What we're doing to help Wirral West and South get through this...
Local Conservative Councillors and campaigners are focused on supporting our local communities across Wirral West and South
Details of the support being given to local councils, including Wirral, can be found here
If you need our help, and the information on this page is not what you are looking for, contact us - our details can be found here.
Action to support the vulnerable and those most at risk:
- 9,241 people in Wirral have been identified as being highly vulnerable and many are being 'shielded' from the virus. The support they are receiving includes food being delivered by both the Council and the Government, and contact to check on any other issues. To make an emergency food request click here
- Residents of Wirral who need help can call the Council on 01516665050 (option 1). We have also set up the Wirral InfoBank with details of local support available in your area click here
- For the over 70s who need extra help, the Council is working with Age UK Wirral. They can help with things like shopping, collecting prescriptions or general support. Call 01514823456 or visit here
- Following Government intervention, Wirral Council has worked with partners such as Forum Housing and YMCA Wirral to find safe accommodation for 129 people who were homeless or rough sleeping
- For parents and carers, extra measures are in place to support children, including vouchers to replace free school meals and keeping safe. Click here for details
- Families with children who have special educational needs and disabilities can apply for grants of around £500 to help with social distancing, including computers, sensory and educational equipment that they might not otherwise be able to afford.
- Almost 1,200 laptops have been provided to children who don't have access to laptops or broadband at home to help them to continue to learn until schools reopen in September
- Details of how we are supporting vulnerable children can be found here
For more information on what is being done to support vulnerable people nationally, click here
Action to support the lowest paid and unemployed:
- Wirral Council has been given an extra £3.9 million to help reduce Council Tax bills for the lowest paid, including self-employed people who have seen their incomes dry up. Click here for details
- The Government's Self Employment Income Support Scheme offers a payment of up to £7,500, backdated to March. Click here for details
- The National Living Wage was increased in April by 6.2%, meaning a full time worker will receive a pay rise of £930 this year
- Working Tax Credits have also been increased - the basic element has been increased by up to £20 a week. Child benefit and other tax credit rates have also been increased - see here
- Nearly £1 billion of additional support for renters, through increases in housing benefit and Universal Credit. From April, Local Housing Allowance rates will pay for at least 30% of market rents in each area
For more information on what is being done to support incomes of the lowest paid and out of work nationally, click here
Action for our NHS and care sector:
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£83.8 million of debt owed by Arrowe Park Hospital and the Trust has been written off by the Government, meaning more of the budget can be spent on patient care
- £29.93 million of social care grants, usually be given to Wirral Council over the year, are being paid all in one go this month to support care providers
- Wirral Council has given every care home at extra £200 for every council-client to cover additional food and cleaning materials. We are also co-ordinating requests from them for Personal Protective Equipment ('PPE')
- We have increased the pay for care workers to meet the Real Living Wage of £9.30 per hour to recognise the importance of this work and to attract more people to choose this as their career
- The money given to Wirral Council by the Government for public health has been increased to £29.8 million to help carry out more work in our communities
- Wirral Council has been given a further £4.7 million from the new Infection Control Fund
- The National Action Plan for Social Care can be found here and includes updated information on the use of PPE
- UK testing rate is now among the best in the world, equivalent to one test for every ten people in the country – and is outpacing countries like Germany, Spain, Italy, and the USA
- The number of ventilators is up from 9,000 in March 2020 to 25,200 on 02 July 2020
- More than 2 million testing kits delivered to almost 9000 care homes
- 99 per cent of GPs are now able to offer video consultations – up from 3 per cent before the crisis.
For more information on what is being done to support our NHS and care services nationally, click here
Action to support shops and small businesses:
- Wirral Council has been given an extra £63.5 million to support shops and small businesses. It's a grant (not a loan) and 4,300 shops and businesses have received grants of £10,000 or £25,000. Click here to apply
- Business Rates for most businesses have been cancelled this year, with the Government making up the money councils would have received
- Bounce Back Loans are helping many of our local businesses with cashflow. They can borrow between £2,000 and up to 25% of their turnover. The government guarantees 100% of the loan and there won’t be any fees or interest to pay for the first 12 months.
- Wirral Council has agreed to use some of the extra money from government to support our children's nurseries - a £350,000 fund has been set up for those in difficulty.
- The Job Retention Scheme, paying 80% of salaries, up to £2,500 a month from now until June meaning jobs will be saved for workers across the country. Click here to apply
- New measures to protect the High Street from aggressive rent collection and closure
- Water Plus, the company that now supplies most non-household customers, is offering a payment holiday
- To find out what help is available to YOUR business, click here
For more information on what is being done to support businesses and jobs nationally, click here
Action to help community groups and charities:
- If your charity or community group has premises in Wirral, you may be eligible for a 'Small Business Grant' of £10,000. It's a grant (not a loan). Even if you pay no Business Rates, you may qualify. Click here to apply
- The Government has published a package of measures to support for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to respond to coronavirus (COVID-19) - click here for details
- Following our request, Wirral Council is re-opening applications for small grants of money to support community and voluntary groups at this time. The 'Ward Member Budgets' are overseen by individual councillors. Contact your councillor to ask for a grant for your organisation
- The National Lottery Community Fund is inviting small local organisations that need help and support to apply for grants. Click here for details
- A Liverpool City Region fund has also been established to support organisations that are helping the most vulnerable. The fund is being delivered by registered charity Community Foundation for Merseyside and applications for funds are made via this link
- Water Plus, the company that now supplies most non-household customers, is offering a payment holiday
- Charities in Wirral supporting victims of domestic abuse or reducing homelessness can apply for some of the additional £76 million the Government has announced
- If members of your community group, association or society would like to volunteer to help others at this time, please register with the Wirral Infobank via this link
For more information on the help announced by the Chancellor for charities click here
Government Coronavirus newsfeed:
Homeworking in April 2020
Results from the online Labour Market Survey for homeworking in April 2020.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): travel corridors
You do not have to self-isolate on arrival in England if these are the only places you have been to or stopped in during the previous 14
Help and support if your business is affected by coronavirus (COVID-19)
Watch videos and register for the free webinars to learn more about the support available to help you deal with the economic impacts of c
How to treat certain expenses and benefits provided to employees during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Find out about taxable expenses and benefits when they are paid to employees because of coronavirus and how to report them to HMRC.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on the phased return of sport and recreation
Guidance for the public, providers of outdoor sport facilities, elite athletes, personal trainers and coaches on the phased return of spo
Making and registering an LPA during the coronavirus outbreak
If you want to make an LPA now, you can still do so while observing government guidance on social distancing, self-isolating and shieldin
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Office of the Public Guardian response
This page provides guidance on how OPG is responding to the coronavirus outbreak.
Medical devices given exceptional use authorisations during the COVID-19 pandemic
List of manufacturers and their medical devices which have been granted an exemption by the MHRA
COVID-19: guidance for sampling and for diagnostic laboratories
Information for clinical diagnostic laboratories regarding safety, sampling and packaging specimens associated with COVID-19.
Coronavirus cases in the UK: daily updated statistics
The latest number of coronavirus (COVID-19) tests, cases and deaths in the UK.