IlonaM

Hi Sue - your message inbox is full & not accepting new messages. Best wishes, Ilona

For those vulnerable/elderly/disabled customers (registered with Sainsburys deliveries) needing to register as priority for access to online deliveries: dedicated vulnerable customer line - 0800 052 5500 Hopefully easier to get through on than the general line.

Yes, the renewed community spirit is a great positive to come out of this.

Posted on behalf of bob. Below: - Crime Prevention advice for empty commercial premises - see ianr's post below on 26th March - Briefing for 26th March - attached as pdf

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/mar/26/call-isolated-britons-help-digitise-historical-rainfall-data 'Under the Rainfall Rescue project, volunteers will fill the gaps in British digital weather records between the 1820s and the 1950s by transcribing observations from scans of the old paper records.' Link to project: https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/edh/rainfall-rescue

The Independent online has collated advice on Coronavirus: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/coronavirus-advice Stephen Fry has recorded a fact-checker available on YouTube:

Attached as pdf

Posted on behalf of bob Briefing note ? 24/03/2020 - Attached as pdf

Update from Sainsburys website: - Sainsburys deliveries working with the Government extremely vulnerable list to identify priority customers and offering access to slots by email - Seemingly no provision at the moment, other than trying to get through by phone, to register as disabled, OAP etc. 'How we?re responding to COVID-19 (coronavirus) We have listened to your feedback and taken further steps to make sure everyone has access to food and essential items, and to keep supporting our colleagues. These are summarised below. For full detail, please read the latest letter from our CEO Mike Coupe at the bottom of this page. We?ve prioritised online delivery slots for vulnerable customers. We?ve already been able to identify some existing customers through the information that we have about them and have emailed these customers. We?re now working with the government to identify more, and you can register as vulnerable to coronavirus on GOV.UK to get added to our list in the coming days. We?re taking all the necessary precautions to make sure our stores are safe. And we?re asking customers who can shop in stores to do so, and offer support to friends and neighbours who need it. From Monday 23rd March, we are consolidating our opening hours and all our supermarkets will be open from 08.00 to 20.00 Monday ? Saturday. With the exception of some stores in Scotland, Sunday opening hours will stay the same (please check on Store Locator for Sunday opening hours in your store). Sainsbury?s Local and petrol station hours will stay the same Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, all our supermarkets will dedicate 08.00 to 09.00 to serving elderly customers, disabled customers and carers NHS and social care workers will be able to shop in our supermarkets for half an hour before they open, from Monday to Saturday. Anyone with NHS ID will be able to shop from 07.30 to 08.00 on these days Adding more Click & Collect locations (from Monday 23 March) Putting limits on certain products (from Wednesday 18 March) Closing our cafes and counters (from Thursday 19 March). How we?re helping our customers (updated 25 March) Since Monday 23 March, we?ve been giving our existing online customers who are vulnerable priority access to online home delivery. But we know that we haven?t been able to identify all of our vulnerable customers. So we?re now working with the government to identify those who are most in need. As we have shared, we?re also increasing access to our Click & Collect service. Identifying our vulnerable customers (Updated 25 March) We?re pleased to say that since Monday 23 March, we?ve been able to serve many vulnerable customers with online home delivery. These customers will continue to get access to home delivery slots each week. But we?ve recognised the need for the government to help us identify more people, and help those who are most vulnerable first. That?s why going forward, the government is going to help us identify people who are extremely vulnerable to coronavirus. We will then prioritise these people so they can access home delivery slots. To get access to home delivery slots in the coming days, please register as extremely vulnerable to coronavirus on GOV.UK. If you know it, it?s useful to have your NHS number to hand before you start the registration process. You can find it on any letter the NHS has sent you or on a prescription. We?ll be in touch to let you know when you?ve been added and can book home delivery slots. Delivering to self-isolating customers If you are self-isolating, please let us know using the delivery instructions box ? this can be done when you are placing or amending your order at checkout. Otherwise this can be found in My Account > My addresses > Add your delivery instructions. Our drivers will call ahead to let you know when they will be dropping your shopping in bags on the doorstep. If you have identified as being in self-isolation our drivers will ask you to wait inside before bagging up your order, placing it on your doorstep and letting you know that it is ready for you to pick up. We are unable to accept any returns on the doorstep from self-isolating customers however, customers can receive a refund for any substitutes by getting in touch with our Contact Centre. Finally, our colleagues will not ask you to sign for your delivery. Doorstep deliveries In order to protect the safety and wellbeing of our customers and colleagues we are taking a number of steps to ensure that we are able to deliver to you as safely as possible. We have taken the decision to deliver your shopping to your front door rather than taking it inside. If you live in a flat, we will still bring your shopping to your own front door. A handy tip can be to keep some shopping bags, cardboard boxes or even your laundry basket close by when your delivery is due to help bring your shopping into your house. Drivers will use alcohol based hand sanitiser regularly throughout their deliveries. Delivery slot availability From Monday 23 March, our existing online customers who are over 70 years of age, vulnerable or who have a disability will get priority access to online home delivery slots and access to Click & Collect services. We?re working to identify more vulnerable customers and hope to be able to open this service to new customers soon. We are also working hard to make further home delivery and click & collect slots available for our delivery pass customers and will be contacting these customers over the coming days. As we have shared, we are increasing access to our Click & Collect service and we hope to make that available to more customers very soon. Product availability We want to acknowledge that are we are experiencing extremely high demand for certain products currently and as such have introduced some quantity restrictions. Customers will be able to buy a maximum of three of any grocery product and a maximum of two on the most popular products including toilet paper, soap and UHT milk. We have enough food coming into the system, but are limiting sales so that it stays on shelves for longer and can be bought by a larger numbers of customers.  Substitutions We want to acknowledge that are we are experiencing extremely high demand for certain products currently and as such have introduced some quantity restrictions. Customers will be able to buy a maximum of three of any grocery product and a maximum of two on the most popular products including toilet paper, soap and UHT milk. We have enough food coming into the system, but are limiting sales so that it stays on shelves for longer and can be bought by a larger numbers of customers. We are unable to accept any returns on the doorstep from self-isolating customers however, customers can receive a refund for any substitutes by getting in touch with our Contact Centre. Customers without a Delivery Pass If you fall into the definition of a vulnerable customer then we are working through how to identify you and give you access to priority home delivery. If you do not fall into this category then you can still access grocery online through our expanded click and collect offer. At the moment we?re focussing on customers that need our help the most. Click & Collect For our Click and Collect online customers who can travel to our stores, from Monday 23 March, we will operate an expanded ?click and collect? service. We are significantly increasing the number of collection sites across the country over the coming days in preparation for this. Customers can place their order online as usual and pick it up from a collection point in the store car park. Find out more about click and collect. New Groceries Online and Delivery Pass registrations We?re focusing on our existing customers for the time being. We are not currently able to support any new website registrations and will no longer be accepting delivery pass applications. We will continue to review this and hope to be able to open our registrations to new customers who are elderly, disabled or vulnerable soon. In-store caf?s and counters To help us get more essential items onto the shelves, from Thursday, 19 March, we will be closing our cafes and our meat, fish and pizza counters in supermarkets. This means we can free up warehouse and lorry capacity for products that customers really need. It will also free up time for our store colleagues to focus on keeping the shelves as well stocked as possible. A message from our CEO Mike Coupe Dear Customer, We are continuing to work around the clock to feed the nation in these challenging times. Many of you have written to me in the past 24 hours to tell me that you like the idea of priority shopping for NHS workers and for elderly and disabled customers, but that these should be at different times. We have therefore decided to allow NHS and social care workers to shop in our supermarkets for half an hour before they open each day. So anyone with NHS ID will be able to shop from 07.30-08.00 every day from Monday to Saturday. We?re delighted to be able to offer priority shopping to all the hard-working NHS staff across the country who are working so hard to keep us all safe and well. In addition to this, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, all our supermarkets will dedicate 08.00-09.00 to serving elderly customers, disabled customers and carers. Many of you have also asked me about priority online delivery slots for elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers. We have been able to identify a number of customers as elderly and vulnerable based on the information they have given us previously. These details would include date of birth and if you have ever used our vulnerable customer helpline. For all of these customers, we will email you today (Sunday) with information on when slots will become available. If you do not receive an email and you consider yourself to be vulnerable, please visit our Groceries Online website on Monday for information on how to contact us. We are also working as quickly as possible on an option for people to register themselves as disabled and vulnerable on their online shopping accounts. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to get in touch with me and share your feedback ? it?s because of you that we are making these changes and we will continue to listen, learn and adapt during this uncertain time. Best wishes, Mike'

