thousands of people there but there are still a lot more to do, so please if you are in Liverpool, get yourself along to a testing centre – there are 19 at the moment with more still to come.
The more people get tested the better we can protect that great city, and drive the disease down in Liverpool so do it for your friends, for your relatives, for your community.
And I want to thank the fantastic support of the army, the people of Liverpool and Liverpool City Council.
And we are now going further by sending out hundreds of thousands of rapid lateral flow tests to local authorities right across England – and also of course to the Devolved Administrations.
We’re also working with universities to establish, as soon as possible, similar mass testing capacity for students up and down the country.
But while we are making progress this project is still in its infancy.
And neither mass testing nor progress on vaccines –both vital arrows in our epidemiological quiver, both key parts of our fight against Covid – are at the present time a substitute for the national restrictions, for social distancing, for hand hygiene and all the rest.
So it is all the more important to follow the rules.
I know it’s been a tough first weekend of these Autumn restrictions and I’m especially grateful to the Royal British Legion and all those who worked so hard to ensure that no virus would stop us yesterday from honouring the memory of those who gave their lives for our freedom.
But we must get through this to 2nd December, when these measures expire and we plan to move forward with a tiered approach.
Remember the basics, hands, face, space, and the follow the rules: that is how we can together protect our NHS, save lives and get this virus back in its box.
Platforms endorse the principle that no company should be profiting from COVID-19 vaccine mis/disinformation and commit to swifter responses to flagged content
Platforms will step up work with public health bodies to promote factual and reliable messages
Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have agreed with social media platforms new measures to limit the spread of vaccine misinformation and disinformation and help people find the information they need about any COVID-19 vaccine.
At a virtual roundtable to address the growth of vaccine disinformation, Facebook, Twitter and Google committed to the principle that no company should profit from or promote COVID-19 anti-vaccine disinformation, to respond to flagged content more swiftly, and to work with authorities to promote scientifically accurate messages.
As the UK moves closer to developing a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine, Mr Dowden and Mr Hancock used the roundtable to welcome the progress these companies have made in strengthening their policies towards false coronavirus information and helping publicise the steps people should take to prevent the spread of the virus.
But the ministers raised concerns about the length of time misleading and false information about coronavirus vaccines remains on platforms, and called for swifter action to tackle such content.
Together the platforms have now agreed:
To commit to the principle that no user or company should directly profit profit from COVID-19 vaccine mis/disinformation. This removes an incentive for this type of content to be promoted, produced and be circulated.
To ensure a timely response to mis/disinformation content flagged to them by the government.
To continue to work with public health bodies to ensure that authoritative messages about vaccine safety reach as many people as possible.
To join new policy forums over the coming months to improve responses to mis/disinformation and to prepare for future threats.
The forums will see the government, social media platforms, public health bodies and academia increase their cooperation and ongoing information sharing to deliver a better understanding of the evolving threat caused by false COVID-19 vaccine narratives.
Digital Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “Covid disinformation is dangerous and could cost lives. While social media companies are taking steps to stop it spreading on their platforms there is much more that can be done.
“So I welcome this new commitment from social media giants not to profit from or promote flagged anti-vax content, given that making money from this dangerous content would be wrong.”
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “After clean water, vaccination is the most effective public health intervention in the world and has saved countless lives across the globe, eradicating one disease entirely.
“I am encouraged that social media companies have agreed to do more to prevent the spread of dangerous misinformation and disinformation on their platforms.
“We want users to have greater access to reliable and scientifically-accurate information on vaccines from trusted sources like the NHS so they can make informed decisions to protect themselves and their loved ones.”
Vaccines are overwhelmingly safe and effective healthcare solutions. Ministers used the meeting, which also included representatives from fact-checking charities, academics and data experts, to highlight that robust action must be taken against misleading messaging and content online which could harm and discourage people from protecting themselves or their loved ones.
Throughout the pandemic the government’s Counter Disinformation Unit has been developing a picture of the extent, scope and reach of disinformation and working with online platforms to ensure appropriate action is taken.
The unit has observed a range of false narratives about coronavirus vaccines across multiple platforms, including widespread misuse of scientific findings and baseless claims challenging the safety of vaccines or plans for their deployment.
Ronan Harris, Google UK Managing Director, said: “Since the beginning of the covid-19 epidemic, we have worked relentlessly to promote authoritative content from the NHS and to fight misinformation.
“In the last few months, we have continued to update our policies to make sure that content contradicting scientific consensus about the virus is swiftly removed and demonetised.
