Blog and comments on the latest Covid-19/coronavirus developments and the impact the pandemic is having on individuals and businesses from a legal perspective.
Through a combination of agile, remote working and office presence we remain operational and able to assist our clients. We can do this in many different ways and you can read about those here. You can also read our policy on Covid-19.
The NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme is seen as a crucial part of the government's strategy to bring COVID-19 under control, with vaccines now being administered across the country. It is imperative that consent is obtained (or a capacity...
The government is yet to publish any guidance on vaccination for employers. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service’s (ACAS) guidance simply states that employers should support staff in getting the covid-19 vaccine, but they cannot force...
The charity, Headway, have recently published a report outlining the various impacts that the pandemic has had upon brain injury survivors and their families - see the full report here: The impact of lockdown on brain injury survivors and their...
On 14th January 2021 a cross-parliamentary group of MPs took part in a debate in Parliament to raise the issue of long covid and its impact on those who caught the virus early on in the pandemic. A particular focus was on frontline workers, NHS staff and...
It has recently been reported that four major supermarket chains in England now intend to strictly enforce the wearing of face masks by customers when entering their stores. It is understood that the companies have said that entry will likely be...
The Court of Protection is a specialist court that safeguards the rights of the most vulnerable people in society. With the coronavirus pandemic leading to increased restrictions on vulnerable adults in care settings, including some care homes stopping...
The measures put in place by the government earlier this year to protect businesses against the threat of insolvency and those protecting directors against wrongful trading claims by a liquidator have been extended to 31 December 2020, to give companies...
Since the start of lockdown, the government has made various changes to existing legislation and enacted new legislation to deal with the effects of the coronavirus on tenants, with a view to keeping a roof over the heads of those in rented property. If...
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), also known as the furlough scheme, is the provision made by the UK government to assist businesses with retaining workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The scheme pays a percentage of the wages of employees...
As restrictions are gradually eased, and we take our first tentative steps towards a new normal, we are only now able to begin to truly appreciate the significant impact that the recent pandemic has had, and will have, on everyday life. At the time of...
As of today the answer is yes! On the 1st June 2020 an amendment to the Health Protection (Coronavirus restrictions) Bill states: No person may without reasonable excuse stay overnight at any place other than the place where they are living No...
There have been a number of reports in the media of key workers being spat at or coughed on by people telling them that they have COVID-19. Due to this the Independent Sentencing Council are reviewing sentences for assaults on emergency workers. An...
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to announce today, changes to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. At present, the scheme allows employers to furlough staff, with employees receiving 80% of their normal monthly salary (up to £2,500) covered in...
The Coronavirus Act 2020 was rushed through parliament earlier this year to grant emergency powers to handle the COVID 19 pandemic. The act was implemented to try and control the spread of the disease. Two provisions of the act allow the government...
It may be the worry of the outcome of the pandemic or it may be the case that we just have a little more time to think about what matters to us that is leading us all to think about finally getting around to making a Will or updating an existing...
In the last 5 years the number of Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) applications made to the Office of Public Guardianship (OPG) has increased dramatically each year and they received just short of 900,000 applications in the last 12 months with there...
As the roads are quieter with less people travelling to work and following government advice to stay home, it would be reasonable to expect a significant fall in the number of speeding offences . Looking at previous annual figures they still remain at...
Do you own an investment property? Are you a landlord of commercial or business premises? Has your tenant asked you for a rent free period or rent payment holiday? We are finding increasingly that our landlord clients are being approached by their tenants...
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued guidance aimed at businesses during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic which is helpful for business owners. Among other things, the guidance says that: Only those defined as key workers, where...
Following the widespread criticism of the requirement for directors to give their personal guarantees to secure lending under the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS), the government has announced that personal guarantees can now only be...
The Court of Protection is a specialist court that safeguards the rights of the most vulnerable people in society. With the coronavirus pandemic leading to increased restrictions on vulnerable adults in care settings, including stopping all visits from...
The government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (BIL) went live on 23 March 2020 and is intended to support SMEs by providing access to loans, overdrafts, invoice and asset finance which they cannot otherwise obtain, of up to £5m...
Following recent government guidance, an update has been provided in relation to how to deal with the general road worthiness of your vehicle in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally, a vehicles MOT would be due every year, once the vehicle is three...
Many businesses and their employees are facing a great deal of uncertainty at the moment. With the government announcing a series of measures to help protect workers and support them through this period, many of us have lots of questions about our legal...
In response to the coronavirus outbreak the government has put a number of measures in place to support businesses that may have been adversely financially impacted. Boris Johnson ordered all but essential shops to close last Tuesday due to Covid-19 in...
The government has introduced furlough leave under the newly created coronavirus job retention scheme. This is to enable employers to temporarily ask staff to stay at home without pay but still be kept on the company payroll. The employer can then apply...
Emma Roberts , associate solicitor specialises in family law . Here she offers advice around the legal responsibilities of co-parents during the coronavirus pandemic. It can be difficult at the best of times to agree and maintain child...
The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has been keenly felt in the UK’s housing market over the past few weeks and looks likely to slow down the speed with which people can buy and sell their homes. Government guidance issued on 26 March urges those...
It has been noted in recent news articles regarding the Coronavirus outbreak that there has been an increase in race discrimination in the UK. One news article published by T he Guardian referred to an account of one student living...
The Coronavirus Act 2020 came into force on 25 March 2020. This is temporary legislation which has a huge impact on vulnerable adults in need of, and currently receiving, social care support. Key duties imposed under the Care Act 2014 are now suspended,...
In light of the current pandemic, the government has introduced emergency legislation which orders a moratorium on commercial landlord sanctions for a period of at least three months. This means that during this time, landlords will not be able to exercise...
With the current health crisis, and government guidance about what we should be doing to stay safe constantly updating, it is a very stressful and uncertain time for everyone. Parents, family members and children in care or involved in court proceedings...
It can be difficult at the best of times to agree and maintain child arrangements , however we understand this can significantly increase when the government advises everyone to practice voluntary quarantine and schools close. We have put together some...
The Honourable Mr Justice Hayden, vice president of the Court of Protection, has recently published guidance for judges and practitioners in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19). Visits to vulnerable clients Many of the individuals subject to Court of...
The government has announced that it will be taking emergency measures to suspend new evictions from private or social rented accommodation during the coronavirus outbreak. It is anticipated that there will be a ban on new possession proceeding...
As the chair of governors at a maintained school, a recent question has arisen as to how we can conduct the governance business required whilst there are recommendations that face to face contact is avoided . The School Governance (Roles, Procedures and...
The outbreak of the coronavirus disease, COVID-19 continues to pose a significant threat to businesses in the UK. The impact on supply chains, transport and international travel is causing businesses to consider the impact of coronavirus on their current...
