Coronavirus (COVID-19) Businesses and Employers Bulletin - 20 May 2020

20 May 2020

Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19) business webinars – find out how to make your workplace COVID-secure

The UK Government, in consultation with industry, has produced guidance to help ensure workplaces in England are as safe as possible during the coronavirus pandemic. Join a free webinar, hosted by the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, to find out more about how to make your workplace COVID-secure.

The webinars cover a range of different types of workplace settings which are allowed to be open. Many businesses operate more than one type of workplace, such as an office, factory and fleet of vehicles. You may need to use more than one of the guides/webinars as you think through what you need to do to keep people safe.

• Wednesday 27 May, 11am: Factories, plants and warehouses – Guidance for people who run factories, plants and warehouses
• Wednesday 27 May, 3pm: Restaurants offering takeaway or delivery – Guidance for people who run restaurants offering takeaway or delivery services.
• Thursday 28 May, 11am: Shops and branches – Guidance for people who run shops, branches, stores or similar environments.
• Thursday 28 May, 3pm: Vehicles – Guidance for people who work in or from vehicles, including couriers, mobile workers, lorry drivers, on-site transit and work vehicles, field forces and similar.
• Monday 1 June, 11am: Construction and other outdoor work – Guidance for people who run outdoor working environments.
• Monday 1 June, 3pm: Labs and research facilities – Guidance for people who run indoor labs and research facilities and similar environments
• Tuesday 2 June, 11am: Offices and contact centres – Guidance for people who run offices, contact centres and similar indoor environments
• Tuesday 2 June, 3pm: Homes – Guidance for people working in, visiting or delivering to home environments as well as their employers

National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Covid-19 SME Guidance

NCSC has today published guidance to support businesses moving from physical to digital delivery as part of the ongoing Covid-19 response. The guidance has been created specifically to support businesses who are relying more heavily on IT services to run their business.

The NCSC is committed to equipping all UK businesses with the best cyber security advice. The support package includes guidance on home working, video teleconferencing and spotting email scams related to Covid-19. All additional and pre-existing guidance for business can be found on the NCSC webpage.

New Updates and Guidance

New 

Pick for Britain helps bring workers and employers together

The UK Government and Prince of Wales have urged students and furloughed workers to apply for seasonal farm work. As part of efforts to support British farmers and growers to recruit workers throughout the harvest period, the UK Government launched the Pick for Britain website in partnership with industry to help match up available opportunities with local jobseekers.

Check the tax rules on waiving your income or donating to charity

HMRC advice for people choosing to give up their income to support their business or donate to charity during the coronavirus pandemic.

Updates 

Apprenticeship programme response

Updated with information on training and assessing apprentices in line with the Government’s new safer working guidelines, calculating wages for furloughed apprentices, off-the-job training, and redundant apprentices.

Capacity Market: proposal to relax the rules temporarily in response to COVID-19

The UK Government response to this consultation has been published. The response outlines how the Government intends to implement the majority of proposals outlined in the coronavirus (COVID-19) easements consultation. The easements will be temporary and only remain in place as long as necessary.

Coronavirus - Requests for Business Intelligence and Assistance

Offer coronavirus support

Tell us how your business might be able to help with the response to coronavirus by using our online service.

Share the impact coronavirus is having on your organisation 

Let us know how the outbreak is impacting your business.  Please send your intelligence, including information and feedback on the safer workplace guidance, to intel@beis.gov.uk. Commercially sensitive information will be treated accordingly.  Please note that this inbox is only for receiving intelligence and does not provide business advice.