Latest news on Coronavirus action

Latest actions taken by the UK government to deal with COVID-19 include:

  • Today, the unprecedented Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has opened for applications – one of the most generous schemes in the world which will help to protect millions of jobs across the country. The scheme is now up and running and is expected to benefit millions of people across the country. Firms who apply will receive funds within six days. HMRC’s easy-to-use portal has a step by step application process, and up to 5,000 staff will be manning phone lines and webchat services to ensure any questions can be answered.
     
  • Announcing a £1.25 billion package of support for innovative firms impacted by coronavirus, delivering important help that will protect some of the most dynamic sectors of our economy. The £1.25 billion support package will ensure businesses in some of the most dynamic sectors are protected. This includes a £500 million loan scheme for high-growth firms, called the Future Fund, and £750 million of targeted support for small and medium sized businesses focusing on research and development.
     
  • Appointing the Chief Executive of the 2012 London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Lord Deighton, to lead the national effort to get more PPE to NHS and social care staff who are fighting this virus on the front line. Lord Deighton led the delivery of the 2012 London Olympics. He will now coordinate the Government’s focus on increasing the supply of PPE, leading the ‘make’ programme to unleash the potential of UK industry to scale up domestic PPE manufacturing, ensuring we can produce more of the equipment we need here in the UK. We are working around the clock to deliver more, and by working closely with UK industry, we will rise to this challenge together.
     
  • Unloading a shipment of 140,000 gowns from Myanmar today. And we are continuing to pursue every possible option for PPE procurement.
     
  • Unveiling new measures to ensure vulnerable and disadvantaged young people can continue to access vital education resources from their homes. The Government will provide laptops and tablets to children with a social worker and disadvantaged young people who are taking exams next year, so they can continue to access essential services and resources. 4G routers will also be provided to disadvantaged secondary school pupils and care leavers, so that they can get online and continue their studies. In addition, the Oak National Academy has launched to provide 180 video lessons each week, across a broad range of subjects from maths to art to languages, for every year group from Reception through to Year 10.
     
  • Pledging an extra £1.6 billion in funding for councils so they can continue to support their communities and deliver vital services through this challenging time. This extra £1.6 billion takes the total given to councils to help their communities through this crisis to over £3.2 billion, an unprecedented level of additional financial support in recent times.

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