https://smile.amazon.co.uk//gp/video/storefront/?merchId=freeforall&ref_=pe_20432851_454712101 Amazon is 'making as many family and kids titles as we can free for all Amazon customers. No Prime membership needed. Simply access the Prime Video app on your Smart TV, mobile or desktop and log in with your Amazon details.' Seems to be in age ranges: preschool, 6-11, and 'kids' favourites'.

For those who may need benefits advice but who haven't come across this site before, Benefits & Work [www.benefitsandwork.co.uk] is a very useful website for those facing applications, assessments & appeals within the benefits system. Although a lot is free there is also a members area with very good guides for a variety of benefits and various fora for advice and experience-sharing. There is currently an offer on individual & advisor membership rates. - Today there is news regarding the impact of Covid-19 on the benefits system (application, assessment & appeals). Links available on website [www.benefitsandwork.co.uk]: 'Dear [], Like everyone else we are struggling to come to terms with the dramatic changes that have taken place over the last two weeks. But we have begun creating resources to help members deal with those changes, in the small ways that we can. This includes a Coronavirus Forum where you can share information and concerns, whether they relate to benefits or not. We?ve also published a Coronavirus Updates Page to keep track of the many PIP, ESA, UC and DLA changes. One of those changes is the end of face-to-face assessments for the next six months. Another is the suspension of all reviews and reassessments, including PIP and ESA, for the next three months. PIP awards that are about to end will be extended. Plus, there has been a major switch from appeal hearings to paper appeals, for the next six months. We have already updated our PIP claims guide in the light of these changes. We?ll update the rest as soon as possible. CORONAVIRUS UPDATES PAGE Our Coronavirus Updates page keeps you posted about important changes to PIP, ESA/UC and DLA regulations and procedures that are likely to affect you. You can also use it to check when our guides are updated to take account of recent changes. Please check back regularly as the changes are coming thick and fast. CORONAVIRUS FORUM We have opened a Coronavirus Forum for members to pass on information and concerns relating to the current crisis. We hope that readers who have a paper or telephone assessment or appeal will share details of their experience with us, so that we can pass them on more widely. But your post doesn?t have to be about benefits. You can post about anything that comes up as we try to get through the coming months. You might have useful information or links to share. Or you may have a problem that other members can offer advice about. Or you may just want to say how tough things are for you, in a place where you know you will be treated with respect and understanding. Many thanks to our members who have volunteered to be moderators on the new forum If there is anything else you think would be helpful, please let us know. FACE-TO-FACE ASSESSMENTS SUSPENDED The DWP have announced the suspension of all PIP, ESA and UC face-to-face assessments for three months, from Tuesday 17 March. Anyone who had a face-to-face assessment appointment scheduled from Tuesday 17 March onwards does not need to attend. You should be contacted by IAS (Atos), Capita or Maximus to discuss next steps and alternative arrangements. This may mean your claim will be assessed just on whatever paperwork is available. In some cases the assessment provider might also carry out a telephone assessment. This may take the form of supplementary questions where there is not enough information in the paperwork. We?d be interested to hear from anyone who goes through this process. MOST APPEALS TO BE PAPER ONLY FOR THE NEXT SIX MONTHS Tribunal judges have been given the power to sit alone and to make decisions about PIP, ESA, UC and DLA appeals just on the papers. Under the new powers, a tribunal judge can make a provisional decision just on the paperwork where they believe a successful outcome for the claimant is highly likely. Once a provisional decision is made both you and the DWP will be asked if you agree with that decision. If you both do, it will become a final decision. If either you or the DWP are not happy, you can still insist that the case goes to a full hearing. If a full hearing is required, wherever possible it will be done ?remotely?. This may mean by video link or telephone conferencing. One concern about this system is that when a provisional decision is made by a judge, some claimants may feel under a great deal of pressure to accept the award, even if it is not as high as they think they should get. Again, we would like to hear from members going through this process. PIP AWARDS EXTENDED, BENEFITS REVIEWS AND REASSESSMENTS SUSPENDED In a welcome move, the DWP have announced that there will be no new reviews or reassessments of benefits for three months from Tuesday 24 March. Benefits affected include: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Universal Credit (UC) Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Disability Living Allowance (DLA) Attendance Allowance (AA) Where an assessment has already taken place for PIP, the decision making process will continue. Where you already have an assessment scheduled, the assessment provider should contact you to explain whether a paper or telephone assessment will take place. If your PIP award is due to end, it will be extended. That?s all the news we have for now, but there?s sure to be more changes. So do check back regularly. Good Luck, Steve Donnison' BOOST YOUR PIP, UC AND ESA CHANCES - 20% OFF ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP ? OFFER ENDS MIDNIGHT FRIDAY. Give yourself the best possible chance of getting the right PIP, UC or ESA decision, whether you?re making a claim or asking for a reconsideration or appeal. Subscribe now and get instant access to all our guides. If you?re not already a member, join the Benefits and Work community before midnight on Friday and you can get 20% off the cost of your annual subscription. Just type the following code into the coupon box when you pay: 77846 Claimants and carers get an annual subscription for ?15.96, down from ?19.95. Professionals get an annual subscription for ?77.60, down from ?97.00. Offer ends midnight Friday

