Critical workers include those working in health and social care and in other sectors which are essential to provide basic public services, as defined on the GOV.UK website.
Schools, childcare and free school meals
Many schools and early years settings offered childcare support to vulnerable children and the children of key workers from the start of the coronavirus outbreak until the end of the summer term. Until schools re-open in September, there will only be additional support for individual students by special arrangement, direct with their school. If this applies to your family, your child's school will be in touch with you. If you have any further queries, please contact the school directly.
Childcare arrangements for early years settings remain the same.
Car parks
Parking charges for residents and visitors were reintroduced on May 4 for Bath & North East Somerset Council car parks and on-street, paid-for parking. You will need a valid permit if using residents’ parking bays from this date.
NHS staff, health and social care workers, and NHS volunteers are being encouraged to apply, via their employer, for a new Government digital parking permit. The permit allows you to park for free, with no time limits, when undertaking official duties. On-street parking places where the national permit can be used are limited to pay and display bays, limited waiting bays, and permit holder bays and zones.
There are a number of ways you can get help from the council and the government if you are not working and do not get paid while you're off. These include:
- Council Tax Support
- Welfare Support
- Housing Benefit
- Discretionary Housing Payment
- Universal Credit
- Self-employed Income Support
If you can't afford your next monthly Council Tax payment, please contact us
Find the latest Coronavirus health advice on the NHS website
Coronavirus guidance from GOV.UK
Stay at home - An easy read guide for people with coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Staying at home if you think you have coronavirus (self-isolating)
- Staying at home and away from others (social distancing)
- Staying at home: what you can and cannot do
- How to protect extremely vulnerable people (shielding)
- Guidance on pregnancy and coronavirus
Mental well-being
Mental well-being support for adults, parents, carers and young people and children is available on the 1BigDatabase website
Better Health Campaign
Public Health England has launched the 'Better Health' campaign to support people to live healthier lives and reduce their risk of serious illness, including COVID-19.
The campaign encourages people to embrace a healthier lifestyle, supported by a range of evidence-based tools and apps providing advice on how to eat well, be more active and start losing weight.
For more information and to download the free NHS weight loss plan app visit: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/
Stop Smoking - #QuitforCovid
Getting support to quit smoking face to face is not currently possible due to Coronavirus – but there is still support available. For more information visit https://www.todayistheday.co.uk/
Local support and a new digital stop smoking App is available through the Specialist Stop Smoking Service – call 0300 247 0050 and ask to speak to a stop smoking advisor.
For further information on health and wellbeing please visit the B&NES Public Health web pages https://www.bathnes.gov.uk/services/public-health
Pharmacy opening times
Community pharmacy opening times are now updated every day.
The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating affect on everyone who is facing the grief of having lost a loved one. For those bereaved as a direct result of the virus, every statistic we read on the news represents people who are dearly missed and whose family and friends are having to come to terms with a world without them. For those who have lost loved ones from other causes, you too are having to deal with increased trauma created by social distancing measures and being cut off from some of your usual support network. The following sources of support can provide help and advice.
What to do when someone dies
- Government guidance
- B&NES Council – Registering a Death
- B&NES Council – Useful Links about Death
- NHS Bereavement Support and Advice
- Royal United Hospital (RUH) Bereavement Office
Emotional support
- At a Loss
- Wiltshire and Bath CRUSE
- Bereavement Trust Helpline 6pm to 10pm, 7 days a week 0800 435 455
- The Good Grief Trust
- Focus Counselling Bath
- Dorothy House Bereavement Support and Advice
- Survivors of Bereavement By Suicide (SOBS)
Support for children and young people
- Child Bereavement UK (Helpline 9am to 5pm weekdays)
- Childhood Bereavement Network - COVID-19
- Grief Encounter Helpline 9am to 9pm weekdays 0808 802 0111 and online chat service
- Hope Again
- Winston’s Wish Helpline 0808 8020021
The Government have asked people to stay at home as much as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep people safe from the virus, BUT if you feel unsafe at home, you CAN leave your home and get help.
If you feel unsafe at home, call the National 24/7 Helpline on 0808 2000 247
Domestic abuse services are still available to help you in Bath & North East Somerset.
Afraid of someone in your home?
If you are in immediate danger, call 999
In a non-emergency you, can contact national support organisations:
Afraid of an ex-partner or family member?
Support is available from the the following organisations:
Afraid for someone else?
You don't need to be experiencing domestic abuse to get advice. If you are afraid for someone else, you can still talk to national and local domestic abuse services.
You can also download a guide for people who think their friend, relative, neighbour or colleague may be in an abusive relationship
There has been a large increase in the amount of fraud during the current coronavirus outbreak.
Fraudsters are trying to exploit new weaknesses, cyber attacks are using COVID-19 emails to lure people into clicking links or opening attachments, which then download malicious software. Emails pretending to be from Government Departments or councils are also attempting to obtain personal data including bank account details, for example, parents with children entitled to free school meals are being asked to provide bank account details.
We will NOT generally ask you for personal information over the phone. However, based on the current circumstances, alternative methods of collecting information may be required. If you are asked to provide any information, and you are not sure about the identity of the person, then please ring back using numbers on our website
Find out more information on identifying and dealing with scams
During this difficult time, we want to make sure that our residents look out for one another to help everyone to stay safe and healthy. There are a variety of ways you can do this.