Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme- extension-Furlough(employed)- extended until 31/3/2021(replacing the planned Job Support Scheme). For claim periods running to January 2021, employees will receive 80% of their usual salary for hours not worked, up to a maximum of £2,500 per month. The £2,500 cap is proportional to the hours not worked. Employers can claim for employees who were employed and on their PAYE payroll on 30 October 2020. Employees that were employed and on the payroll on 23 September 2020 who were made redundant or stopped working for their employer afterwards can be re-employed and claimed for.
SEISS(self employed)- The extension will last for 6 months, from November 2020 to April 2021. Grants will be paid in 2 lump sum instalments each covering a 3 month period. The third grant will cover a 3 month period from 1 November 2020 until 31 January 2021. The Government will provide a taxable grant calculated at 80% of 3 months average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment and capped at £7,500 in total. Details on the fourth grant are yet to be announced.
Universal Credit- Minimum income floor(affects many self employed). . This was suspended on 13/3/2020. A new law extends it now until 30/4/2021. A client will be able to look at whether they are still self employed before the are hit by the reintroduction.
The law also allows until 12/5/2020 any period during which a person is infected or contaminated with Coronavirus disease, in isolation or caring for a child or qualifying young person in their household who is so infected or contaminated or is in isolation, to not be counted towards a period of sickness under JSA. Temporary breaks in caring where a client is in receipt of Carers Allowance is also allowed.
Winter Grants Package- includes £170m Covid Winter Grant Scheme(run by councils) to support children, families and the most vulnerable over winter, Holiday Activities and Food programme to be expanded, covering Easter, Summer and Christmas in 2021 and Healthy Start payments set to rise from £3.10 to £4.25 a week from April 2021. At least 80% earmarked to support with food and bills, and will cover the period to the end of March 2021.
Job centres open during November lockdown, including in person if people need extra support and are unable to interact on the phone or digitally.
Face to face medicals remain suspended- also from 2/11/ 2020, claimants who fail to attend (by telephone) may have their ESA stopped or universal credit entitlement changed.
BSL Video relay service-DWP has extended Video Relay Service (VRS) for British Sign Language (BSL) users across all service lines. Click here for the app
ESA extend the waiving of ESA waiting days until 12/5/2021. Conditionality returns for claimants, 4,500 new work coaches.
We have amended our Coronavirus Briefng 1 to refect some of these changes-
Click for - Coronavirus Briefng1- At a glance guide to Changes in the Spring Budget 2020 and Ongoing Changes You can access all 11 Covid-19 Beneft Change briefngs by logging into our Members' area.
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Book now for our updated Benefts and Mental Health 2021 online course and our Introduction to Welfare Benefts 2021 online course.