Covid-19 Advice and Information

Totnes Town Council Advice and Help

LiveWest - Advice for Residents

LiveWest had updated their website to include a section on the Covid-19 outbreak and inlcudes a message for its customers

Totnes Community Help and Volunteering

If you are looking for some help because you are self-isolating or struggling, please contact the following organisations:

Totnes Caring – info@totnescaring.org.uk or call 01803 865684

Totnes Connection Hub – info@totnesconnectionhub.co.uk or call 01803 840354 / 07946 821154 for food bank enquiries and help if you are homeless.

Food in the Community - foodincommunitycic@gmail.com

Caring Town Totnes - www.caringtown.org.uk

South Hams District Council - CommunityCoordination.Covid19@swdevon.gov.uk

Totnes Help Hub on Facebook

If you would like to volunteer your time to help some of the established community groups in the town, please complete this Totnes Volunteer Form - we will share your details with volunteer organisations who need help.

Alternatively in order that your time and skills are made best use of, we would suggest that you contact one of the following local community groups direct who have established volunteer networks and have prior knowledge of those who are vulnerable in our community, or who have requested help with the introduction of self-isolation. They are:

Totnes Caring – info@totnescaring.org.uk or call 01803 865684

Totnes Connection Hub – info@totnesconnectionhub.co.uk or call 01803 840354 / 07946 821154

Bridgetown Alive – email eagleowl1429@gmail.com

Food in the Community - foodincommunitycic@gmail.com

Caring Town Totnes - www.caringtown.org.uk

NHS Volunteers Good Sam www.goodsamapp.org/nhs

Community Voluntary Services

Totnes Help Hub on Facebook

Citizens Advice

Crisis teams (Domestic Violence/Rape/Childline)

Befriending services

In addition, South Hams District Council is harnessing community effort and volunteers as part of a nationally integrated plan to ensure that vulnerable people are cared for, looked after and protected. This plan will be directed at Devon County Council level, co-ordinated by the Red Cross. Contact: CommunityCoordination.Covid19@swdevon.gov.uk

Local Authority, Police and NHS Updates

The Rural Bulletin 20th October

SHDC Coronavirus Information

Information for residents, business and community support see SHDC Coronavirus Information and Advice, and operating businesses safely.

See the following page for the latest update South Hams District Council

Help for residents who need basic essentials

Community Support - a message from the Leader of South Hams District Council

Business Updates - 8th October

Council Grant Advice to Businesses

THE WELFARE FUND We are very aware of the pressures that households are experiencing where there has been a change in income.

For this reason we have established an emergency Welfare Fund which is designed to ensure that people waiting for their first universal credit payment are not left in hardship.

Due to the lockdown, the administration of this fund prevents us giving out cash. However, if you or someone you know has an urgent need for essential items and is unable to meet the immediate cost please advise them to make an application online or by calling: South Hams - 01803 861297

Examples of payments that may be made would be to top up a gas card or electricity key where no other option is available. The fund is not intended to purchase food where a food parcel would be available.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT HELPLINE South Hams and West Devon Councils are offering a hotline number for residents needing help and support during the Coronavirus outbreak.The Community Support number in South Hams is 01803 861297.

The number, which will be open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, will be answered by the Community Co-ordination Team at the Council. Outside of these hours an answerphone service will be available.

The team can help people with a wide range of queries, such as where to get additional help and support, as well as putting residents in touch with their nearest community support group.

The hotline is intended for people who can’t access the information and support available through the council’s websites or social media.

Cllr Judy Pearce, Leader of South Hams District Council, said: “We’d urge you to keep this number free for those residents who don’t have a computer or a smartphone, and find it more difficult to access the help we can provide. I’m pleased that we’re able to offer our most vulnerable residents this extra service during this difficult time.”

DCC Coronavirus Information

See the following page for the latest update from Devon County Council.

Back to School advice

Statement by the Devon County Council Leader and Chief Executive

A business news update including advice on trading standards.

Learn Devon is changing the way its service is made available to deliver courses on line, with hundreds of free courses. This will include subjects relating to employability, digital skills and wellbeing. The courses went live on their website on the 1^st May.

Devon Libraries for access to digital books, digital magazines and audio books.

Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust

Patient and Visitor information during the Covid-19 outbreak for Torbay Hospital.

Latest update with information about the Covid-19 testing facility, routine vaccinations, and other news.

Devon and Cornwall Police

Devon and Cornwall Police Covid-19 Advice including Frequently Asked Questions, operational updates and other news

Message from the Chief Constable on 3rd July - Come back safely and respect our communities

Devon and Cornwall Police Rural Update

Devon and Cornwall Police Alert

Devon Communities Together

Advice and support for local community groups responding to coronavirus is available from Devon Communities Together

They have an emergency helpline (0808 1963390) staffed 9am to 5pm on weekdays for the foreseeable future, or email info@devoncommunities.org.uk and someone will get back to you.

