Well, we spent most of December in Tier 2, began 2021 in Tier 3 and within a few days were back into a full National Lockdown.
Are you confused about what you can and can't do? We wouldn't blame you if you are!
Below is information direct from the government which you may find useful:
For further, more detailed information on the rules, please visit the Government's website.
- Lynton House, the Ilfracombe Centre and the Amory Centre will remain closed
- Waste and recycling collections (including trade waste) will continue as normal
- All North Devon Council car parks remain open as usual. Charges apply and the charging periods remain unchanged. Enforcement will continue as usual for the time being
- We encourage customers to purchase parking time via the RingGo cashless payment system, although card and cash options are available in most car parks
- The Devon Home Choice system will continue as usual
- Public toilets and play areas remain open (there has not been a decision made about skate parks or the BMX track yet)
- Planning Officers can carry out site visits as long as it is safe to do so
- Our staff will continue to work from home wherever possible to continue to provide as many services as possible
- There will be further Government grants available for businesses which are forced to close - more information on these grants will be available in the coming weeks
- Our Land Charges department will continue to provide searches for house moves
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For information on cases across Devon, visit the Devon County Council Coronavirus dashboard:
National Coronavirus Tracker
Counts and rates of confirmed COVID-19 cases, now covering pillar one and pillar two tests, are updated on a daily basis and available by local authority on the national Coronavirus Tracker.
Interactive case map
Very useful interactive map showing current and previous weekly case rates for local authorities and local neighbourhoods (Middle Super Output Areas)
Public Health England
Public Health England publishes a weekly national Flu and COVID-19 surveillance report which provides a summary of findings, including data on cases, deaths, NHS 111 calls, and health care activity. This report is published every Thursday.
The Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics produce a weekly report and dataset on COVID-19 deaths, published every Tuesday giving a breakdown by local authority district, week and place of death (including care home, hospital, home and other settings).
The UK Government website
The UK Government website produces weekly updates to the R number (the average number of secondary infections produced by one infected person) and growth rates (the weekly percentage change in the number of people with COVID-19. These numbers are available at a national and regional level.
The European Centre for Disease Management
The European Centre for Disease Management produces a weekly surveillance report of COVID-19 trends across European countries.
The World Health Organisation
The World Health Organisation produces a global situation report and dashboard with breakdowns by country which is updated daily.
If you are clinically extremely vulnerable and have been asked to shield, you will shortly be receiving a letter from the government setting out what support is available.
We are working with the rest of our partners across Devon to put together a package of support for those who need it the most.
In the meantime, please seek help from friends, family, neighbours or local volunteers.
You can find out about community support in your local area on our website.
Please register your details on the National Shielding Support system on the Government’s website.
It is very important to take care of your mind as well as your body, especially during this new national lockdown.
You may feel that just as there was light at the end of the tunnel with the vaccine news, you have gone back to square one and are back in the dark.
You may feel frustrated, bored or lonely, it's OK to feel this way and remember that everyone reacts differently. Don't forget that, for most of us, these feelings will pass.
You may be worried or anxious about your finances, your health or the health of those close to you. Staying at home may be difficult, but you're helping to protect yourself and others by doing it.
There are things you can do now to help you keep on top of your mental wellbeing and cope with how you may feel if you're staying at home. Make sure you get further support if you feel you need it.
Many mental health issues stem from feeling out of control, so having access to good quality information about the virus can help you feel more in control.
Rumour and speculation can fuel anxiety so don't believe some of the misinformation that is rife on social media and stick to trusted, official sources.
The government also has wider guidance on the mental health and wellbeing aspects of coronavirus and the NHS website has tips for coping with lockdown too.
If you are experiencing problems with your income due to furlough, redundancy or any other reason and are experiencing financial hardship, you may be eligible for help.
An Exceptional Hardship Fund has been set up for those experiencing short-term hardship as a result of having to pay towards their Council Tax.
Find out more and apply on our website:
Or if you're in financial hardship or your tenancy is at risk you may be able to get a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP).
DHPs are there to help people when their Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing costs don't meet their rent.
Find out more and apply on our website:
Or call our helpful team on 01271 388877
At the moment it is not yet possible to claim for business grants for Tier 3 (31 December - 4 January) or National Lockdown (5 January onwards) .
We are working hard behind the scenes to get these grants in place and as soon as we are able to take applications for these periods, we will publish the information on our social media pages and website.
We are still accepting applications from businesses for the second National Lockdown from 5 November to 1 December and also for the Tier 2 restrictions in place from 2 - 30 December.
Applications from business who did not close but whose income was severely impacted by Tier 2 restrictions open at 10am tomorrow on our website.
Please do not apply for the same grants more than once.
If you have already applied and have not heard anything yet, please email localrestrictionsbusinessgrants@northdevon.gov.uk or economicdevelopment@northdevon.gov.uk
Applications for all Tier 2 business grants will close at 5pm on 31 January.
Avoid misinformation on Coronavirus - only follow advice from official, trusted sources.
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