Cats Protection have a similar scheme for cats called Cat Guardians: https://www.cats.org.uk/what-we-do/catguardians

lameduck Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I emailed Mike Coupe this morning > Re Sainsburys feeding the nation no reply email > rubbish > Asking him why can we not register > I still have received no answer > this is his email address maybe we should bombard > him with emails > vic > [email protected] Thank you for this. I have been trying to register by phone since Monday (and earlier) but just get a 'this is BT. The Network is busy. Try again later' message every time. No option via online account. Ended up putting a request in my delivery instructions but doubtful that will work! ETA: Have just sent an email requesting a way to register as OAP, disabled, vulnerable etc. online as not able to get through by phone.

Ah, tablets can be tricky. Will it give you the option if you click and hold to highlight text and copy that way?

Best way is to copy & paste. Select text you wish to copy, right click and choose copy. Click into EDF post, right click again and choose paste and Bob's your uncle, so to speak.

Coronavirus e-news: practical information for disabled people At Disability Rights UK we are well aware that the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) is causing great uncertainty and stress among our community. Alongside our regular e-news round up, we will also be sending you some e-newsletters on Coronavirus ? this one provides information on and links to government and institutional guidance, and another will focus on policy around the virus, with particular relevance to disabled people. This information is also available on our website: www.disabilityrightsuk.org/coronavirus Updates to this information will be posted to the link above. General guidance on Coronavirus An easy read guide to Coronavirus can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system /uploads/attachment_data/file/874281/COVID-19_easy_read.pdf A comprehensive guide to the latest government guidance, topic by topic, can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus Information on symptoms, what the virus does, and what to do if you think you may have it, can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ Citizens Advice has also issued guidance for people needing help at this time. You can find it here: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/policy/policy-research-topics/welfare-policy-research-surveys-and-consultation-responses/welfare-policy-research/helping-people-through-the-covid-19-pandemic/ And here: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/health/coronavirus-what-it-means-for-you/ Social welfare law updates can be found here: https://www.rightsnet.org.uk/covid19 Social distancing You will almost certainly be aware that Public Health England is advising vulnerable groups, including those with disabilities and long-term health conditions, to practice social distancing. New guidance from the NHS for those at greatest risk is expected this week. For the current guidance on social distancing, go here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people/guidance-on-social-distancing-for-everyone-in-the-uk-and-protecting-older-people-and-vulnerable-adults Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged vulnerable groups to isolate for 12 weeks in a ?period of maximum protection? from the weekend which has just passed. While this is not yet mandatory, it is very strongly advised. You can hear him speaking about this from five minutes ten seconds in on this youtube link: Benefits Face to face benefits assessments have been cancelled for (at least) three months. More information can be found here: https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/2020/march/face-face-benefits-appointments-cancelled The Government?s has published guidance on Statutory Sick Pay, job centre appointments, health assessment appointments, changes to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credits, Local Housing Allowances and Housing Benefit here: https://www.understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/coronavirus/ For the first seven days off work, employees can self-certify so they don?t need any evidence for their employer. After that, employers may ask for evidence of sickness absence. Where this is related to having symptoms of coronavirus or living with someone who has symptoms, the isolation note can be used to provide evidence of the advice to self-isolate. People who need to claim universal credit or employment and support allowance because of coronavirus will not be required to produce a fit note or an isolation note. In addition, the government advises that the note can be accessed through the NHS website and NHS 111 online, and that: ?'After answering a few questions, an isolation note will be emailed to the user. If they don?t have an email address, they can have the note sent to a trusted family member or friend, or directly to their employer. The service can also be used to generate an isolation note on behalf of someone else.'? Other welfare benefit changes include: - Increasing the universal credit standard allowance and the working tax credit basic element by ?20 a week for the next 12 months. - Suspending the minimum income floor for everyone affected by the economic impacts of coronavirus. - The rule that means statutory sick pay (SSP) is not paid for the first three days of work missed because of sickness absence with (retrospective effect from 13 March 2020); - Raising the ?generosity? of housing benefit and universal credit, so that the local housing allowance will cover at least 30% of market rents in an area. - Removing the universal credit minimum income floor rule for the self employed. New PIP, ESA and Attendance Allowance claimants will have priority for telephone and paper-based disability assessments to ensure access to support The DWP has announced that there no requirement to attend jobcentre appointments for three months, However, jobcentres will remain open and will continue to support people who cannot go online or use the phone to make claims or get support. Turn2Us is a useful website to find out more about benefits: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/get-support/Benefits-and-Coronavirus-Sickness Housing The Ministry of Housing and Communities has announced plans for emergency legislation to suspend evictions from social or private rented accommodation. More information about the announcement can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/complete-ban-on-evictions-and-additional-protection-for-renters Shopping People classified as ?extremely vulnerable? can self-register for support (food parcels) here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-extremely-vulnerable?fbclid=IwAR0ZciJdp3zC-6ZH8hDIWX2SO1_ijJWq4fexprK2e5Cr9fpbooEJLVON_mA Some branches of some of the major supermarkets, including Sainsbury?s, M&S, Asda, Morrison?s and Tesco, are offering a quieter hour for shopping for vulnerable groups (older people, people with long-term health conditions, and disabled people). While the intention is there, concerns have been raised in the media that the queues are long and proximity to people too close to be considered isolating. If you are able to use the internet, online grocery shopping affords more isolation. A round up of information from the major supermarkets can be found on the inews website. Please note that information is subject to change: https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/money/supermarket-opening-times-coronavirus-tesco-asda-sainsburys-morrisons-aldi-hours-2502402 You can check for the latest information and find contact details for the major UK supermarkets on their websites. Aldi: https://www.aldi.co.uk/ Asda: https://www.asda.com/ Best-One: https://www.best-one.co.uk/ Budgens: https://www.budgens.co.uk/ Co-Op: https://www.coop.co.uk/ Costco: https://www.costco.co.uk/ Costcutter: https://www.costcutter.co.uk/ Farmfoods: https://www.farmfoods.co.uk/ Iceland: https://www.iceland.co.uk/ Lidl: https://www.lidl.co.uk/ Londis: https://www.londis.co.uk/ Makro: https://www.makro.co.uk/ Marks and Spencer: https://www.marksandspencer.com/ Morrisons: https://groceries.morrisons.com/webshop/startWebshop.do Nisa: https://www.nisalocally.co.uk/ Ocado: https://www.ocado.com/ Premier: https://www.premier-stores.co.uk/ Sainsbury?s: https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/ Sainsburys has a vulnerable persons careline - 0800 052 5500. It is attempting to prioritise vulnerable customers for home delivery. Call wait times may be substantial. Spar: https://www.spar.co.uk/ Tesco: https://www.tesco.com/ Waitrose: https://www.waitrose.com/ Utilities Energy companies have agreed emergency measures to ensure vulnerable people do not get cut off at this time. Details on energy company measures can be found here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51958920 and water company measures here: https://wwtonline.co.uk/news/water-sector-responds-to-coronavirus-outbreak- Medical and NHS services In the case of GP surgeries closing due to Coronavirus or short staffing, NHS out of hours advice still stands. This can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/urgent-and-emergency-care/nhs-out-of-hours-services/ Information on support from your pharmacy can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/pharmacies/ Hospitals are cancelling non-essential appointments, and publishing their own guidance on Coronavirus on their websites. Check before travelling. You can find a list of NHS Trusts linking to websites here: https://www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/pages/nhstrustlisting.aspx You can find a list of Clinical Commissioning Groups linking to websites here: https://www.nhs.uk/servicedirectories/pages/ccglisting.aspx General NHS information on Coronavirus can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ NHS England has put out the following comprehensive guidance to the Heads of Clinical Commissioning Groups and NHS Trusts across the country, determining which services should continue to run, which should run with limited capacity, and which will need to be discontinued during the outbreak: https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/wp-content/uploads/sites/52/2020/03/COVID-19-prioritisation-within-community-health-services-with-annex_19-March-2020.pdf Social care The government has published guidance on home care provision here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-residential-care-supported-living-and-home-care-guidance/covid-19-guidance-on-home-care-provision And adult social care here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-ethical-framework-for-adult-social-care/responding-to-covid-19-the-ethical-framework-for-adult-social-care?fbclid=IwAR0avXPoMZ2zW-4GpnJlWCOv0tOeXrC0Px0RZO6wphFXvHIu82tuOTtqrLQ Last week, the In Control charity ran a webinar on social care and direct payments during the Coronavirus outbreak: (note this link is to a youtube video, you cannot actively participate now as the event has passed). In Control has set up a web page on its Be Human initiative, which links to local facebook Coronavirus support groups, as well as other resources created by Disabled People?s Groups: https://be-human.org.uk/coronaheroes/ While we know it is a challenging time for everyone at the moment due to Coronavirus. Disabled people are still entitled to the care and support they receive from their Local Authorities to promote their independence, safety and wellbeing. Disabled people are also entitled to be adequately assessed in order to ensure proper person-centred care needs are met, and assessment and care and support plans are written. Assessment and care and support plans can be undertaken without face to face meetings. We have produced a Care Act Guide that can be dowloaded for free from: https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/care-act-guide Education Schools are closed, with the exception of need for keyworkers and vulnerable children. Details of who is eligible to attend school can be found in this BBC article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-51643556 Government advice on SEND schools is wooly: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers If you are in doubt about what to do with a child who attends a SEND setting, contact your local authority. Coram Children?s Legal Centre has some useful advice for SEND provision at this time which can be found here: https://www.childrenslegalcentre.com/coronavirus-impact-sen/ Employment Support for self-employed people is so far minimal. If you?re self-employed, claiming Universal Credit and having to stay at home because of COVID-19, the minimum income floor rules do not apply. From 6 April there will be a ?temporary relaxation? of minimum income floor rules, and self-employed people claiming Universal Credit will not have to attend job centre appointments to demonstrate what their work is. There has been additional support promised for self-employed workers but no details yet. If you?re self-isolating due to COVID-19 you can get SSP from day one off work, rather than day four. There have been plans announced to support the income of people out of work due to COVID-19 through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, but that does not cover self-employed workers, and is applied for employers. If you?re not eligible for statutory sick pay you can apply for Universal Credit and/or Employment and Support Allowance. The government has issued information for employees here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19 and information for employers here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19 Public transport Some local councils have eased the terms of use for free bus passes, allowing people to use them on all buses, not just on those after the morning rush hour. This potentially allows people to access the early morning hour of shopping reserved at the major supermarkets for vulnerable groups. However, while isolation is not yet compulsory, these groups are being strongly advised to self-isolate to avoid infection. Rail routes will be running reduced services but will stay running to allow key workers, including NHS and care workers, to get to work. Refunds will be issued for season tickets. People with passes will need to contact the pass issuer for details. BBC output The BBC intends to continue its remit to inform, educate and entertain during the outbreak. It has committed to keeping flagship news broadcasts on the air, to use The One Show as a consumer programme for all aspects of the crisis, including health and well-being advice, keeping fit and healthy eating tips, while Health Check UK Live will directly address the concerns of viewers who are in isolation, offering tips on how to keep healthy and happy at home. It will work to offer TV and radio fitness programmes, and use the BBC Food website to focus on what meals can be made with essentials, for those on low incomes. It has also given the Red Button service a reprieve for the time being. It has pledged to keep spirits up with repeats of favourite shows on the TV, and iPlayer, as well as launching a new iPlayer experience for children, part of which will focus on education. Read more here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2020/bbc-keeping-nation-informed-educated-entertained Disability Rights UK Plexal 14 East Bay Lane Here East, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Stratford, London E20 3BS United Kingdom 0330 995 0400 www.disabilityrightsuk.org

