Coronavirus Update (3rd Apr 2020)
The 3rd April update below includes the following new information:
- Lib Dem Councillors Response Update
- Haringey Response Update
- Connected Communities
- Recycling and refuse collections
- Business support in Haringey
- Latest Police update and how to report an incident
- NHS North Central London (NCL) Update
- Construction sites who flout social distancing guidelines
- New care workers urgently needed
- Donations
- Local Food Banks
- Volunteering opportunities
- National Response Update
- Thames Water Flexible Payment Plans
- Free School Meals voucher scheme for children at home
- Domestic violence
- Welfare response to Covid-19
- Renters and landlords
- Information on Covid-19 for non-UK nationals
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LIB DEM COUNCILLORS RESPONSE UPDATE
Supporting you through Covid-19 and raising issues on your behalf
Haringey councillors are now receiving regular briefings from the Leader of the Council, and as the Lib Dem Group Leader, I am having regular teleconference calls with senior council officers so that we are getting the most up to date information and advice from the Council.
This is allowing us to raise and respond to issues faster, enabling us to get back on residents queries more promptly and provide the most up to date information.
Please do continue to send us your queries and concerns so that we can raise these directly with the Haringey Council on your behalf. You can always reach me direct by email at: liz.morris@haringeylibdems.org
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HARINGEY RESPONSE UPDATE
Connected Communities
Our councillors have been pressing Haringey Council to extend their Connected Communities service (more info here) to longer hours, and for it to be accessible to residents at weekends. We are pleased to confirm that the phone line will now be in operation for an additional three hours every weekday.
If you are a resident who needs help, if you or someone you know might need help, or you are a resident or business that wishes to volunteer – please contact the Connected Communities team on 020 8489 4431. The line is now open Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6.30pm.
We will continue to push for the service to be further extended to be available on weekends too.
Recycling and Refuse Collections
For the time being Veolia is continuing to collect refuse, recycling, food waste and garden waste (if you have paid for the garden waste service) on the usual designated days despite a reduction in staff. However there are likely to be some delays in the collection service. If your bin is not collected on the usual day, it should be collected the next day. If Veolia does not manage to collect your bin for a week, please email: enquiries.haringey@veolia.com or call: 0208 885 7700.
Our councillors have been pushing for information on the green recycling and food waste bags service on behalf of residents in flats since the closure of our Libraries (the collection point for these bags normally).
We have now received confirmation that the Council has been unable to identify an alternative outlet for getting the bags to residents and are therefore requesting that once their supply of bags runs out, residents that use council provided bags for their recycling and food waste present their waste in the following ways:
- For food waste collections, once you have run out of food waste bags please line your caddy with newspaper and continue to use your food waste collection as normal.
- For residents that usually use green bags for recycling collections, once you have run out of green bags please put your recycling in your general waste refuse collection.
The food waste and recycling collections for residents that use recycling wheelie bins and their own food waste liners remains unaffected at this time.
Business Support in Haringey
Following concerns raised by residents we asked Haringey Council for guidance to help local convenience store owners and staff to protect themselves and their customers, which can now be found here: https://www.haringey.gov.uk/news-and-events/haringey-coronavirus-covid-19-updates/coronavirus-covid-19-business-update#convenience-stores
Our councillors have also been supporting businesses in understanding what financial support is available to them, both from the council and from Government, and how this can be obtained.
We are pleased to confirm that the first Small Business Grants and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants were paid by Haringey Council on Tuesday 1st April and the council are working their way through the huge task of fulfilling all grant payments.
Government guidance on the Small Business Grant / Retail, Hospitality & Leisure Grant has recently changed, and Haringey Council now has to collect and verify your business information to make business grant payments. To help the council get your grant funding paid quickly please complete the Grant Form as soon as possible by visiting this link.
You may also be contacted to confirm that the information the council holds for the business and rate payer is correct to enable them to make payment to the right recipient.
If you haven’t heard from Haringey by 20 April 2020, and believe you are eligible under the grants system and have completed the grant form, please contact the council at COVIDsmallbusinessgrant@haringey.gov.uk.