“Today, we are redoubling our commitment to take effective action against covid vaccine misinformation and to continue to work with partners across Government and industry to make sure people in the UK have easy access to helpful and accurate Information.”
Katy Minshall, Head of UK Public Policy, Twitter UK, said: “We are focused on protecting the public conversation and helping people find authoritative information on Twitter – in May 2019, we launched a search prompt that serves people with credible vaccine information from the NHS.
“In January this year, we launched a dedicated COVID-19 search prompt, ensuring that when people come to the service for information, they’re met with authoritative, public health information first. To date, over 160 million people have visited the Twitter COVID-19 curated page, over two billion times.
Since introducing COVID misinformation policies in March, and as we’ve doubled down on tech, our automated systems have challenged millions of accounts which were targeting discussions around COVID-19 with spammy or manipulative behaviours.
“We remain committed to combating misinformation about COVID-19, and continue to take action on accounts that violate our Rules. We look forward to continued collaboration with government and industry partners in our work towards improving the health of the public conversation.
Rebecca Stimson, Facebook’s Head of UK Public Policy, said: “We’re working closely with governments and health authorities to stop harmful misinformation from spreading on our platforms.
“Ads that include vaccine hoaxes or discourage people from getting a vaccine are banned, we remove harmful misinformation about Covid-19 and put warning labels over posts marked as false by third party fact checkers.
“We’re also connecting people to accurate information about vaccines and Covid-19 whenever they search for these topics. In the first months of the pandemic we directed more than 3.5 million visits to official advice from the NHS and UK government and we’re pleased to continue to support public health efforts.”
Democratic nominee Joe Biden has defeated President Trump in the 2020 presidential election as he secured the 270 electoral college votes required to win the race, according to projections by Associated Press, NBC News and other trusted news outlets including our own BBC and ITV.
With four states yet to declare, the Democrats have 279 votes while the Republicans have 214.
In a victory speech on Saturday (early hours of this morning in the UK), President Elect Biden said: “I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but unify. Who doesn’t see red states and blue states, only sees the United States.”
While Mr Biden called for national unity, it’s unlikely to be a smooth transition for the President Elect.
President Trump is not known for losing gracefully and, while he has made no public appearances since the polls closed, he has released a barrage of tweets claiming widespread election fraud – so far without producing any evidence of corruption or voting irregularities.
Among them:
THE OBSERVERS WERE NOT ALLOWED INTO THE COUNTING ROOMS. I WON THE ELECTION, GOT 71,000,000 LEGAL VOTES. BAD THINGS HAPPENED WHICH OUR OBSERVERS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO SEE. NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE. MILLIONS OF MAIL-IN BALLOTS WERE SENT TO PEOPLE WHO NEVER ASKED FOR THEM!
Trump also released a statement: “The simple fact is this election is far from over.”
The Trump campaign team now plan to challenge the election result in the US courts.
FM @NicolaSturgeon has warmly congratulated President-elect Biden and Vice President-elect Harris on their success:
“Scotland and America share deep and longstanding bonds of friendship, and I look forward to these being renewed and strengthened in the years ahead”
The UK Government has also conveyed good wishes to the President-elect.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has congratulated Joe Biden on his US election victory.
Mr Johnson said he looked forward to “working closely” with the new president-elect.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab also commented on result of the US Presidential Election.
Dominic Raab, said: “My congratulations to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on winning this election, with more votes than any candidate in US history. President Trump fought hard in what proved a close contest.
“We’re looking forward to working with the new administration on all of our shared interests, from tackling Covid-19 to counter-terrorism, and collaborating closely through our Presidencies of COP26 and the G7 next year.
“The friendship between the UK and US has always been a force for good in the world.”
Chancellor statement to the house – Furlough extension
Statement, as delivered by Chancellor Rishi Sunak in Westminter on 5 November 2020:
Mr Speaker,
On Monday, the Prime Minister set out the action we need to take between now and the start of December to control the spread of coronavirus.
In response, we’re providing significant extra support to protect jobs and livelihoods in every region and nation of the United Kingdom:
An extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme;
More generous support to the self-employed and paying that support more quickly;
Cash grants of up to £3,000 per month for businesses which are closed, worth over £1 billion every month;
£1.6 billion for English councils to support their local economy and local healthcare response;
Longer to apply for our loan schemes and the Future Fund;
The chance to top-up Bounce Back Loans;
And an extension to the mortgage payment holidays.
All on top of more than £200 billion of fiscal support since March.
This statement follows the Bank of England’s monetary policy decisions earlier today, meaning all economic and monetary institutions are playing their part.