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/coronavirus-uk-lockdown-boris-johnson-speech-today-update-latest-advice-a9420086.html Prime minister Boris Johnson has imposed an unprecedented three-week nationwide lockdown across the UK in an attempt to bring a halt to the coronavirus outbreak. All British households have been told to stay at home except for a strictly limited set of purposes - with police having powers to enforce the instructions with fines. Shops selling non-essential goods have been ordered to close, along with libraries, playgrounds and outdoor gyms, and places of worship. Weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies are being stopped, but funerals will continue to go ahead. And all public gatherings of more than two people - except for members of the same household - will be banned. From Monday evening, people will only be allowed to leave their homes for: - Shopping for basic necessities ?as infrequently as possible?; - One exercise outing a day - for example a run, walk or cycle; - Medical needs or caring for a vulnerable person; - Travelling to and from work, but only if this is absolutely necessary and cannot be done from home. The new measures came after the UK death toll from Covid-19 reached 335, with a further 46 people who tested positive for the virus dying in England, and foreign secretary Dominic Raab told all Britons overseas to come home now. They mean the UK following countries like Italy, Spain and France into stringent restrictions on day-to-day life to suppress the virus, after weeks in which Britain has maintained a lighter-touch approach based on voluntary rather than mandatory actions. Mr Johnson?s decision to step up action, agreed at a meeting of the Cobra emergency committee in Whitehall, came amid widespread concern over large numbers of people congregating at parks, beaches and outdoor markets over the weekend. In a televised address to the nation recorded in 10 Downing Street, Mr Johnson said: ?In this fight we can be in no doubt that each and every one of us is directly enlisted. ?Each and every one of us is now obliged to join together, to halt the spread of this disease, to protect our NHS and to save many many thousands of lives. ?And I know that, as they have in the past so many times, the people of this country will rise to that challenge. ?And we will come through it stronger than ever. ?We will beat the coronavirus and we will beat it together. ?And therefore I urge you at this moment of national emergency to stay at home, protect our NHS and save lives.? Mr Johnson described coronavirus as ?the biggest threat this country has faced for decades?. He warned: ?Without a huge national effort to halt the growth of this virus, there will come a moment when no health service in the world could possibly cope, because there won?t be enough ventilators, enough intensive care beds, enough doctors and nurses. ?And as we have seen elsewhere, in other countries that also have fantastic health care systems, that is the moment of real danger. ?To put it simply - if too many people become seriously unwell at one time, the NHS will be unable to handle it, meaning more people are likely to die, not just from coronavirus but from other illnesses as well. ?So it?s vital to slow the spread of the disease. ?Because that is the way we reduce the number of people needing hospital treatment at any one time, so we can protect the NHS?s ability to cope - and save more lives.? Speaking alongside a Union flag, Mr Johnson thanked Britons who have complied with advice to stay at home where possible and to maintain ?social distancing? when outside. But he said: ?The time has now come for us all to do more. ?From this evening I must give the British people a very simple instruction - you must stay at home. ?Because the critical thing we must do is stop the disease spreading between households.? And he added: ?You should not be meeting friends. If your friends ask you to meet, you should say No. ?You should not be meeting family members who do not live in your home. ?You should not be going shopping except for essentials like food and medicine ? and you should do this as little as you can. And use food delivery services where you can. ?If you don?t follow the rules the police will have the powers to enforce them, including through fines and dispersing gatherings.? Mr Johnson said: ?No prime minister wants to enact measures like this. ?I know the damage that this disruption is doing and will do to people?s lives, to their businesses and to their jobs... "But at present there are just no easy options. The way ahead is hard, and it is still true that many lives will sadly be lost. "And yet it is also true that there is a clear way through. Day by day we are strengthening our amazing NHS with 7,500 former clinicians now coming back to the service. "With the time you buy ? by simply staying at home - we are increasing our stocks of equipment, we are accelerating our search for treatments, we are pioneering work on a vaccine. "And we are buying millions of testing kits that will enable us to turn the tide on this invisible killer."