The most up to date information on business support, including grant payments and a business impact survey to help the council understand how Covid-19 has affected Haringey businesses, can be found here: https://www.haringey.gov.uk/news-and-events/haringey-coronavirus-covid-19-updates/coronavirus-covid-19-business-update
Latest Police Update and how to report an incident
Detective Chief Superintendent Treena Flemming, North Area (Haringey and Enfield) Commander, has provided the following statement for residents and businesses in the area. Click here to read.
The Met Police have launched a dedicated Covid-19 webpage for reporting breaches of the new Government legislation on social distancing and business operations. Please only report something if you feel there is a significant issue or breach which you think the Police need to know about.You can access it at the following link:
https://www.met.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/c19/tell-us-about-possible-breach-coronavirus-measures/
NHS North Central London (NCL) Update
The NHS North Central London Clinical Commissioning Group have provided an update that covers some of the key activities that NCL health and care providers are taking to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic:
http://camdenccgexternal.newsweaver.com/stakeholderevent/8uzma4jp4ma9g5xy787gtm
Reporting construction sites who flout social distancing guidelines
Currently construction sites have not been asked to close by the government. This means that work can continue if it is done safely. However residents have contacted our councillors with concerns about construction sites (both large sites and developments in residential properties) who are flouting social distancing rules, putting the workman and the wider public at risk.
If residents see construction sites flouting the social distancing guidelines they can report to the council as an Environmental Health matter https://www.haringey.gov.uk/contact/report-it and to the police through the Met's dedicated Covid-19 reporting page at: https://www.met.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/c19/tell-us-about-possible-breach-coronavirus-measures/
New care workers urgently needed - training provided
Following the coronavirus outbreak, many of our the council’s care services are under increasing pressure due to high demand. Proud to Care is urgently looking to recruit new care workers to start as soon as possible, to support Adult Social Care services in North London. Protecting our most vulnerable people in their own homes is, now more than ever, a key priority. These roles will offer a fulfilling opportunity to people who wish to support the community during this difficult time and can lead to a long-term career in the care sector.
Proud to Care is sponsored by the five London Boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington. Care providers may be able to match residents with a service near their home that can work around their availability. Full training will be provided.
For more information and job posts please visit the Proud to Care website (external link). Please share this information with your networks.
Donations needed
Haringey has almost 3000 shielded residents and 4000 vulnerable residents to support with food and essentials through this crisis. The food and essential supplies provided by the government for these residents is simply not of the quality or quantity to meet the demand, and the food distribution hub at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is running low on supplies. If any businesses are able to donate, Haringey Together would be grateful for the following:
- Food that can be stored (e.g. dry goods, tins, cans, packets)
- Essential household items (e.g. sanitary products, soap, kitchen roll etc)
- Cleaning products (for food preparation purposes)
- Nappies, baby formula, milk
- Plastic bags and boxes
- Pet food
Frozen food cannot currently be accepted.
Due to government rules on social distancing and non-essential travel, the council is not asking for donations from individuals, but is welcoming contributions from businesses or Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations. If you wish to make a donation as an individual please see the details on Haringey Giving or supporting Food Banks below.
If you are a business able to support with immediate donations please contact connectedcommunities@haringey.gov.uk to arrange a pick up.
If you would prefer to make a monetary donation, Haringey Giving (a fund managed by people in the Haringey community and endorsed by Haringey Council) is also trying to raise £50,000 to support the borough’s most vulnerable people, and the community initiatives responding to the Covid-19 crisis.
Please do consider giving as all donations will be doubled up to a total of £40,000 by Linklaters LLP! https://www.haringeygiving.org.uk/appeal/haringey-covid-19-appeal
LOCAL FOOD BANKS are in urgent need of supplies
Food banks continue to support residents across the borough and all also seeing supplies running desperately low. If you are able to support them please consider doing so.
Muswell Hill Foodbank
- If you need food
- The Muswell Hill Foodbank on Pembroke Road is open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. You will need to get a voucher from one of the Referral Agencies (Citizens Advice, Social Services, Job Centres, some schools and doctors surgeries and other local charities) before going to the foodbank. Strict social distancing is in place to ensure the safety of clients and volunteers.
- The foodbank urgently needs donations
- Usage of the foodbank is expected to double or treble over the next few weeks.