As you would expect, the Governor and I are in constant communication as the situation evolves.
Our responses are carefully designed to complement each other and provide certainty and support to people and businesses across the UK. The Bank’s forecasts this morning show economic activity is supported by our substantial fiscal and monetary policy action.
And the IMF just last week described the UK’s economic plan as “aggressive”, “unprecedented”, successful in “holding down” unemployment and business failures and “one of the best examples of coordinated action globally”.
Mr Speaker,
Our highest priority remains the same: to protect jobs and livelihoods.
That’s why we’ve already decided to extend the Job Retention Scheme to December.
But people and businesses will want to know what comes next; how long we plan to keep the scheme open, and on what terms.
They want certainty.
The government’s intention is for the new health restrictions to remain only until the start of December.
But, as we saw from the first lockdown, the economic effects are much longer lasting for businesses and areas than the duration of any restrictions.
And as the Bank of England have said this morning, “the economic recovery has slowed”, and the economic risks are “skewed to the downside”.
Given this significant uncertainty, a worsening economic backdrop, and the need to give people and businesses security through the winter, I believe it is right to go further.
So we can announce today that the furlough scheme will not be extended for one month – it will be extended until the end of March. The government will continue to help pay people’s wages, up to 80% of the normal amount.
All employers will have to pay for hours not worked is the cost of Employer NICs and pension contributions.
We’ll review the policy in January to decide whether economic circumstances are improving enough to ask employers to contribute more.
Of course, as the furlough itself is now being extended to the end of March, the original purpose of the Job Retention Bonus to incentivise employers to keep people in work until the end of January – obviously falls away.
Instead, we will redeploy a retention incentive at the appropriate time.
And for self-employed people, I can confirm the next income support grant which covers the period November to January, will now increase to 80% of average profits, up to £7,500.
Mr Speaker,
I also want to reassure the people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The furlough scheme was designed and delivered by the Government of the United Kingdom on behalf of all the people of the United Kingdom – wherever they live.
That has been the case since March; it is the case now; and will remain the case until next March.
It is a demonstration of the strength of the Union – and an undeniable truth of this crisis – we have only been able to provide this level of economic support because we are a United Kingdom.
And I can announce today that the upfront guaranteed funding for the devolved administrations is increasing from £14 billion to £16 billion. This Treasury is, has been, and will always be, the Treasury for the whole of the United Kingdom.
Mr Speaker,
I know that people watching at home will have been frustrated by the changes the government has brought in during the past few weeks. I have had to make rapid adjustments to our economic plans as the spread of the virus has accelerated.
So I’d like to take this opportunity to explain how and why this has happened.
During the summer, as we began slowly unlocking it was our hope the country would continue to be economically open, albeit with local restrictions being put in place as and when needed.
We knew there would likely be a resurgence in the spread of the virus, but with increased NHS capacity and Test and Trace, our belief was we would be able to stay ahead of the virus.
On this basis we designed an economic approach which continued providing wage support to people, incentivised businesses to retain staff beyond the end of the furlough scheme and created new job creation and training schemes, such as Kickstart.
All built to support an economy that was broadly open but operating with restrictions and overall lower demand.
At the time this approach was not Government acting alone. Our proposals secured wide ranging support, from the TUC to the CBI.
It was their hope, as it was ours, that the public health situation would allow us to keep businesses and workplaces open.
The virus however, continued to spread. Localised restrictions were having an impact, and so we intensified this approach and added further areas.
As these restrictions intensified, the economic impact, particularly on industries such as the hospitality sector, was significant.
So in response, we altered our approach to wage support, making it much more generous to employers and in turn protecting jobs.
We also introduced a range of grants to businesses, whether open or closed, to help them meet their fixed costs.
And additional funding for local authorities to respond to specific local economic challenges.
But again, the virus continued to spread, but more quickly.
And so we arrive at last week, when the government’s scientific and medical advisers presented data which showed that R is greater than 1 in all parts of the UK, that the NHS was at risk of being overwhelmed in a matter of weeks and the likely resultant loss of life that would accompany such an event.
The only viable solution left to protect our NHS was the re-imposition of temporary significant enhanced restrictions in England, in addition to those in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
And so, given these changed public health restrictions and the economic trauma they would cause in job losses and business closures I felt it best to extend the furlough scheme, rather than transition at that precise moment to the new Job Support Scheme.
Now political opponents have chosen to attack the government for trying to keep the economy functioning and to make sure the support we provide encourages people to keep working.
And they will now, no doubt, criticise the government on the basis we have had to change our approach.
