A message from City Council Leader Cllr David Mellen:

We are all getting used to new ways to live our lives and I would like to commend the response of local people to the huge changes they are having to make. Our largely empty streets are testament to people doing the right thing and following the Government’s advice to Stay Home. When people are venturing out, perhaps to a local park, for some fresh air and exercise, overwhelmingly they are acting responsibly and observing the Stay Apart guidance by keeping at least two metres away from others. I cannot stress enough how important it is that we all follow the advice on social distancing and we must all also not forget to keep washing our hands thoroughly and regularly. This way, we really can Stay Safe and Save Lives.

Finances are a worry for many people over this period of uncertainty, I was pleased to see that clarity is now starting to come through for self-employed people. Self-employed people may be able to claim 80% of their earnings through a Government scheme set up in response to the coronavirus. The taxable grant of up to a maximum of £2,500 a month for three months will be based on the average monthly profits of a self-employed person over three years, so people will need to have filed a tax return to be eligible. To find out more information, please check here. There is also a range of support and advice here for people who need to access benefits, maybe for the first time, or are seeking work to help them through this crisis.

There has never been a time when the social care services the council provides to the city’s elderly and vulnerable people have been more important. Without them, many people simply wouldn’t be able to manage to get through the next few weeks. However, the dedicated teams who provide that care are already being affected by staff taking time out to recover or self-isolate. We are therefore urgently looking for new care workers to join our team. Listen to what one of our care workers, Stewart, says about the job, why you should do it and how rewarding it is here. If we can look after more people in their own homes rather than in hospital, this means the NHS can focus on saving lives. Find out how to apply for roles here

Thank you to everyone for their efforts so far to keep Nottingham and its people safe and well over this period.