Liverpool City Region COVID-19 statistics

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Flexible furlough scheme starts today

BUSINESSES will have the flexibility to bring furloughed employees back to work part-time from today as part of the Government's plan to re-open the UK and kick-start our economy. The Government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has so far helped protect more than 9.3 million jobs through the pandemic, with employers claiming more than £25.5bn to support wages. The scheme will remain open until the end of October and will continue to support jobs and business in a measured way as people return to work, our economy reopens and the country moves to the next stage of its recovery.

From today, a month earlier than previously announced, employers will have the flexibility to bring furloughed employees back to work on a part-time basis. Individual firms will decide the hours and shift patterns their employees will work on their return so that they can decide on the best approach for them - and will be responsible for paying their wages while at work.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said:- "Our number one priority has always been to protect jobs and businesses through this outbreak. The furlough scheme, which will have been open for eight months by October, has been a lifeline for millions of people and as our economy reopens we want that support to continue. Giving firms the flexibility to bring back furloughed workers on a part-time basis will help them work gradually and help them plan for the months ahead."

From August, the level of Government grant provided through the job retention scheme will be slowly tapered to reflect that people will be returning to work. Businesses will be asked to contribute a modest share, but crucially individuals will continue to receive that 80% of salary covering the time they are unable to work.

More information about the changes can be found on the Gov.UK website.

The Government has also announced that businesses that no longer need the CJRS grants they previously claimed have the option to voluntarily return them. This is in direct response to employers asking how they can return grants voluntarily, and businesses are under no obligation to do this but should contact HMRC if they want to pay the grant back. Companies across the UK who are bringing back furloughed staff today include The Drury Tea and Coffee Company, and Yes Energy Solutions.

Marco Olmi, Managing Director of London based international coffee wholesaler The Drury Tea and Coffee Company, said:- "The ability to bring our staff out of furlough in a flexible manner will be enormously beneficial as the industry eases out of lockdown. Without this flexibility, we would really struggle to cope as we endeavor to grow turnover back to something approaching normal levels whilst trying to keep a lid on short-term costs."

Duncan McCombie, CEO of Yes Energy Solutions:- "The approach lets us to better manage a fluctuating workload, where those working are doing some additional hours. The flexibility will allow us all to better balance the pressure on those working, support childcare responsibilities and a ease in a return to work after 100 days for those furloughed. A great addition to the options available for business leaders."

CLA responds to WHICH? report on support for vulnerable people to access food

RESPONDING to a report by Which? on the difficulty some vulnerable people have faced in accessing food and essential groceries during the pandemic, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association's Community Wellbeing Board, said:- "Councils have worked hard to protect those most vulnerable during the pandemic and to support the Government scheme to deliver food and supplies to those in the shielded group. We urge anybody who is struggling with access to food, whether they are part of the shielded cohort or vulnerable for other reasons, to contact their local Council who will be able to help put in place arrangements to support them. Although the shielding programme is being paused, arrangements need to be put in place to support those who have to self isolate or resume shielding. Government and supermarkets must ensure that there is priority access to delivery and collection slots going forward, as well as continued access to volunteer capacity to support vulnerable residents with their shopping. Any future support can build on the leadership shown by Councils in establishing local arrangements, alongside food charities, retailers and other local partners, to support vulnerable residents outside the shielded group who are struggling to access food and other essentials due to their isolation, or because of economic vulnerability or hardship. Government and Councils are keen to learn from every local outbreak, to ensure that no 1 is without support as we move out of national lockdown. Councils will also continue to play a crucial role in supporting individuals and their families' mental health and wellbeing due to long periods of isolation, stress and uncertainty."

Will The Lockdown Produce More Writing Talent?

A new survey of writers has yielded powerful evidence that writers have been more resilient to the impact of lockdown. Whether or not we see the next big literary success story, we are on track to see a flurry of new books, unlike new film and TV content where productions have stalled.

With book downloads and Kindle sales currently going through the roof, more content and talent discovery is fantastic for avid readers. And many more people have taken up reading since pandemic restrictions locked them into their homes.

The survey by Page Turner Awards, an award for published and unpublished fiction and non-fiction from all genres judged by high profile experts from the literary world, tallied responses from writers across 15 different countries.

Surprise findings showed that 61% of writers are able to write more since the lockdown started.

This would indicate that the lockdown hasn't had as big a restricting effect on the majority of those within the writing community as it has with many other leisure, social or employment pursuits.

Among the notable results:-

Looking at the percentage splits shows that 39% of writers are writing less during lockdown. However, 61% are writing more or about the same as they make the best use of their extra writing time.

Being able to write more or about the same would be encouraging for the 34% of writers who write full time, so the lockdown hasn't disturbed their main livelihood, unlike so many other professions and creative interest areas.