Source & link: https://ourhealthheroes.org/share-your-thanks People working through this crisis to protect our health are heroes. They?re going flat out, putting the lives of others before theirs, in order to keep us as healthy as they can. It?s truly remarkable. Some HOPE not hate Charitable Trust supporters who now have their kids at home during the day, made some thank you cards. It?s a brilliant idea and we wanted to pass the idea on to anyone who might have children at home, nieces, nephews, whoever! It?s a fun activity and a great way to show our appreciation. We want to thank our Healthcare Heroes for all their work and to show them our support. You might want to thank the nurses and doctors, or the staff who keep our hospitals going, the cleaners, the porters, the admin staff - they?re all on the frontline. Staff in social care are heroes too. I have a family member who works in a hospice. This crisis is hitting hard, and they?re all working to get us through it. Do you know someone who is creative or likes drawing? It?s really easy to thank #OurHealthcareHeroes and show them how grateful we are. The HOPE not hate Charitable Trust will share them online, and directly with health unions. Most people joining in so far are kids, but anyone can do it. Draw your favourite person or object that reminds you of the NHS. It can be a nurse, a doctor or a stethoscope. Make sure the drawing includes a message thanking the healthcare heroes. I'll thank our Healthcare Heroes - link: https://ourhealthheroes.org/share-your-thanks Thank you for doing your bit to thank our healthcare heroes. Together we can make a difference. Matthew Campaign Director Hope Not Hate

Source & link: https://ourhealthheroes.org/share-your-thanks People working through this crisis to protect our health are heroes. They?re going flat out, putting the lives of others before theirs, in order to keep us as healthy as they can. It?s truly remarkable. Some HOPE not hate Charitable Trust supporters who now have their kids at home during the day, made some thank you cards. It?s a brilliant idea and we wanted to pass the idea on to anyone who might have children at home, nieces, nephews, whoever! It?s a fun activity and a great way to show our appreciation. We want to thank our Healthcare Heroes for all their work and to show them our support. You might want to thank the nurses and doctors, or the staff who keep our hospitals going, the cleaners, the porters, the admin staff - they?re all on the frontline. Staff in social care are heroes too. I have a family member who works in a hospice. This crisis is hitting hard, and they?re all working to get us through it. Do you know someone who is creative or likes drawing? It?s really easy to thank #OurHealthcareHeroes and show them how grateful we are. The HOPE not hate Charitable Trust will share them online, and directly with health unions. Most people joining in so far are kids, but anyone can do it. Draw your favourite person or object that reminds you of the NHS. It can be a nurse, a doctor or a stethoscope. Make sure the drawing includes a message thanking the healthcare heroes. I'll thank our Healthcare Heroes - link: https://ourhealthheroes.org/share-your-thanks Thank you for doing your bit to thank our healthcare heroes. Together we can make a difference. Matthew Campaign Director

Touch wood, so far so good. Sometimes rather slugish, especially in afternoon, but get there in the end. To be expected with increase of online activity. I think YouTube is slowing streaming as well.

[source: https://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/10160?utm_source=SE1+Direct&utm_campaign=bf2b5abe62-SE1+Direct+998_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9d1f71fd65-bf2b5abe62-407870801] Borough Market expands home delivery service to keep London fed - Online link: https://www.goodsixty.co.uk/borough-market Thursday 19 March 2020 London SE1 website team Borough Market is extending its online delivery service to all addresses within the M25 amid the COVID-19 outbreak. The market is also remaining open for shoppers. Borough Market expands home delivery service to keep London fed Since its launch in November 2019, Borough Market Online has offered deliveries by zero-emission electric bike within a 2.5 mile radius. From Thursday 19 March deliveries will be temporarily extended to any location inside the M25. Click and collect is also available from the market up until 9pm each day. Electric bike couriers will still be used for deliveries within a reasonable distance of the market, but vans ? hybrid where possible ? will be used further afield. Strict hygiene practices mean that the food is securely packaged, and the option of a doorstep drop service allows it to be received without contact with couriers. "In these extraordinary times, the delivery zone has been extended to within the M25," said Kate Howell, development director at Borough Market. "The priority is for the market to be able to deliver wonderful food from our traders to Londoners who have to stay at home and live outside our normal delivery zone." Borough Market is also supporting its neighbours through a series of 'Food Community' measures ? trader Bread Ahead is offering free yeast on request to those living locally who are keen to bake their own bread at home, and the market will be selling flour alongside other dried goods to keep Londoners cooking at home. People across the UK (and the world) looking for culinary inspiration will be able to access hundreds of free online recipes ? many using store cupboard staples, along with live cooking demos and cook-alongs from a range of chefs and restaurants hosted on the market's new Community Facebook Group. Borough Market's partnership with the Plan Zheroes charity will continue, with surplus produce collected from the Market and delivered to community organisations that help feed some of the city's most vulnerable people. Darren Henaghan, managing director, Borough Market said: "Our community is large and diverse, and our responsibilities to it go beyond the sale of food. We will use the online sphere to stay close to those who need comradeship or distraction-that's why we're using our resources, working with fantastic chefs, traders and producers to create a digital community which will support people stuck at home and give them a sense of connection through food." "We have taken steps to shift the nature of the market from a place of congregation and engagement to one in which contact is kept to a minimum. Of course Borough Market is first and foremost a produce market ? customers can think of it as an outdoor supermarket ? so the produce traders selling meat, fish, fruit, veg and baked goods are still all operating. "We aim to remain a haven for food lovers while supporting our small, independent businesses. Borough Market has served this community for a thousand years, through thick and thin. It has survived wars. It has lived through food shortages and curfews. As recently as 2017, our community withstood the trauma of a terrorist attack and the subsequent weeks of closure. It did so by remaining close and supportive, by caring about people ? and that's how we'll get through this crisis too." Communal seating has been removed from the Borough Market Kitchen and public events have been cancelled to minimise contact between customers and traders. Several of the market's restaurants and hot food concessions have closed but produce stalls selling meat, fish, bread and vegetables will continue to operate to serve customers and the wholesale trade. The market's online shopping platform is available for customers to order delicious produce from the majority of Borough Market traders. Once the order is placed the Borough Market Online team will gather the produce from the relevant traders and place them in a designated hub within the Market. From here, customers can either collect their order at the market between 12pm and 9pm or it will be dispatched via state of the art zero-emission electric cargo bike, within a reasonable distance, or by van ? hybrid where possible ? to their address at a pre-booked time slot

