A message from Councillor Jas Athwal, Leader of Redbridge Council, in response to the latest Government announcement on COVID-19

“In light of the latest  announcement, the message is very clear, we all need to stay in our homes and only leave in the most important circumstances. As the Prime Minister stated this evening, we must only travel if it is deemed essential.  That means travelling to the supermarkets for vital essentials, to the chemist for medication or to work, but only if you can’t work from home. We can also exercise once a day outdoors, but only while maintaining social distancing and by yourself or with a member of your household.

“The COVID-19 virus is proving to be extremely serious, and it’s more important now than ever that we follow this guidance to protect ourselves and others. These measures are essential for our safety and will ensure that we finally get on top of this and save thousands of lives in the process.

“We will of course continue to ensure that the most vital local services that our residents rely on are protected. This means that some of the services we provide will inevitably change, and we ask that you bear with us. We will continue to provide information on the Council’s website and through our social media channels with the most up-to-date information about council services.

“We have set up a new well-being service to provide advice and support to those most vulnerable to the virus in our communities. This includes assistance with food, shopping deliveries and support they might need to keep them safe and secure in their home. Anyone who needs support should call 020 8708 5555 between the hours of 9am and 5pm.

“We know how resilient our communities are, and I thank you for your patience and understanding as we work tirelessly to protect residents, particularly those who are most vulnerable, from COVID-19."

With best wishes,

Cllr Jas Singh Athwal

Leader, London Borough of Redbridge

We fully understand people want to go and out and explore the great range of parks that we lay claim to here in Redbridge.

However, we also need to ensure that we make the parks as safe as possible in the COVID-19 environment. On that basis, we are inviting residents to help us keep parks our open by respecting social distancing requirements and minimising the use of equipment that is touched.

Please see below a list of the interim measures we will be introducing to help keep our parks open for everyone.

• Toilets will be closing
• Cafes are closing
• Children’s play areas will be out of bounds/cordoned off and possibly disabled
• Outdoor gyms areas will be out of bounds/cordoned off and possibly disabled

As an alternative to offer to those wanting exercise or who are isolating, home exercise options are available.

Waste collection will continue to take place, but our crews will be out earlier, so please present your rubbish before 5am and continue to  check the latest information on changes to services on the website.

Our waste and recycling services have changed:

• Garden waste collections will be on-hold with immediate effect
• Bin and blue box deliveries for recycling, including collection from car parks, will stop
• We will begin collecting at the earlier time of 5am, please ensure your rubbish is out for collection before this
• If your rubbish collection is missed, it will be taken away on your next scheduled collection day

Our reuse and recycling centres at Chigwell Road, Frizlands Lane, Gerpins Lane and Jenkins Lane are closed to the public and local businesses.

Updates about waste and recycling

Following the school closures that are now in place across the borough, we want to lend a helping hand to parents by sharing ideas and tips to help keep children educated, entertained and connected while indoors.

Find out more on keeping routines going at home, ways to help children stay connected to family members who are self-isolating, such as grandparents, and how to keep learning going in fun and creative ways. We’ve also added some great links to free and fun online learning resources to keep those curious minds engaged.

Keep young minds busy

The benefits team are putting in place several measures to support residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have a Discretionary Housing Payment scheme for help with your rent and a hardship scheme for help with Council Tax.

To qualify for these payments, you must already be receiving help towards your rent or Council Tax.

Housing – benefits and help with rent

We understand that finances may become stretched during these difficult times. Please remember that your rent and Council Tax are priority debts. In addition to the financial support we can provide via Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction and Discretionary Payments we can also:

• Pay your housing benefit direct to your landlord; this may help you to budget and prevent the need for you to leave your home to make your rental payments if you are self-isolating. This will also help to secure your tenancy in these uncertain times.
• Spread your Council Tax instalments over a longer period of time

If you have enquiries about housing or housing benefit, please avoid coming to the council offices. Please go to the Redbridge Council website, where you will find

Information about housing

Information about housing benefit

What you need to know about benefits

Please be extra vigilant of scams and criminals at this time. You could be targeted by fraudsters who claim to be from your GP, the NHS, or other public offices. Do not let anyone into your home, and always ask for ID. If they are genuine they will be quite willing for you to seek confirmation.

Recognising and avoiding scams and fraud online

Here are some ways to recognise and avoid bogus emails.

Like other types of scams, the email messages usually try to lure you into clicking on a link or providing personal information that can be used to commit fraud or identity theft. Here’s some tips to avoid getting tricked.

• Beware of online requests for personal information
• Check the email address or link