- The foodbank needs donations of dry and canned goods (no fresh produce or perishables) and toiletries (mens and women). See here for delivery times.
- The foodbank runs wholly on donations and are unable to operate collections outside of supermarkets at the moment, please consider making a one-off or a regular monetary donation online to support them.
Other Local Foodbanks
To view a list of additional local foodbanks that you may wish to donate to please visit this link.
Volunteering opportunities for local residents
Our voluntary organisations are working under huge pressure and looking for more help from the community:
- The Felix Project: run foodbanks and community kitchens for vulnerable people - email info@thefelixproject.org or phone 020 3034 4350.
- London Independent Living: provide meals on wheels across London – email info@lils.org.uk or phone: 03333 444 806
- Haringey Reach and Connect: befriending service to support those shielding and isolating https://reachandconnect.net/
- British Red Cross: become a community reserve volunteer https://reserves.redcross.org.uk/
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NATIONAL RESPONSE UPDATE
Thames Water Flexible Payment Plans
For those who have been financially impacted by the coronavirus outbreak, Thames Water have set up a 'flexible payment period' for their customers to either temporarily pause or reduce payments.To find out more about how Thames Water can help with your water bills payment please visit their flexible payments information page.
Free School Meals voucher scheme for children at home
A national voucher scheme has been introduced by the Government that will allow children eligible for free school meals to still access that provision while they stay at home.
While schools are closed due to the coronavirus (Covid-19), every eligible child can now be provided with a £15 weekly shopping voucher by their school to spend at supermarkets.
Where it’s no longer possible for schools to provide meals for collection or delivery, they can now provide these vouchers to families either electronically or – for those without internet access – as a gift card, with the vouchers able to be spent at a range of shops, including Asda, M&S, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.
For further information, see the Government’s guidance on free school meals here.
Schools in the borough should now be making arrangements to provide these vouchers to eligible children. However, in the unlikely event that your child is eligible for free school meals and isn’t currently receiving them, please email us at: fsm@haringey.gov.uk
Further to this Liberal Democrat MPs have called on the UK Government to ensure children on free school meals will continue to receive vouchers over the Easter holidays across the country. Our call follows confirmation from the Welsh Liberal Democrat Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, that children in Wales will continue to be offered free school meals during the break.
Domestic violence
Sadly there is evidence that instances of domestic violence increase during epidemics where people spend more time at home.
PLEASE NOTE: Victims of domestic violence CAN leave the house to escape an abuser.
If you are worried about violence or abuse from your partner, ex-partner or a member of your family, you can get help and advice.
If you are in immediate danger, you should always phone the police on 999. You can also contact Haringey Police on their non-emergency number: 101.
If you are not in immediate danger, call Nia (an independent domestic violence advocacy service). You'll be given a brief assessment and referred to the most appropriate services.
- Contact: 0300 012 0213. (Monday to Friday 10am - 5.30pm)
- For more info: NIA Ending Violence (external link)
If you’d prefer to find an appropriate service yourself, visit Haringey Council's Organisations offering support page for a list of local and national support services, including specialist services for Black, Minority Ethnic and Refugee (BMER) women, children and young people, and LGBT+.
Guidance from the Government can be found here with helpline numbers https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-and-domestic-abuse/coronavirus-covid-19-support-for-victims-of-domestic-abuse
Welfare Response to Covid-19
The government has made a range of changes to the welfare system to ensure that those affected by the Covid-19 public health emergency, either through direct contraction of the virus or loss of employment/reduced working hours, receive the necessary support. Click here for more information on these changes.
Renters and Landlords
Parliament has adopted measures so that nobody is forced out of their home as a result of this epidemic. The full package available to renters (social and private) and landlords can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-support-available-for-landlords-and-renters-reflecting-the-current-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak
Information on Covid-19 for non-UK nationals
For helpful Covid-19 specific information for non-UK nationals please refer to the following page from the Mayor of London and London Assembly which includes the most recent updates on:
- Access to healthcare
- Visas and immigration
- EU Settlement Scheme
https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/eu-londoners-hub/information-covid-19-non-uk-nationals
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We thank you for all you are doing to support the community during this difficult time. As ever, please do get in touch should you require any support, have any questions, or for any other matter we can assist with.
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