Coronavirus: Support for individuals affected

For the latest medical advice, visit NHS.uk/Coronavirus.

The Chancellor has made clear that our NHS will have the resources it needs, and that we will do whatever we can to support individuals and businesses.

Extention of Statutory Sick Pay

If you're too ill to work, or are self-isolating because of coronavirus, you can get Statutory Sick Pay for every day you are in isolation, though you must self-isolate for at least 4 days to be eligible.

You cannot get less than the statutory amount of £94.25 a week - though you could get more if your company has a sick pay scheme.

There are different rules for agricultural workers. Click here to find out more. You can also now get an isolation note to give to your employer online, by clicking here.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

For the latest information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/furlough-scheme-extended-and-further-economic-support-announced

If you and your employer both agree, your employer might be able to keep you on the payroll if they’re unable to operate or have no work for you to do because of coronavirus. This is called being 'furloughed'.

Your employer can pay 80% of your wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, up to £2,500 a month.

However, importantly, you cannot undertake any work for your employer whilst on furlough.

All UK employers with a PAYE scheme are eligible, including businesses, charities, recruitment agencies (agency workers paid through PAYE) and public authorities. Employees can be on any type of contract including agency, flexible and zero-hours contracts. The scheme is open to employees who were on the payroll on 19th March 2020, and will last until the end of November.

Employers small or large, charitable or non-profit, are eligible for the extended Job Retention Scheme, which will continue for a further month.

Businesses will have flexibility to bring furloughed employees back to work on a part time basis or furlough them full-time, and will only be asked to cover National Insurance and employer pension contributions which, for the average claim, accounts for just 5% of total employment costs.

The Job Support Scheme, which was scheduled to come in on Sunday 1st November, has been postponed until the furlough scheme ends.

To be eligible to be claimed for under this extension, employees must be on an employer’s PAYE payroll by 23:59 30th October 2020. This means a Real Time Information (RTI) submission notifying payment for that employee to HMRC must have been made on or before 30th October 2020.
*As under the current CJRS rules:
Employees can be on any type of contract. Employers will be able to agree any working arrangements with employees.
Employers can claim the grant for the hours their employees are not working, calculated by reference to their usual hours worked in a claim period. Such calculations will broadly follow the same methodology as currently under the CJRS.
When claiming the CJRS grant for furloughed hours, employers will need to report and claim for a minimum period of 7 consecutive calendar days.
Employers will need to report hours worked and the usual hours an employee would be expected to work in a claim period.
For worked hours, employees will be paid by their employer subject to their employment contract and employers will be responsible for paying the tax and NICs due on those amounts.

What support is being provided and employer costs:

For hours not worked by the employee, the government will pay 80% of wages up to a cap of £2,500. The grant must be paid to the employee in full.
Employers will pay employer NICs and pension contributions, and should continue to pay the employee for hours worked in the normal way.
As with the current CJRS, employers are still able to choose to top up employee wages above the scheme grant at their own expense if they wish.
The Government will confirm shortly when claims can first be made in respect of employee wage costs during November, but there will be no gap in eligibility for support between the previously announced end-date of CJRS and this extension.

Housing Support

For those in difficulty due to Coronavirus, mortgage lenders have offered at least a three month mortgage holiday. These people will not have to pay a penny towards their mortgage whilst they get back on their feet.

New evictions from homes have also been suspended, and no possession proceedings through the courts will start during this crisis.

Universal Credit

If you are without a job, you may be able to claim Universal Credit to help with your living costs. Click here to find out more.

If you are already claiming Universal Credit, you will continue to get it as normal. If you are working, your payment may be adjusted if you can no longer work due to coronavirus. You should tell the Department for Work and Pensions the hours you are working in the usual way in your online account.

For one year, the government has increased the standard allowance for a single Universial Credit Claimant (aged 25 and over) from £317.82 to £409.89 a month.

You still need to tell the Department for Work and Pensions about changes to your circumstances.

Support for the self-employed

Support is also available for the self-employed. Click here to find out more.

MOT's and car repairs

MOTs and essential car repairs can continue as normal during November.