End of second lockdown and new Winter Plan restrictions

End of second lockdown and new Winter Plan restrictions

25/11/2020

On 23 November the Government announced that the second National lockdown will end on 2 December and the new Winter Plan come into effect.

This means that on 2 December, across all of England, regardless of tier 

  • The stay at home requirement will end, with domestic and international travel being permitted again subject to guidance in each tier. 
  • Shops, personal care, gyms and the wider leisure sector will reopen.
  • Collective worship, weddings and outdoor sports can resume, subject to social distancing. 
  • People will no longer be limited to seeing only one other person in outdoor public spaces - the rule of six will now apply as it did in the previous set of tiers. 

There will be a new tougher, Tier system introduced: 

Tier 1  - Medium 

  • Follow the rule of six if meeting indoors or outdoors 
  • Pubs and restaurants to shut at 11pm (last orders at 10pm)
  • People encouraged to minimise travel and work from home where possible
  • Spectators allowed at sports events and live performances (limited numbers) 
  • Personal care including hairdressing allowed
  • Overnight stays are permitted with household, support bubble or up to six people  

Tier 2 – High 

  • No household mixing indoors 
  • Rule of six will apply outdoors 
  • Alcohol only served with a substantial meal 
  • Spectators allowed at sports events and live performances (limited numbers) 
  • Personal care including hairdressing allowed  
  • Overnight stays permitted with household or support bubble 

Tier 3  - Very High 

  • No household mixing indoors or outdoors in hospitality venues or private gardens 
  • Rule of six in outdoor public spaces like parks  
  • Pubs / restaurants closed except for delivery, takeaway and drive through  
  • Indoor entertainment venues closed 
  • Guidance against travelling in and out of the area 
  • Personal care including hairdressing allowed  
  • No overnight stays outside local area unless necessary for work, education or similar reasons 

Support Bubbles and Childcare Bubbles: 

A support bubble is an exclusive close support network between two households. It means you can have close contact with that household as if they were members of your own.  

From 2 December, you can form a support bubble with another household, if at least one has:  

  • only one adult; (including a household where any children are under the age of 18)  
  • only one adult carer (i.e. living with any additional adult(s) in the household that have a disability and require continuous care);   
  • a child under 1 (regardless of how many other adults are in the household) ; or  
  • a child under 5 with a disability who requires continuous care (regardless of how many other adults are in the household)  

A childcare bubble is where one household links exclusively with one other household to provide informal childcare to a child or children aged 13 or under. They can provide the childcare in either or both of the homes from the two households. 

Financial support from the Government:  

The Government has a number of ways to help you financially including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, Self-employment Income Support Scheme as well as a number of support schemes for businesses.  

  • Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS): CJRS has been extended until the end of March 2021 for all parts of the UK, with employees receiving 80% their usual salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month.
  • Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS): SEISS is in place until April 2021. The scheme is currently in its third stage and will offer grants to the self-employed at 80% of average trading profits for November to January, capped at £7,500 in total.  

You can read more about each scheme here.  (Paragraph 98 is about financial support) or if you need some advice please call us on 0300 323 0325 or visit our website to book an appointment with our Income team.  
 

What does this mean for services to you? 

Later this week, the Government will announce which areas fall in to which Tier and we wait to hear about the anticipated lifting of restrictions for Christmas.   

Our current working arrangements remain consistent with Winter Plan  (which you can read here)  

  • We will continue to provide all services as we have done since the initial lockdown in March   
  • Where staff and our contractors are required to visit a resident or a site we will continue to do so, taking necessary precautions – social distancing and hand washing, as well as face coverings if in your home or unable to socially distance
  • We will continue to offer appointments with our Neighbourhood Managers, Home Ownership and Income teams which are available  either online or by phone. Get in touch here or book an appointment 
  •  If you report a repair we will contact you to see when you would like the work done, ensure we work safely in your home and ask you to as well as ensuring we work safely in your home.  Please let us know if anyone in your home is displaying any Covid-19 symptoms.
  • Over the past few months we have developed new ways of keeping in touch and will continue to promote these.  For example you can request an on line appointment with your neighbourhood manager, homeownership team or a member of the income team here.
  • You can contact us by phone, email, through the website with the Chat Bot or an enquiry form, you can send us a whats app message or use social media if you need to get in touch.   Get in touch here or book an appointment   

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