But to anyone in the real world, that’s just the thing that you have to do when circumstances change.
We all hope for the best, but make sure we plan for any eventuality.
We can reintroduce the furlough now only because we kept the system on which it is based operational, because there was always the possibility that we would be back in this situation.
I’ll leave it to the people of this country to decide whether they believe the Government is trying its best to support people through an unprecedented crisis.
To decide whether it is a good or bad thing to alter our economic plans as the health restrictions we face change.
What I know is that the support we are providing will protect millions of jobs.
What I know is that it is never wrong to convey confidence in this country and our economy through our words and action.
And what I know is today’s announcement will give people and businesses up and down our country immense comfort over what will be a difficult winter.
And I commend this Statement to the House.
PM Boris Johnson later gave a statement at the coronavirus press conference:
Good evening everyone,
Across the whole United Kingdom, people are engaged in a huge joint effort to put the coronavirus back in its box. Throughout the pandemic, this government has done whatever it takes to protect lives and livelihoods – in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
We have put in place an unprecedented package of economic support, protecting the wages and jobs of millions of people.
We have built the largest testing capacity in Europe, with 32 million tests conducted so far and over half a million tests now available every day across the UK.
We have ensured that, as we head into winter, the NHS has at its disposal over 30,000 ventilators and billions of items of Personal Protective Equipment, most of it now manufactured here in the UK.
Across the whole of the UK, we have a shared goal – to suppress the virus, ensure the NHS is not overwhelmed, and in doing so to save lives.
The UK Government and the devolved administrations are working together on a joint approach to the Christmas period, because all of us want to ensure families can come together wherever they live.
The challenges we face are significant across the U.K.
The average number of new cases each day is now 22,398, that’s up from 9,716 a month earlier.
There are now 12,320 patients in hospital, up from 2,602 a month earlier.
1,142 patients are now in mechanical ventilation beds, up from 369 a month earlier.
Sadly 492 deaths were reported yesterday. The weekly average number of deaths each day is now 295, up from 53 a month earlier.
That’s why new restrictions are in place in each part of the UK.
In England, from today, we are once again asking you to stay at home.
As I explained on Saturday you can only leave home for specific reasons: for work if you can’t work from home, for education, and for essential activities and emergencies.
The full rules, all of the details, are available at gov.uk/coronavirus and on the NHS Covid-19 app – please log on to see what you can and can’t do.
I know how tough this is:
For staff in the NHS and care homes, who are facing a tough winter on the frontline.
For families, who can’t meet in the way they would want to.
For businesses, forced to shut just as you are getting back on their feet.
I know many of you are anxious, weary and quite frankly fed up with the very mention of this virus
But I want to assure you this is not a repeat of the spring.
Schools, universities and nurseries are all staying open.
And these measures though they are tough are time-limited.
The advice I have received suggests that four weeks is enough for these measures to make a real impact.
So these rules will expire, and on 2 December we plan to move back to a tiered approach.
There is light at the end of the tunnel.
We have better treatments and techniques to take care of those in hospital, thanks largely to the ingenuity of British scientists.
Rapid testing is being rolled out on a massive scale – with city-wide testing starting tomorrow in Liverpool.
I am hugely grateful to the people of Liverpool for their participation in this pilot. I hope that by working together, we can get that great city on top of the virus.
More broadly, there is also the very real chance of safe and effective vaccines.
So taking those things together, these scientific advances can show us the way ahead.
And in the meantime, the government will continue to support people affected by these new restrictions.
As you know, we have protected almost 10 million jobs through furlough, and as the Chancellor announced earlier today, we are now extending the scheme through to March.
We are also extending our support for the self-employed, so that the next payment increases to 80 per cent of average profits.
We’re providing cash grants for businesses who are closed, worth more than £1 billion every month.
We are giving £1.1 billion to Local Authorities in England to support businesses.
And a further £2 billion of funding is guaranteed for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
As we face these challenges together, we must look after those in most need.
As of September we have helped over 29,000 rough sleepers off the streets, two thirds of whom are now in settled accommodation.
Today we’re announcing a further £15 million to help councils offer safe accommodation for people who are sleeping rough or at risk of becoming homeless. This programme will help areas that need additional support most during the restrictions and throughout the winter.
These are difficult times.
And while it pains me to have to ask once again for so many to give up so much, I know that, together, we can get through this.
So please, for the next four weeks, stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.
With the NHS weeks from being overwhelmed, and a higher death toll than the first wave predicted without new restrictions, the Prime Minister, Chief Medical Officer, Chief Scientific Advisor, and Cabinet agreed there was no alternative to tougher national measures.
