If your income is affected by coronavirus, you may be able to claim benefits to support you through this period. For information on the help and support that might be available to you, including help with your council tax payments, visit our website.
If you are suffering financial hardship due to unforeseen circumstances such as the coronavirus outbreak, you may be able apply to our Exceptional Hardship Fund. Find out more about who can apply and the criteria.
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Next week (18-24 May) is Mental Health Awareness Week. The theme is kindness.
Mental health problems can affect anyone, at any time. We believe that mental health is everyone’s business.
The awareness week initiative is being led by the Mental Health Foundation, which has a supporter pack on its website offering great ideas of how you can get involved and take action. The aim is to get the nation talking about kindness and mental health
We have seen so much kindness in the community over recent weeks, and we're keen to share some of these stories and pictures on our Facebook and Twitter pages using #KindnessMatters and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek.
We have also put together some guidance for staying physically and mentally well during the coronavirus outbreak.
The Department for Education has published a document for parents and carers about the opening of nurseries, schools and colleges.
It also answers many questions you may have regarding getting to school, attendance, and free school meals.
► Read more
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The community response helpline is here to:
- help direct residents who need support, such as picking up shopping or prescription collections, towards services which can help or to someone who can be a telephone or Facebook friend
- provide advice on where to register your offer of help to support your community
Telephone: 03333 408 218 (8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday)
Email: communityresponse@uttlesford.gov.uk
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For both your mental and physical wellbeing, it is important to keep moving.
Make sure you check out Active Essex's new YouTube channel that will be live-streaming different activities throughout the day everyday!
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**SCAM ALERT** Council Tax refund emails
To protect yourself from falling victim to a phishing scam, you should follow these guidelines.
If you receive an email claiming you’re due a Council Tax refund, please phone the council on 01799 510510 to check.
Never click on links or download attachments from unknown sources.
If you suspect you may have been contacted in what could be a scam, you can call Action Fraud straight away on 0300 123 2040.
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We have handed out more than £16 million in cash grants to about 1,400 local businesses. The grants are part of the emergency funding from central government to support local businesses.
Businesses which receive small business or rural rate relief or who are in the retail, leisure or hospitality industry with a rateable value of £51,000 or under are urged to register their details online for their funding to be processed.
We’re advising those businesses which have not yet registered that this is not a loan – it is grant and does not need to be paid back.
► Get details on the grants, check your eligibility and complete the online application form
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The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will remain open until the end of October. The employer payments will substitute the contribution the government is currently making, ensuring staff continue to receive 80% of their salary, up to £2,500 a month.
The scheme will continue in its current form until the end of July and the changes to allow more flexibility will come in from the start of August.
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The government is rolling out a programme of coronavirus testing for essential workers who are self-isolating. See the guidance for employers and essential workers to find out who can be tested, how it works and what you can do as an employer.
A new online platform is giving people easy access to free digital and numeracy courses to help them build their skills, progress in work and boost their job prospects.
The Skills Toolkit offers a range of courses at all levels. It's open to everyone, whether they have recently been furloughed and want to learn new skills and build up their CV, or if they're just keen to keep their mind healthy and skills sharp during this time.
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This week saw the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, and on Tuesday we marked International Nurses Day by lighting up Walden Castle blue.
The tourist attraction will also be lit up blue every Thursday to show public support for frontline NHS staff and carers.
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 ► New Staying Alert and Safe (social distancing) guidance
► New guidance on Staying Safe outside your home
► The government has published FAQs with advice on what you can and cannot do
► Advice on wearing face coverings in enclosed public spaces
► NHS advice for everyone
► UK Government coronavirus information service on WhatsApp – free to use service aiming to provide official, trustworthy and timely information and advice about coronavirus
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