We’ve added advice on Annual leave and furlough guidance to our coronavirus guidance on NCVO Knowhow. Here’s a reminder of all sections: Contingency planning and financial implications Supporting staff, volunteers and beneficiaries to stay safe Involving volunteers How charities are helping Further information and resources
We are happy to welcome you back to the three library branches open in Kensington and Chelsea – Central, Chelsea and North Kensington libraries. These libraries are open 10am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 9.30am to 5pm on Saturdays. Chelsea Library is open on Sundays too, 1pm to 5pm. There are limited services on offer and social distancing measures are in place. We are watching closely for Government advice on face coverings. Library books are still being renewed automatically. Check our online library – there are newspapers, journals, comics, books, audiobooks, language-learning platform and dictionaries, reference materials and much more – all available to you remotely, from home, with just your library card. You can join here. Our events programme continues online – read on for information about some exciting events we have for you this summer. There is a lot happening on our social media platforms too!
1) Going to work Workplace guidance has been updated to reflect the Prime Minister’s statement (17 July), which highlighted that the government’s advice on going to work will change from 1 August. From this date, employers should ensure workplaces are safe whilst also enabling working from home In order to keep the virus under control, it is important that people work safely. Working from home remains one way to do this. However, the risk of transmission can be substantially reduced if COVID-19 secure guidelines are followed closely. Employers should consult with their employees to determine who, from the 1 August 2020, can come into the workplace safely taking account of a person’s use of public transport, childcare responsibilities, protected characteristics, and other individual circumstances. Extra consideration should be given to those people at higher risk. When it is decided that workers should come into their place of work then this will need to be reflected in the COVID-19 risk assessment and actions taken to manage the risks of transmission in line with this guidance. It is vital employers engage with workers to ensure they feel safe returning to work, and they should avoid forcing anyone into an unsafe workplace. Updated guidance for your sector can be found here: https://bit.ly/sectorsocialdist. 2) Face covering exemptions As per yesterday’s Employer Bulletin, from today (24 July), face coverings are mandatory in additional enclosed spaces. Exemptions to this include anyone under the age of 11, or those with disabilities, or hidden health conditions such as breathing difficulties, mental health conditions or autism. People are not required to prove they are exempt and it is for individuals to choose how they would want to communicate this to others. For those who would feel more comfortable showing something that says they do not have to wear a face covering, exemption cards are available to print or display on mobile phones – https://bit.ly/FCExemptionBadges. Full guidance on face coverings can be found here: https://bit.ly/FaceCoveringUpdatedGuidance. The attached guide provides advice on handling face covering exemptions in stores and branches. We ask that you consider taking the steps and use the language suggested in the guide if you see someone entering or inside a store not wearing a face covering. Please note charity organisations working with the government have been made aware of this too. 3) Update on travel corridors The government has today (24 July 2020) added Estonia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia and St Vincent and the Grenadines to the list of travel corridors, after reviewing the latest risk assessments. The 5 new countries have been added to the current list of destinations from which passengers do not need to self-isolate when arriving in England. The changes, which will take effect in England from Tuesday 28 July 2020. Further details on the announcement can be found here: https://bit.ly/UpdateTravelCorridors. 4) Business events & conferences Business events, conferences and events centres will be given the go ahead to reopen on 1 October adhering to social distancing. A number of pilots will take place at event venues across the country to plan for a return to large-scale events and test how best to implement social distancing practises. Details of these pilots will be finalised in partnership with the sector in the coming weeks. New guidance, published by the Department for Digital Culture, Media and Sport and the Association of Event Organisers, will help event organisers, venue operators and participants in the UK understand how they can work and host business events and conferences and keep both their guests and staff safe. Full guidance can be found here: https://bit.ly/VisitorEconomyGuidance.
1) Updated face coverings guidance Face coverings must be worn in additional enclosed public spaces from 24 July in England, as the government takes further steps to help curb the spread of the virus. As well as shops and supermarkets, face coverings must be worn in banks, building societies and post offices. Under the new regulations laid yesterday (23 July), members of the public will need to wear face coverings – for example, a fabric covering, scarf or bandana – that covers the nose and mouth in additional enclosed public spaces, as well as frequent hand washing and careful social distancing. It will be compulsory to wear a face covering when buying food and drink to take away from cafes and shops. If you are in a premises where you are able to sit down and consume food or drink that you have bought, then you can remove your face covering in order to eat and drink on-site. Face coverings will not be mandatory for: anyone under the age of 11 those with disabilities or certain health conditions, such as respiratory or cognitive impairments that make it difficult for them to wear a face covering Anyone who doesn’t abide by the regulations – and is not exempt under one of the categories set out in the regulations – could face a fine by the police of up to £100, as is currently the case on public transport. Full details of the announcement can be found here: https://bit.ly/FaceCoveringUpdate Updated guidance on face coverings – including how to make your own – can be found here: https://bit.ly/FaceCoveringUpdatedGuidance 2) NHS Test & Trace service in the workplace The guidance on the NHS Test & Trace service for employers, businesses and workers has been updated this week. The update includes redrafting for clarity, a new section on collecting customer and visitor data for NHS Test & Trace has been added, and additional information on if a worker develops symptoms and orders a test. The updated guidance can be found here: https://bit.ly/TandTGuidance Assets for Test & Trace can be found here: https://bit.ly/PHEdigitalresources
Project Grants is open to anyone who needs funding for an arts, museums or libraries project that shows public benefit. We’ve updated our guidance so we can support more individuals and creative practitioners during Covid-19. Guidance We’re making sure individual applicants are well supported and, for now, you won’t need to provide 10% match funding to be eligible. We’re also more likely to fund activity that gives you the time to think, plan and test new ideas and we’re funding a wider range of museum and library activity. Find out about these changes and more on our website. What’s changed? If your question isn’t covered by any of the above, check out our FAQs before you get in touch. We may already have an answer for you! Read the FAQs >
Individuals you can claim for who are not employees HMRC will not decline or seek repayment of any grant based solely on the particular choice between fixed or variable approach to calculating usual hours, as long as a reasonable choice is made Adjusted text to add clarity to ‘Paying employee taxes and pension contributions’ section and added wording to section on employee rights to make it clear that you can continue to claim for a furloughed employee who is serving a statutory notice period.