The Prime Minister will update Parliament on Monday, and MPs are set to vote on the measures on Wednesday. This follows a Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister earlier today.
He said that no one wants to impose these kinds of measures, but no responsible Prime Minister could ignore the evidence presented.
He also said that, whilst Christmas will inevitably be different this year, tough action now could mean families may be able to be together.
Belgium, France, Germany and other countries have already put in place national restrictions, following earlier local measures.
From Thursday 5 November, everyone in England must stay at home, and may leave only for a limited set of reasons. These include:
For education;
For work, if you cannot work from home;
For exercise and recreation outdoors, with your household, support bubble or on your own with one person from another household;
For all medical reasons, appointments and to escape injury or harm;
To shop for food and essentials;
And to provide care for vulnerable people, or as a volunteer.
A full set of exemptions will be set out in law.
Single-adult households will still be able to form an exclusive support bubble with one other household, and children can move between homes if their parents are separated.
Non-essential shops, leisure and entertainment venues will be closed. Click and collect services can continue and essential shops, including supermarkets, will remain open, so there is no need for anyone to stockpile.
Pubs, bars, restaurants must close, except for takeaway and delivery services.
People should work from home wherever possible. Workplaces should stay open where people cannot work from home – for example, in the construction or manufacturing sectors.
Shielding as practised in the spring will not currently be reintroduced. The clinically vulnerable, or those over the age of 60, should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise contacts with others. Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable should not only minimise their contacts with others, but also not go to work if they are unable to work from home.
There is no exemption for staying away from home on holiday. This means people cannot travel internationally or within the UK, unless for work, education or other legally permitted exemptions. Overnight stays away from primary residences will not be allowed, except for specific exceptions including for work.
Inbound international travel will continue to be governed by the travel corridor approach, and those currently on a domestic holiday will be allowed to finish their holidays, but are still subject to the requirements in England not to go out without a reasonable excuse.
Public services, such as job centres, courts, and civil registration offices will remain open.
There is no exemption for communal worship in places of worship (except funerals and individual prayer), organised team sports, or children’s activities.
Elite sport will be allowed to continue behind closed doors as currently.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, known as the furlough scheme, will remain open until December, with employees receiving 80% of their current salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500. The cost for employers of retaining workers will be reduced compared to the current scheme, which ended on Saturday.
As the Prime Minister and Education Secretary have said, keeping young people in education is a national priority so early years settings, schools, colleges and universities will all remain open. Parents and carers should make sure their children keep attending school. However, universities and adult learning providers should consider increasing online provision where possible.
Parents will still be able to access registered childcare and other childcare activities where reasonably necessary to enable parents to work. Parents are also able to form a childcare bubble with another household for the purposes of informal childcare, where the child is 13 or under.
Ministers are also clear that it is vital to keep the provision for non-Covid healthcare needs going. Unless clinicians tell patients otherwise, they should continue to use the NHS, get scans and other tests, turn up for all appointments and collect medicines and treatments.
Ministers have done everything in their power to avoid another national lockdown.
The natural rate of R is around 3, meaning local restrictions have helped slow the spread of the virus, whilst NHS Test and Trace is testing more than any other country in Europe.
But the R rate is still above 1, meaning infections, hospitalisations and deaths continue to double, and the virus is now a national problem.
On present trends, in the South West, where incidence is low for example, it is clear they would run out of hospital capacity in a matter of weeks unless we act.
Whilst work is underway to boost capacity, including preparing the Nightingales, it is impossible to create extra bed space, and recruit extra doctors and nurses, at the rate necessary to outpace the virus.
Prime Minister’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 31 October 2020
Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave a statement at the coronavirus press conference
Good evening and apologies for disturbing your Saturday evening with more news of Covid and I can assure you I wouldn’t do it unless it was absolutely necessary.
First I will hand over to Chris and then Patrick who will present the latest data.
Thank you very much Patrick, and Chris. I am afraid that no responsible PM can ignore the message of those figures.
When I told you two weeks ago that we were pursuing a local and a regional approach to tackling this virus, I believed then and I still believe passionately that it was the right thing to do.
Because we know the cost of these restrictions, the damage they do, the impact on jobs, and on livelihoods, and on people’s mental health.
No one wants to be imposing these kinds of measures anywhere.
We didn’t want to be shutting businesses, pubs and restaurants in one part of the country, where incidence was very low, when the vast bulk of infections were taking place elsewhere.