Further update from Sainsburys (from website this morning - Mon 23rd): - Registering as over 70, vulnerable, disabled - Priority deliveries etc, 'Working to feed the nation We are working round-the-clock to provide customers with more information around how we plan to continue serving our customers in the current climate, especially those who are elderly, disabled or vulnerable and NHS and social care workers. How we?re responding to COVID-19 (coronavirus) We have listened to your feedback and taken further steps to make sure everyone has access to food and essential items, and to keep supporting our colleagues. These are summarised below. For full detail, please read the latest letter from our CEO Mike Coupe at the bottom of this page. From Monday 23rd March, we are consolidating our opening hours and all our supermarkets will be open from 08.00 to 20.00 Monday ? Saturday. With the exception of some stores in Scotland, Sunday opening hours will stay the same (please check on Store Locator for Sunday opening hours in your store). Sainsbury?s Local and petrol station hours will stay the same Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, all our supermarkets will dedicate 08.00 to 09.00 to serving elderly customers, disabled customers and carers NHS and social care workers will be able to shop in our supermarkets for half an hour before they open, from Monday to Saturday. Anyone with NHS ID will be able to shop from 07.30 to 08.00 on these days We have prioritised online delivery slots for elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers. We?ve already been able to identify some existing customers who are elderly, disabled and vulnerable through the information that we have about them and have emailed these customers. But we know that we haven?t been able to identify all of our vulnerable customers. If you?re elderly, disabled or vulnerable and think you should be on our vulnerable customer list, please get in touch on 0800 328 1700 Adding more Click & Collect locations (from Monday 23 March) Putting limits on certain products (from Wednesday 18 March) Closing our cafes and counters (from Thursday 19 March). How we?re helping our customers From Monday 23 March, our existing online customers who are over 70 years of age, vulnerable or who have a disability will get priority access to online home delivery and access to click & collect slots. We?ve already been able to identify some existing customers who are elderly, vulnerable and disabled through the information that we have about them and we will be emailing these customers over the course of the weekend, but we know that we haven?t been able to identify all of our vulnerable customers. We?re working hard, alongside the government and retail industry, to identify more of them. We are also working hard to make further home delivery and click & collect slots available for our delivery pass customers and will be contacting these customers over the coming days. As we have shared, we are increasing access to our click & collect service and we hope to make that available to more customers very soon. Identifying our elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers From Monday 23 March, our existing online customers who are over 70 years of age, vulnerable or who have a disability will get priority access to online home delivery and access to click & collect slots. We?ve already been able to identify some existing customers who are elderly, vulnerable and disabled through the information that we have about them and have emailed these customers. But we know that we haven?t been able to identify all of our vulnerable customers. We?re working hard, alongside the government and retail industry, to identify more of them. If you?re elderly, disabled or vulnerable and think you should be on our vulnerable customer list, please get in touch on 0800 328 1700. Delivering to self-isolating customers If you are self-isolating, please let us know using the delivery instructions box ? this can be done when you are placing or amending your order at checkout. Otherwise this can be found in My Account > My addresses > Add your delivery instructions. Our drivers will call ahead to let you know when they will be dropping your shopping in bags on the doorstep. If you have identified as being in self-isolation our drivers will ask you to wait inside before bagging up your order, placing it on your doorstep and letting you know that it is ready for you to pick up. We are unable to accept any returns on the doorstep from self-isolating customers however, customers can receive a refund for any substitutes by getting in touch with our Contact Centre. Finally, our colleagues will not ask you to sign for your delivery. Doorstep deliveries In order to protect the safety and wellbeing of our customers and colleagues we are taking a number of steps to ensure that we are able to deliver to you as safely as possible. We have taken the decision to deliver your shopping to your front door rather than taking it inside. If you live in a flat, we will still bring your shopping to your own front door. A handy tip can be to keep some shopping bags, cardboard boxes or even your laundry basket close by when your delivery is due to help bring your shopping into your house. Drivers will use alcohol based hand sanitiser regularly throughout their deliveries. Delivery slot availability From Monday 23 March, our existing online customers who are over 70 years of age, vulnerable or who have a disability will get priority access to online home delivery slots and access to Click & Collect services. We?re working to identify more vulnerable customers and hope to be able to open this service to new customers soon. We are also working hard to make further home delivery and click & collect slots available for our delivery pass customers and will be contacting these customers over the coming days. As we have shared, we are increasing access to our Click & Collect service and we hope to make that available to more customers very soon. Product availability We want to acknowledge that are we are experiencing extremely high demand for certain products currently and as such have introduced some quantity restrictions. Customers will be able to buy a maximum of three of any grocery product and a maximum of two on the most popular products including toilet paper, soap and UHT milk. We have enough food coming into the system, but are limiting sales so that it stays on shelves for longer and can be bought by a larger numbers of customers.  Substitutions We want to acknowledge that are we are experiencing extremely high demand for certain products currently and as such have introduced some quantity restrictions. Customers will be able to buy a maximum of three of any grocery product and a maximum of two on the most popular products including toilet paper, soap and UHT milk. We have enough food coming into the system, but are limiting sales so that it stays on shelves for longer and can be bought by a larger numbers of customers. We are unable to accept any returns on the doorstep from self-isolating customers however, customers can receive a refund for any substitutes by getting in touch with our Contact Centre. Customers without a Delivery Pass If you fall into the definition of a vulnerable customer then we are working through how to identify you and give you access to priority home delivery. If you do not fall into this category then you can still access grocery online through our expanded click and collect offer. At the moment we?re focussing on customers that need our help the most. Click & Collect For our Click and Collect online customers who can travel to our stores, from Monday 23 March, we will operate an expanded ?click and collect? service. We are significantly increasing the number of collection sites across the country over the coming days in preparation for this. Customers can place their order online as usual and pick it up from a collection point in the store car park. Find out more about click and collect. New Groceries Online and Delivery Pass registrations We?re focusing on our existing customers for the time being. We are not currently able to support any new website registrations and will no longer be accepting delivery pass applications. We will continue to review this and hope to be able to open our registrations to new customers who are elderly, disabled or vulnerable soon. In-store caf?s and counters To help us get more essential items onto the shelves, from Thursday, 19 March, we will be closing our cafes and our meat, fish and pizza counters in supermarkets. This means we can free up warehouse and lorry capacity for products that customers really need. It will also free up time for our store colleagues to focus on keeping the shelves as well stocked as possible. A message from our CEO Mike Coupe Dear Customer, We are continuing to work around the clock to feed the nation in these challenging times. Many of you have written to me in the past 24 hours to tell me that you like the idea of priority shopping for NHS workers and for elderly and disabled customers, but that these should be at different times. We have therefore decided to allow NHS and social care workers to shop in our supermarkets for half an hour before they open each day. So anyone with NHS ID will be able to shop from 07.30-08.00 every day from Monday to Saturday. We?re delighted to be able to offer priority shopping to all the hard-working NHS staff across the country who are working so hard to keep us all safe and well. In addition to this, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, all our supermarkets will dedicate 08.00-09.00 to serving elderly customers, disabled customers and carers. Many of you have also asked me about priority online delivery slots for elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers. We have been able to identify a number of customers as elderly and vulnerable based on the information they have given us previously. These details would include date of birth and if you have ever used our vulnerable customer helpline. For all of these customers, we will email you today (Sunday) with information on when slots will become available. If you do not receive an email and you consider yourself to be vulnerable, please visit our Groceries Online website on Monday for information on how to contact us. We are also working as quickly as possible on an option for people to register themselves as disabled and vulnerable on their online shopping accounts. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to get in touch with me and share your feedback ? it?s because of you that we are making these changes and we will continue to listen, learn and adapt during this uncertain time. Best wishes, Mike'

