 Everyone living in North Devon is urged to stick to national guidance and restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus as the recent number of cases in the district has been cause for some concern.
Although numbers of cases are now starting to come down, we still have some of the highest rates in Devon so please be on your guard.
The Government has produced an interactive map so you can zoom in to see where cases are highest or lowest
 The Government has published its COVID-19 Winter Plan which sets out the approach to ending the national restrictions on 2 December and aims to:
- suppress the spread of infection;
- find new and more effective ways of managing the virus to return life closer to normal; and minimise damage to the economy and society to protect jobs, livelihoods and education.
When national restrictions end at midnight on 2 December the Government will re-introduce a regional tiered approach in England.
Please note that we have not yet been informed as to which tier North Devon will be placed in from 2 December.
We expect this information towards the end of the week.
For more information from the Government website
Tier 1
Tier 2
Tier 3
 Following the launch of our Local Restriction Support Grants and Additional Restrictions Grant schemes, we’ve received hundreds of applications from local businesses who have been required to close as a result of the latest restrictions.
We are working hard to process each application as quickly and efficiently as possible. Please be assured that we will contact you with the outcome of your application as soon as we are able to. We kindly ask that in the meantime you do not contact the team for an update on your application.
If you have not yet applied, please check your eligibility and complete one of our online application forms.
 On Monday, the third of four Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) grants opens for applications. It covers the 1 Nov-31 Jan period and the amount you can claim has increased since it was first announced - it's now 80% of avg monthly trading profits over 3mths, capped at £7,500.
This time the application criteria are stricter, and sadly those excluded from the first two grants are still excluded:
- This time you must decide if the impact on your business will cause a significant reduction in your trading profits for the tax year you report them in. This can be for one of two reasons - either because of reduced demand, activity or capacity OR you're temporarily unable to trade. This is different from grants 1 and 2, which only required you to have been "adversely affected".
- Only those who were eligible to apply for the first two grants are eligible for the third. You must have filed a tax return for 2018/19, your average trading profit must be no more than £50,000/yr, and 50%+ of your income must come from self-employment.
- HM Revenue & Customs is writing to all those potentially eligible to claim. You'll be given a slot between Mon 30 Nov and Fri 4 Dec to apply, though if you miss it you've until 29 Jan to claim.
- You can claim via the Government claims portal and will need your self-assessment unique taxpayer reference, national insurance number, Goverment Gateway user ID and password and your bank details.
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If you're claiming universal credit, timing your SEISS application is important. When you get the SEISS grant it's classed as income, meaning the amount of universal credit you get may decrease. So it may be best to wait before applying if you can.
 The Government has not provided local councils with any information regarding the Covid vaccine yet. As soon as we have any updates to give you, we will be sure to send it out in these bulletins.
In the meantime, to help ensure that the NHS is able to deliver a large-scale vaccination programme without significantly impacting on other vital services, the NHS is now recruiting for roles, including vaccinators, while also working with partners to build a bank of volunteers who can support vaccine services.
The latest Government advice is to keep rooms well-ventilated, open doors and windows for fifteen minutes twice a day to freshen the air and help reduce the spread.
Avoid misinformation on Coronavirus - only follow advice from official, trusted sources.
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