Our hope was that by strong local action, strong local leadership, we could get the rates of infection down where the disease was surging, and address the problem thereby across the whole country.
And I want to thank the millions of people who have been putting up with these restrictions in their areas for so long. I want to thank local leaders who have stepped up and local communities.
Because as you can see from some of those charts, the R has been kept lower than it would otherwise have been, and there are signs that your work has been paying off
And we will continue as far as we possibly can to adopt a pragmatic and local approach in the months ahead
But as we’ve also seen from those charts, we’ve got to be humble in the face of nature
And in this country alas as across much of Europe the virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst case scenario of our scientific advisers
Whose models as you’ve just seen now suggest that unless we act we could see deaths in this country running at several thousand a day
A peak of mortality alas far bigger than the one we saw in April
Even in the South West, where incidence was so low, and still is so low, it is now clear that current projections mean they will run out of hospital capacity in a matter of weeks unless we act.
And let me explain why the overrunning of the NHS would be a medical and moral disaster beyond the raw loss of life
Because the huge exponential growth in the number of patients – by no means all of them elderly, by the way – would mean that doctors and nurses would be forced to choose which patients to treat
Who would get oxygen and who wouldn’t
Who would live and who would die,
And doctors and nurses would be forced to choose between saving covid patients and non-covid patients
And the sheer weight of covid demand would mean depriving tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of non-covid patients of the care they need
It is crucial to grasp this that the general threat to public health comes not from focusing too much on covid, but from not focusing enough, from failing to get it under control
And if we let the lines on those graphs grow in the way they could and in the way they’re projected to grow, then the risk is that for the first time in our lives, the NHS will not be there for us and for our families
And even if I could now double capacity overnight – and obviously I am proud that we have massively increased capacity, we do have the Nightingales, we’ve got 13,000 more nurses now than last year, we have many more doctors – but it still would not be enough, because the virus is doubling faster than we could conceivably add capacity
And so now is the time to take action because there is no alternative. From Thursday until the start of December, you must stay at home.
You may only leave home for specific reasons, including:
For education; For work, say if you cannot work from home; For exercise and recreation outdoors, with your household or on your own with one person from another household; For medical reasons, appointments and to escape injury or harm; To shop for food and essentials; And to provide care for vulnerable people, or as a volunteer.
I’m afraid non-essential shops, leisure and entertainment venues will all be closed – though click and collect services can continue and essential shops will remain open, so there is no need to stock up.
Pubs, bars, restaurants must close except for takeaway and delivery services.
Workplaces should stay open where people can’t work from home – for example in the construction or manufacturing sectors.
Single adult households can still form exclusive support bubbles with one other household, and children will still be able to move between homes if their parents are separated.
If you are clinically vulnerable, or over the age of 60, you should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise your contacts with others.
I know how tough shielding was, and we will not ask people to shield again in the same way again. However we are asking those who are clinically extremely vulnerable to minimise their contact with others, and not to go to work if they are unable to work from home.
I am under no illusions about how difficult this will be for businesses which have already had to endure hardship this year. I am truly, truly sorry for that.
This is why we are also going to extend the furlough system through November. The furlough scheme was a success in the spring. It supported people and businesses in a critical time. We will not end it. We will extend it until December.
There will be some differences compared to March.
These measures above all will be time-limited, starting next Thursday 5 November. They will end on Wednesday 2 December, when we will seek to ease restrictions, going back into the tiered system on a local and regional basis according to the latest data and trends.
Christmas is going to be different this year, very different, but it is my sincere hope and belief that by taking tough action now, we can allow families across the country to be together.
My priority, our priority, remains keeping people in education – so childcare, early years settings, schools, colleges and universities will all remain open. Our senior clinicians still advise that school is the best place for children to be.
We cannot let this virus damage our children’s futures even more than it has already. I urge parents to continue taking their children to school and I am extremely grateful to teachers across the country for their dedication in enabling schools to remain open.
And it is vital that we will keep provision for non-Covid healthcare groups going.
So please – this is really important – unless your clinicians tell you otherwise, you should continue to use the NHS, get your scans, turn up for your appointments and pick up your treatments. If at all possible, we want you to continue to access these services, now and through the winter. Indeed it’s only by taking this action that we can protect the NHS for you.
On Monday I will set out our plans to parliament. On Wednesday, parliament will debate and vote on these measures which, if passed, will as I say come into force on Thursday.
We have updated the devolved administrations on the action we are taking in England and stand ready to work with them on plans for Christmas and beyond.
We should remember we are not alone in what we’re going through. Our friends in Belgium, France and Germany have had to take very similar action.