Rural Service Network The Rural Bulletin 20th October and funding update.

Update to date bus time tables, including temporary changes

Public Transport

For an update on bus services running from 15th June see the attached information.

Bob the Bus Service Community transport resumed on 6th July with a limited service running on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. See this link for the latest timetables.

Proof of coronavirus absence from work

People unable to work for more than seven days because of coronavirus (COVID-19) can obtain an isolation note through a new online service. For more information, refer to the link Isolation notes launched.

Isolation notes can be obtained without contacting a doctor; this will reduce the pressure on GP surgeries and prevent people needing to leave their homes.

For the first seven days off work, employees can self-certify so they don’t need any evidence for their employer. After that, employers may ask for evidence of sickness absence. Where this is related to having symptoms of coronavirus or living with someone who has symptoms, the isolation note can be used to provide evidence of the advice to self-isolate.

Help for Energy Customers on Pre-Paid Meters

Customers that are unable to top up their pre-payment meter are advised to contact their supplier immediately to discuss how they can be kept on supply. For further information, see Government measures to help the vulnerable with energy supply

National Advice

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates

The Covid alert level for the South Hams and Devon is MEDIUM. See this link for a postcode checker for restrictions in your area.

There are three simple actions to keep on protecting each other:

Hands - keep washing your hands regularly
Face - wear a face covering in enclosed spaces
Space stay at least 2 metres apart - or 1 metre with a face covering or other precautions

For more details, updates and further announcements, check the links Coronavirus frequently asked questions, Coronavirus: what you need to do and the Coronavirus leaflet.

Coronavirus Latest Update eastdevon.gov.uk/coronavirus covid 19

Answers to the most frequently asked questions by the public for the Covid-19 press conferences guidance/answers to the most common topics asked about by the public for the coronavirus press conference

A reminder of what social distancing is - staying at home and staying away from others

For specific work-related advice, see links on the page COVID-19: guidance for employees, employers and businesses

For issues relating to renting, see this guidance for landlords, tenants and local authorities

Guidance for social landlords on essential moves

For mental health advice, see the government's guidance for the public on mental health and wellbeing aspects of coronavirus

Advice for those working in adult social care for their health and wellbeing

For advice and contacts for support for victims of domestic abuse

Information and advice for the support of the bereaved.

Information for furloughed workers receiving full parental leave entitlement and extension of the furlough scheme.

For advice on the increases to Working Tax Credits

For advice on Council Tax, see the Council Tax Information Letter

The latest advice on the phased return of schools and other educational settings

Supporting vulnerable children and young people

Guidance on supporting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing

Financial support for voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations to respond to the coronavirus guidance/financial-support-for-voluntary-community-and-social-enterprise-vcse-organisations-to-respond-to-coronavirus-covid-19

Information for farmer, landowners and rural businesses guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information for farmers landowners and rural businesses

Business Help and Advice

The Government has published a useful list of a range of sources of businesses support from non-Government sources

Advice on working safely during coronavirus in various work places

A number of business-related rules have been relaxed to help businesses during the Coronoavirus pandemic. View the list of the rules that have been temporarily relaxed to make it easier for businesses to continue working through the disruption caused by coronavirus (COVID-19) see relaxation of business rules.

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme now up and running

Grant funding - local authority payments to small and medium businesses

Launch of bounce back loans for small businesses up to £50k

Information about the top-up to local business grant funds scheme

New measures to protect UK High Street from aggressive rent collection

Announcement of the postponement of the business rates revaluation planned in 2021

Changes to Loan Schemes - The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS) has been amended to make it easier for additional smaller businesses to access the funding they need. Key changes are:

Previously, many smaller businesses met the requirements for a non-CBILS commercial loan with less favourable terms, and so would not have been eligible for CBILS. Access to the scheme has now been opened up to include these smaller businesses too.

Lenders can no longer ask borrowers to put a personal guarantee (such as savings, their house or other assets) for the CBILS, lenders can only apply this to loans above £250,000 or to their own (non-CBILS) commercial loans.

The minimum amount you can borrow will differ between lenders, the lowest of the four major banks is RBS starting at £5,000. Interest rates will vary by lender so make sure you shop around, the Government will pay the first 12 months of interest payments and any lender-levied charges. Further details are available through the British Business Bank. Businesses are advised to get in contact with a lender directly if they wish to apply, preferably online.

Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership - latest update

Expansion of the Government's loan scheme for large businesses

Latest update and advice from Visit Britain and Visit England for those with businesses and working in tourism.