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Answer:

Through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, all UK employers will be able to access support to continue to pay part of the salaries of employees that are laid off because of the crisis.

HMRC will reimburse 80 per cent of these worker’s wage costs, up to a cap of £2,500 per month, backdated to 1 March 2020.

HMRC will be setting up the systems required for this new scheme and more details will follow.

Statutory Sick Pay will be available to all who are advised to self-isolate from coronavirus or are caring for someone else who has, provided the employees earnings are over £118/week.

Rules around GP sick notes have also been relaxed, and a notification can be obtained from NHS 111 Online.

Statutory Sick Pay will be paid from day one instead of day four and government intend to legislate so this measure applies retrospectively from 13 March 2020.

The government will refund the cost of Statutory Sick Pay for up to 14 days to small and medium-sized businesses.

Employment allowance to increase by £1,000 allowing certain businesses who employ staff to reduce their National Insurance bill by £4,000.

The Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) has advice for businesses on dealing with a range of employment issues including staff absence, homeworking, staff presenting symptoms, closing premises and staff lay-offs.

Answer:

As a council we will do all we can to protect the businesses of Tower Hamlets through this difficult time. If you have a commercial waste contract with us, and your business is in financial difficulty, please contact us to discuss options that may be available to you including a suspension of commercial waste charges for those businesses forced to suspend trading.

Please call us on 020 7364 4933.

For more information, see our commercial waste pages.

Answer:
Under the current circumstances we will not be accepting any more notice of intention bookings. Booking fees will be transferred to a future date.
Answer:

Yes. We have developed several new control measures, which are clearly signposted.

However, the health and safety of residents remains our priority and failure to comply with these measures and the government’s guidance on access to green space and social distancing could result in fines or closure of the park.

Answer:

The council has developed a number of control measures to ensure the safe reopening of the park - an essential move to support the mental health and wellbeing of residents during this time. However, the health and safety of residents will remain a priority and failure to comply with these measures and the government’s guidance on access to green space and social distancing could result in fines or closure of the park.

Answer:

Like a number of London boroughs, Tower Hamlets does not have burial or crematorium facilities within the borough. This has been the case for several decades and is not a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, funeral directors will continue to support families who have lost a relative to discuss the various options including available locations for the funeral of their loved ones.

In additional to a number of locations across London, Tower Hamlets residents do have the opportunity to use Kemnal Park cemetery, where the council has a number of burial spaces available with the option for additional plots if needed. 

Answer:

There is ongoing discussion with funeral directors and other key partners, including at regular borough and London-wide multi-agency group meetings on capacity issues.

Government advice has been clear that numbers attending funerals will need to be severely restricted and funeral directors are making this clear to families as a crucial public health issue, but this does also help to manage some capacity management concerns too.

Despite the extra pressures being faced, ensuring that those who have passed away are treated with care and compassion remains a top priority, as does supporting families through such a difficult time.

Answer:

All funeral services are being carried out following Public Health England (PHE) advice, whereby the number of mourner’s present are strictly limited and people that should be self isolating are unfortunately required to stay away from the funeral.

We know this will be upsetting for some people unable to attend funerals but recognise the very serious public health need for these measures to be in place.

New advice for safe funerals after discussions with faith leaders

Answer:

National representatives from the Muslim and Jewish faiths took part in establishing Public Health England (PHE) guidance that recognises the need to respect the funeral practices and rites of all faith communities.

The council welcomes this reassurance and the work taking place with faith groups to ensure that all needs are met in relation to burials where possible. Additional advice by PHE is being given to local faith funeral directors to ensure that all rites are protected within current government guidelines, where they can be carried out safely, for example with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). 

Answer:

Other councils are not unique in their duty to promote and defend public health, the same as Tower Hamlets. Similar control measures have been introduced across London, and the country. Other councils have also been forced to close, then reopen, their parks in response to visitors ignoring government guidance on social distancing – including the London boroughs of Southwark, Lambeth and Hammersmith & Fulham, to name a few.

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