So as we come together now to fight this second wave, I want to say something about the way ahead
Because people will reasonably ask when will this all end
And as I have said before I am optimistic that this will feel very different and better by the spring
It is not just that we have ever better medicine and therapies, and the realistic hope of a vaccine in the first quarter of next year
We now have the immediate prospect of using many millions of cheap, reliable and above all rapid turnaround tests
Tests that you can use yourself to tell whether or not you are infectious and get the result within ten to 15 minutes
And we know from trial across the country in schools and hospitals that we can use these tests not just to locate infectious people but to drive down the disease
And so over the next few days and weeks, we plan a steady but massive expansion in the deployment of these quick turnaround tests
Applying them in an ever-growing number of situations
From helping women to have their partners with them in labour wards when they’re giving birth to testing whole towns and even whole cities
The army has been brought in to work on the logistics and the programme will begin in a matter of days
Working with local communities, local government, public health directors and organisations of all kinds to help people discover whether or not they are infectious, and then immediately to get them to self-isolate and to stop the spread
And I can tell you tonight that the scientists may be unanimously gloomy about the immediate options
But they are unanimously optimistic about the medium and the long term future
We will get through this – but we must act now to contain this autumn surge
We are not going back to the full-scale lockdown of March and April
It is less prohibitive and less restrictive
But from Thursday the basic message is the same: Stay at home. Protect the NHS. And save lives.
HOW WILL THIS AFFECT SCOTLAND?
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted last night:
She added:
2. @scotgov will take considered decisions based on what is right for Scotland. A key point for us – which we hope to clarify ASAP – is whether extended furlough support is available only in November or flexibly for devolved admins. That could have an impact on our decisions.
Millions of jobs will continue to be supported over the winter months with the UK government’s Job Support Scheme (JSS) available to businesses across the UK from Sunday, 1 November.
combined with the Job Retention Bonus (JRB), the Job Support Scheme (JSS) will cover at least 95% of the total employment costs for average previously furloughed employee until February
when factoring in the JRB analysis shows employers will receive the full employment costs of around half of people on JSS Open – which is available to businesses across all parts of the UK from Sunday
data shows the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has successfully protected jobs – with 90% of people returning to the same job after being furloughed
It comes as analysis reveals the generosity of the government’s income support schemes – with many firms receiving the full employment costs of staff.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, said: “I’m pleased that the IMF this week called our response to the pandemic one of the best examples of coordinated action globally – the furlough scheme has been central to that, supporting 9.6 million jobs through some of the most challenging economic times.
“But it’s right that as we move towards a more targeted approach to tackle the virus, our support becomes more targeted too.
“The Jobs Support Scheme will continue to protect jobs throughout the difficult months ahead and is part of our comprehensive Plan for Jobs.”
The JSS scheme launches on Sunday and is designed to support businesses across the whole of the UK who are either legally required to close or facing lower demand over the winter months.
Under the JSS Open part of the scheme, which was made more generous last week, the government contributes 62% towards the wages of staff for the hours they do not work, whilst the employers pay just 5% plus NICS and pensions contributions. Employees receive a minimum of 73% of their wages.
Under JSS Closed, which is for businesses legally required to close due to coronavirus restrictions, the government will pay two thirds of each employees’ salary with employers just covering NICs and pension contributions, a very small proportion of overall employment costs.
Firms who retain staff that have previously been furloughed until the end of January will also receive a £1,000 per eligible employee payment under the JRB.
Taken together, the two schemes (JSSO and JRB) will cover 95% of the employment costs of the average previously furloughed employee until the end of January. For those earning less than £1,100 per month the JRB offsets all the employer costs of the JSS Open– meaning businesses will not have to make any contributions. Under the original CJRS around half of furloughed workers had earnings below this level.
For many lower earning employees on Universal Credit (UC), the combined impact of the support of the JSS and UC will mean they could receive around 90% of their normal net income (whilst working only 20% of the hours).
The CJRS closes today on Saturday 31 October ahead of the JSS launch tomorrow on Sunday 1 November.
As the scheme draws to a close new data published by HMRC shows that during the scheme’s eight month life it has protected 9.6 million jobs through some of the most challenging economic times the country has ever faced – with 90% of those coming off furlough by August returning to the same job.
The JSS and JRB are just one part of the UK Government’s package of measures that includes the extended business grants and Self-Employed Income Support Schemes announced last week, which will continue to support businesses and livelihoods across the country over the winter months.