sweetgirl Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > These figures are incorrect as there are many more > people who haven't been tested They have to work with what they have got. As the following articles states there is a disparity of testing and recording around the world: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/have-many-coronavirus-patients-died-italy/

Further email update from Sainsburys CEO this morning: priority shopping instore & online: 'Dear [], We are continuing to work around the clock to feed the nation in these challenging times. Many of you have written to me in the past 24 hours to tell me that you like the idea of priority shopping for NHS workers and for elderly and disabled customers, but that these should be at different times. We have therefore decided to allow NHS and social care workers to shop in our supermarkets for half an hour before they open each day. So anyone with NHS ID will be able to shop from 07.30-08.00 every day from Monday to Saturday. We're delighted to be able to offer priority shopping to all the hard-working NHS staff across the country who are working so hard to keep us all safe and well. In addition to this, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, all our supermarkets will dedicate 08.00-09.00 to serving elderly customers, disabled customers and carers. Many of you have also asked me about priority online delivery slots for elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers. We have been able to identify a number of customers as elderly and vulnerable based on the information they have given us previously. These details would include date of birth and if you have ever used our vulnerable customer helpline. For all of these customers, we will email you today (Sunday) with information on when slots will become available. If you do not receive an email and you consider yourself to be vulnerable, please visit our Groceries Online website on Monday for information on how to contact us. We are also working as quickly as possible on an option for people to register themselves as disabled and vulnerable on their online shopping accounts. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to get in touch with me and share your feedback - it's because of you that we are making these changes and we will continue to listen, learn and adapt during this uncertain time. Best wishes Mike'

Further email update from Sainsburys CEO this morning: priority shopping in store & online: 'Dear Ilona, We are continuing to work around the clock to feed the nation in these challenging times. Many of you have written to me in the past 24 hours to tell me that you like the idea of priority shopping for NHS workers and for elderly and disabled customers, but that these should be at different times. We have therefore decided to allow NHS and social care workers to shop in our supermarkets for half an hour before they open each day. So anyone with NHS ID will be able to shop from 07.30-08.00 every day from Monday to Saturday. We're delighted to be able to offer priority shopping to all the hard-working NHS staff across the country who are working so hard to keep us all safe and well. In addition to this, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, all our supermarkets will dedicate 08.00-09.00 to serving elderly customers, disabled customers and carers. Many of you have also asked me about priority online delivery slots for elderly, disabled and vulnerable customers. We have been able to identify a number of customers as elderly and vulnerable based on the information they have given us previously. These details would include date of birth and if you have ever used our vulnerable customer helpline. For all of these customers, we will email you today (Sunday) with information on when slots will become available. If you do not receive an email and you consider yourself to be vulnerable, please visit our Groceries Online website on Monday for information on how to contact us. We are also working as quickly as possible on an option for people to register themselves as disabled and vulnerable on their online shopping accounts. Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to get in touch with me and share your feedback - it's because of you that we are making these changes and we will continue to listen, learn and adapt during this uncertain time. Best wishes Mike'