I am getting a lot of correspondence enquiries about coronavirus related to employment rights, benefits, business support, travel, food, retail, cancellations, education and lots more.
It’s vital to follow guidance from official and reputable sources so these pages should be used as primary sources of information, rather than news websites or social media.
This page will be updated from time to time so please keep checking back for the latest information.
General advice
- UK Government, COVID-19: guidance on social distancing and for vulnerable people
- UK Government, Stay at home guidance
Advice and information from local councils
Health and social care
- Public Health Wales, Latest information on coronavirus
- Welsh Government, Simple steps to help your pharmacy help you (19 March)
- Welsh Government, Doctors returning to the NHS to assist with COVID-19: guidance (19 March)
- Welsh Government, Support for community pharmacies (19 March)
- Welsh Government, Statement on coronavirus testing (18 March)
- Welsh Government, Returning pharmacists: guidance (20 March)
- Welsh Government, Returning allied health professionals and healthcare scientists: guidance (20 March)
- Welsh Government, Guidance for social or community care and residential settings
- Welsh Government, Rollout of video health consultations (12 March)
Education and childcare
- Welsh Government, School closures from 20 March 2020: FAQs
- UK Government, Information about who counts as a ‘key worker’ – this list also applies to Wales
- Welsh Government, Statement on school closures, including schools’ ‘new purpose’, and information about children of key workers and about the care of vulnerable children (18 March)
- Welsh Government, Childcare Offer for Wales payments will continue even if children do not attend due to coronavirus isolation (18 March)
- Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Coronavirus – information hub for families and children
- Welsh Government, Educational settings guidance
- Welsh Government, School travel guidance
- Public Health Wales, Guidance for schools
Work
- COVID-19: guidance for employees. This includes information on sick pay and benefits, and staying at home. People can claim sick pay if they are self-isolating or ill.
- UK Government, COVID-19: guidance for employers
- House of Commons Library, Coronavirus: Employment rights and sick pay
Benefits
- UK Government, Universal Credit and coronavirus
- UK Government, Face-to-face assessments for all sickness and disability benefits will be temporarily suspended for the next 3 months from Tuesday 17 March (16 March)
- House of Commons Library, Coronavirus: Claiming welfare benefits
- Step Change debt charity, Debt and coronavirus
Advice services
- Citizens Advice can provide benefits and employment advice online or on the phone – 03444 77 20 20. It also has an information page on coronavirus.
- Age Cymru is offering a new service for the over 70s to answer queries and direct people to local services & support from Monday 23 March. Anyone over 70 can register for free and receive a call back in either English or Welsh: 08000 223 444 / enquiries@agecymru.org.uk
- Turn2Us is a national charity and welfare benefits advice service. It has a tool to find advisers in local areas, and a page on coronavirus.
- Money Advice Service, Coronavirus – what it means for you, information relating to personal finances, insurance and potential scams
- Acas, Coronavirus: advice for employers and employees
Business support and charities
- UK Government, COVID-19: support for businesses (not all information on this page applies in Wales, specifically around business rate relief). The guidance includes support for businesses who are paying sick pay to employees, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and support for paying tax (HMRC also has a dedicated helpline for tax issues: 0800 0159 559)
- Welsh Government, Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for businesses. This page provides information on business rate relief, grants, the Business Interruption Loan Scheme and additional support.
- Welsh Government, Development Bank of Wales announces three month capital repayment holiday (16 March)
- Business Wales, Coronavirus advice
- Welsh Government, Rural Payments Wales (RPW): coronavirus (COVID-19)
- WCVA, Emergency fast track loans for voluntary organisations (13 March)
Housing
- UK Finance, which represents mortgage lenders issued a statement and list of frequently asked questions following the Chancellor’s announcement on 17 March that borrowers can apply for a mortgage repayment holiday of up to three months. On 18 March it was confirmed that this help would be extended to buy-to-let landlords with tenants who are experiencing issues with their finances, as either a direct or indirect result of coronavirus. There will also be a three month moratorium on residential and buy-to-let repossession actions from 19 March.
- On 19 March the Welsh Government confirmed that it was working closely with the UK Government to support those who rent in Wales and would provide an update “as soon as [they] are able”. This followed the UK Government announcement on 18 March that there would be a ban on evictions and additional protection for renters.
- Welsh Government, Help to Buy Wales loan interest repayment holiday (18 March)
- Welsh Government, Guidance for social landlords (13 March)
- Welsh Government, Guidance for substance misuse and homelessness services (19 March)
- Money Advice Service, A guide to mortgage payment holidays
Utilities
- UK Government, Government agrees measures with energy industry to support vulnerable people through COVID-19 (19 March)
- Welsh Water, COVID-19 (Coronavirus) – A Message to Our Customers
- Wales and West Utilities, Covid-19 Update (14 March)
- British Gas, Coronavirus updates
- Virgin Media, Covid-19 updates
- EDF Energy, Coronavirus FAQs
- Npower, Coronavirus updates
- BT, Our response to coronavirus
- UK Government, Mobile networks remove data charges for online NHS coronavirus advice (18 March)
- Royal Mail, Coronavirus update (20 March)
Transport
- UK Government, COVID-19: Guidance for staff in the transport sector
- UK Government, Temporary relaxation of the enforcement of the drivers’ hours rules: delivery of essential items to consumers
- UK Government, Driving tests and theory tests
- UK Government, COVID-19: Shipping and ports guidance
- Civil Aviation Authority, Guidance on consumer law for airlines in the context of COVID-19
- Transport for Wales, Travelling with us – Your safety and wellbeing during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Travel
- UK Government, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Travel advice: coronavirus (COVID-19)
- UK Government, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) travel advice (general)
- Civil Aviation Authority, COVID-19: Information for passengers, holidaymakers and the industry
Consumer rights and insurance
- Association of British Insurers, Coronavirus Q & A
- Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), Support for consumers
- UK Government, Competition and Markets Authority statement on sales and pricing practices during Coronavirus outbreak
Food and retail
- UK Government, Government to grant permission for pubs and restaurants to operate as takeaways as part of coronavirus response (17 March)– the Welsh Government confirmed that this is the case in Wales too
- Welsh Government, Relaxation of planning enforcement related to supermarket deliveries (13 March)
- British Retail Consortium, Food retailers reassure customers and ask them to buy responsibly (15 March)
- Aldi, Aldi’s response to COVID-19
- Asda, Steps we have taken in response to the Coronavirus outbreak and Don’t shop this Friday before 9am (18 and 19 March)
- Morrisons, An important update on Coronavirus
- Sainsbury’s, Working to feed the nation (18 March)
- Tesco, COVID-19: A message to our customers (18 March)
Community support
- UK Government, Looking after your mental wellbeing
- Public Health Wales, Public information posters
- UK Government, Mass gatherings and events
Culture and sport
- Welsh Rugby Union, Financial support for clubs (18 March)
- Arts Council for Wales, Responding for coronavirus
- Sports Wales , Sports national centre closures
Courts and prisons
- UK Government, COVID-19: Courts and tribunals planning and preparation
- UK Government, COVID-19: Visiting prisons
- UK Government, COVID-19: Prisons and other prescribed places of detention guidance