Further information:
there is no gap in support between the CJRS and JSS
the deadline for submitting CJRS claims is 30 November
the JSS launches on 1 November, and employers can submit claims directly to HMRC from December 2020
HMRC stats show that 90% of those coming of furlough before August returned to the same job
Andrew normally works 5 days a week and earns £1400 a month, working in at a restaurant in the hospitality sector. His company is suffering reduced sales due to coronavirus. Rather than making Andrew redundant, the company puts Andrew on the Job Support Scheme, working 20% of his usual hours.
His employer pays Andrew £280 a month for these hours.
And for the time he is not working (80%), he will get 66.67% of his pay for that time. His total wage package is 73%, equal to £1,027. The government will give a grant worth £691 (61.67% of hours not worked) to Andrew’s employer to support them in keeping Andrew’s job, and his employer will pay a further £56 for hours not worked (5% of wages).
In addition, the employer will cover the Employer NICs and autoenrollment pension contribution on the payment (£56).
His employer may also be eligible for the Job Retention Bonus worth £1,000, this would cover 94.6% of employers total costs for retaining Andrew on the JSS between November and January.
For many lower earning employees on Universal Credit (UC), the combined impact of the support of the JSS and UC will mean they could receive around 90% of their normal net income (whilst working only 20% of the hours).
Example 2 – Job Support Scheme Open
Elena normally works part-time and earns £1,100 a month. Her company is suffering reduced sales due to coronavirus. Rather than making Elena redundant, the company puts Elena on the Job Support Scheme, working 20% of her usual hours.
Her employer pays Elena £220 a month for these hours.
And for the time she is not working (80%), she will get 66.67% of her pay for that time. Her total wage package is 73%, equal to £807.
The government will give a grant worth £543 (61.67% of hours not worked) to Elena’s employer to support them in keeping Elena’ job, and her employer will pay a further £44 for hours not worked (5% of wages).
In addition, the employer will cover the Employer NICs and autoenrollment pension contribution on the payment (£19).
Her employer may also be eligible for the Job Retention Bonus worth £1,000, this would cover over 100% of employers total costs for retaining Elena on the JSS between November and January.
For many lower earning employees on Universal Credit (UC), the combined impact of the support of the JSS and UC will mean they could receive around 90% of their normal net income (whilst working only 20% of the hours).
Example 3 – Job Support Scheme Closed
Charlie normally earns £1,400 a month and his company needs to close due to coronavirus. Rather than making Charlie redundant, the company puts Charlie on the Job Support Scheme Closed.
The government will give a grant worth 66.67% of Charlie’s pay to his employer to support them in keeping Charlie’ job.
That means for the time he is not working, he will get 66.67% of his pay. His total wage package is equal to £933.
The employer will cover the Employer NICs and autoenrollment pension contribution on the payment.
For many lower earning employees on Universal Credit (UC), the combined impact of the support of the JSS and UC will mean they could receive around 90% of their normal net income (whilst working only 20% of the hours).
Example 4 – Job Support Scheme Closed
Dalia normally earns £1,100 a month part-time and her company needs to close due to coronavirus. Rather than making Dalia redundant, the company puts Dalia on the Job Support Scheme Closed.
The government will give a grant worth 66.67% of Dalia’s pay to her employer to support them in keeping Dalia’s job.
That means for the time she is not working, she will get 66.67% of her pay. Her total wage package is equal to £733.
The employer will cover the Employer NICs and autoenrollment pension contribution on the payment.
For many lower earning employees on Universal Credit (UC), the combined impact of the support of the JSS and UC will mean they could receive around 90% of their normal net income (whilst working only 20% of the hours).
https://twitter.com/i/status/1316334131811356672
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation says there are still gaps in support that need to be filled, despite the Treasury’s support schemes.
The mortgage holiday scheme introduced at the start of the Covid-19 crisis ends on Saturday as does the job furlough scheme, which is being replaced by the Job Support Scheme.
It will leave a fifth of mortgage holders – around 1.6 million households – worried about paying their mortgage over the next three months, according to the poverty charity.
JRF said: “There is a real risk that mortgage-holders on low incomes will be pulled into poverty and hardship.
“890,000 working households with a mortgage expect to see a drop in earnings over the next month, but 85% of them – 750,000 households – aren’t eligible for any government support with their housing costs.
“It’s not right that during a time of huge uncertainty, many households are discovering that they are excluded from the only lifeline that could help meet their housing costs,” said Darren Baxter, policy and partnerships manager at the charity.”
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation wants the Support for Mortgage Interest payment to be reformed to help people who lose their jobs to keep their homes as they weather the coronavirus storm.
