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Connections are crucial to the success of any business. Visit our latest news to keep up to date with the latest business news from across the region.
Connections are crucial to the success of any business. Visit our latest news to keep up to date with the latest business news from across the region.
Connections are crucial to the success of any business. Visit our latest news to keep up to date with the latest business news from across the region.
Government Guidance and Regulations
Introduction
England has been in the midst of a national lockdown since the 4th of January. On the 22nd of February, the Prime Minister announced his four-step roadmap for gradually easing lockdown restrictions.
Below you will find information on coronavirus restrictions and the government’s roadmap. This page also contains national guidance on COVID-secure workplaces, obligations on engaging with NHS Test & Trace, workplace testing and the government support available for businesses.
National Coronavirus Restrictions
The UK government announced a new national lockdown on the 4th of January, which includes the following measures:
- You must not leave your house unless you have a reasonable excuse to do so (e.g. for work purposes if you cannot work from home; education, childcare and shopping for essentials)
- You must not socialise with anyone outside of your household or support bubble and should avoid travelling outside your local area
- Businesses providing essential goods and services can remain open (food shops, banks post offices, funeral directors etc)
- Hospitality venues must close, but can continue to operate takeaway (until 11pm), delivery and drive-through services
- Non-essential retail, hotels, personal care facilities (hair salons etc), entertainment venues (theatres etc) and leisure & sports facilities are also legally required to close
The government has subsequently set out their plan for the re-opening of the economy and you can find more details below.
Roadmap Out Of Lockdown
The lockdown restrictions in place across England will be lifted in four key steps.
The government have said that the restrictions will only be eased at each stage providing the following four conditions are met:
- The roll-out of the vaccination programme continues successfully
- There is evidence that vaccines are leading to a sufficient reduction in the number of deaths or people needing hospital treatment
- There is no significant spike in the infection rate that risks overwhelming the NHS
- Assessment of the risks is not ‘fundamentally changed’ by new variants
There will be a minimum of five weeks between each step and the government will provide seven days notice as to whether they will proceed with easing the restrictions.
Please see below for more information on what the Government’s four step approach means for businesses.
- Primary schools, secondary schools and colleges are permitted to re-open for face-to-face teaching
- Businesses providing childcare services can resume where they enable parents to work, seek work and attend education
From the 29th March:
- Outdoor sports facilities such as gyms, swimming pools and sports courts can re-open
- Outdoor gatherings are allowed for up to six people or two households
The following will be able to re-open no earlier than the 12th April:
- Non-essential retail (e.g. clothing stores, showrooms and electronic goods shops)
- Personal care facilities and close contact services (e.g. hair, beauty and nail salons)
- Indoor sports and leisure facilities
- Hospitality venues (outside service only)
- Most outdoor attractions
- Accommodation services where indoor facilities are not shared with other households
- Public buildings
The following will be able to re-open no earlier than the 17th of May:
- Indoor hospitality and entertainment venues such as cinemas, theatres and museums
- Remaining businesses in the accommodation sector
- Remaining outdoor entertainment venues
- Some large performances and events (including indoors) subject to capacity limits
Most social contact rules will be lifted in outdoor settings and outdoor gatherings will be allowed for up to 30 people.
The fourth step will potentially see all legal limits on social contact removed and remaining venues such as nightclubs permitted to re-open.
The government is also aiming to lift any remaining restrictions on social contact and large events and relax COVID-Secure requirements on businesses
Click below for full details on the re-opening of businesses and venues:
Workplace and Community Testing
Businesses with more than 50 employees are now able to participate in the government’s workplace testing scheme.
Employers can register to order rapid lateral flow tests for their employees that cannot work from home here
Local authorities are also running a number of community testing sites:
- Birmingham City Council - (Click here to find out more)
- Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council - (Click here to find out more)
- Staffordshire County Council - (Click here to find out more)
Government Support For Businesses
The GBCC are committed to keeping businesses and charities up to date with the latest support being made available by the government to help businesses recover from the disruption caused by Covid-19.
So far, the government has announced a number of support measures including various finance and grant schemes and the extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. Please click the link below for a list of the government support measures announced to date.
DOWNLOAD OUR BRIEFING ON THE LATEST SUPPORT
Working Safely During Coronavirus: How to be COVID-19 Secure
The UK Government have issued detailed guidance for employers with certain types of premises on how to be COVID-19 Secure and safely return to, or scale up the number of employees in, the workplace.
It includes a number of detailed measures on social distancing and hygiene in the workplace. Employers must use this advice to:
- Carry out a Covid-19 Risk Assessment in ‘consultation with unions and workers’
- Demonstrate that they are doing everything reasonably practicable to minimise the risk to workers
- Display a five-point notice or declaration in the workplace stating they have undertaken a risk assessment and are taking steps to protect their workforce
For formal Government advice on being COVID-19 Secure Click Here.
DOWNLOAD THE GBCC BRIEFING HERE
Complying with NHS Test & Trace
Hospitality, visitor attraction and close contact services businesses (such as hairdressers) and religious venues are now legally required to collect customer information for the NHS Test & Trace Service which aims to trace the spread of the virus and isolate new infections.
Businesses in these sectors need to:
- Keep a temporary record of staff shift patterns, customers and visitors in compliance with GDPR and dispose of securely after 21 days
- Collect the following information from customers and visitors: name, address, date/time of visit and phone number
- Register for an official NHS QR code and display an official NHS QR code poster at all entrances to the venue so that customers can check in using the NHS COVID-19 app
- Share the data with the NHS Test and Trace Service if they get in contact
Click here for the government guidance and here for a business toolkit.
The government has also released guidance for employers that wish to introduce their own internal testing programme.
Resources
Official government advice on working safely during COVID-19:
For business briefings
and Q&As:
Making your workplace COVID-secure during the coronavirus pandemic
Resources & Guides
Video
In this webinar, chair of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Martin Temple, around coronavirus (COVID-19) discusses how his organisation is supporting business.
Video
In this webinar, BHSF provide advice and guidance to businesses on how to provide a Covid-secure workplace to get employees back to work.