Writers who have been able to write more during lockdown claim they can write more due to home working freeing up more time and less socializing means more writing time. Unfortunately, 33% of those who are writing more are able to do so because they have lost their job.

The top reasons why people are writing less during lockdown is mainly due to new calls on their time, such as caring for family, more home working, and the need to do home schooling.

One writer reported a serious block in creativity and had to find other methods to draw it out, saying the stress of the situation had stymied their creative process.

In the UK this ‘writing more trend' is even more acute. Key results from UK writers revealed that nearly twice as many writers are finding it easier to write more, and writing a lot more than the survey average, with 60% of UK writers spending more time writing.

This has mainly been driven by a loss of job, using extra spare time to boost their writing output, with UK writers happy to turn to their passion for writing as a means of using their spare time positively. 70% of UK participants are part time writers.

Results from the US revealed that women were more likely to be full time writers, with 43% of all replies from US women were full time writers.

48% of writers surveyed in the US are writing less, a lot less, in fact, on average 30% less, and in many cases 100% less. The main reason for this shows the increased responsibility and time needed to care for family particularly, it would seem, by the many female writers who find themselves in this position. The most notable US result shows that only 28% of the American writers surveyed have been able to write more.

Co-Founder of Page Turner Awards, Paula Sheridan said:- "It's wonderful to see that writers are determined to use an increase in their spare time to dedicate to their writing ambitions."

The Page Turner Awards, sponsored by ProWritingAid, gives writers and authors the chance to enter unpublished or published fiction and non-fiction books, where a group of literary agents will read the work. 2 writers are guaranteed to be published. Find out more about The Page Turner Awards on:- PageTurnerAwards.Com . Submissions are open until 30 June 2020.

LGA responds to WHICH? report on support for vulnerable people to access food

RESPONDING to a report by Which? on the difficulty some vulnerable people have faced in accessing food and essential groceries during the pandemic, Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Chairman of the Local Government Association's Community Wellbeing Board, said:- "Councils have worked hard to protect those most vulnerable during the pandemic and to support the Government scheme to deliver food and supplies to those in the shielded group. We urge anybody who is struggling with access to food, whether they are part of the shielded cohort or vulnerable for other reasons, to contact their local Council who will be able to help put in place arrangements to support them. Although the shielding programme is being paused, arrangements need to be put in place to support those who have to self isolate or resume shielding. Government and supermarkets must ensure that there is priority access to delivery and collection slots going forward, as well as continued access to volunteer capacity to support vulnerable residents with their shopping. Any future support can build on the leadership shown by Councils in establishing local arrangements, alongside food charities, retailers and other local partners, to support vulnerable residents outside the shielded group who are struggling to access food and other essentials due to their isolation, or because of economic vulnerability or hardship. Government and Councils are keen to learn from every local outbreak, to ensure that no 1 is without support as we move out of national lockdown. Councils will also continue to play a crucial role in supporting individuals and their families' mental health and wellbeing due to long periods of isolation, stress and uncertainty."

Total UK cases COVID-19 cases - update for Liverpool City Region and surroundings

THE total number of UK Coronavirus (COVID-19) infections that have been laboratory confirmed, within the UK, has risen by 829 cases and the total number now stand at 313,483, that includes tests carried out by commercial partners which are not included in the 4 National totals.

Daily number of COVID-19 associated UK fatalities added to the total, was sadly reported to be 176 according to the Department of Health. The total number of deaths of people who have had a positive test result confirmed by a Public Health or NHS laboratory is 43,906.

In England, there are a total of 160,764 confirmed cases. North West - total of 27,340 confirmed cases. The number of laboratory confirmed cases within the following Local Authorities, in and around the Liverpool City Region are as follows:-

► Liverpool, 1,684 confirmed cases.

► Sefton, 981 confirmed cases.

► Wirral, 1,368 confirmed cases.

► St. Helens, 768 confirmed cases

► Halton, 417 confirmed cases.

► Blackpool, 684 confirmed cases.

► Blackburn with Darwen, 424 confirmed cases.

► Bolton, 1,063 confirmed cases.

► Bury, 819 confirmed cases.

► Cheshire West and Chester, 1,250 confirmed cases.

► Cheshire East, 1,355 confirmed cases.

► Lancashire, 3,857 confirmed cases.

► Manchester, 1,744 confirmed cases.

► Oldham, 1,163 confirmed cases.

► Rochdale, 892 confirmed cases.

► Stockport, 1,093 confirmed cases.

► Tameside, 886 confirmed cases.

► Trafford, 885 confirmed cases.

► Wigan, 1,235 confirmed cases.

Liverpool City Region COVID-19 statistics ... & Important Emergency Notices ...

Liverpool City Region COVID-19 statistics
... & Important Emergency Notices ...