Hundreds of people have been dying across the world due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The disease which originated in bats started off in China and has now spread to the majority of the countries in the world sending the global population in to panic. Stock markets across the world have been falling meaning people having problems with their financial situation and having to rely on the benefits system.
The virus has now hit the UK and is causing chaos among society UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak has put in place a number of policies to try and prevent the UK going in to financial meltdown. Among the issues that the country faces are:
- The country’s gross domestic product is predicted to fall 35%, leaving two million jobless and the country in a huge amount of debt.
- The Office for Budget Responsibility has predicted that the coronavirus shutdown could force the the Government to borrow the most in a single year since WWII.
- The grim forecast comes as it was announced that the total number of deaths from coronavirus is higher than previously reported, according to figures from the Official of National Statistics (ONS).
- The ONS figures include all Covid-19 deaths registered in England and Wales up to the week ending April 3 – 6,235 – rather than just those that occurred in hospitals.
- A revised figure of the death toll released yesterday – 11,329 – has not been released.
- The study was published on the same day it was announced that rate of benefits claims has rocketed.
- Some 1.4million claims for Universal Credit have been made – 7 times the usual rate – along with another 200,000 for Jobseekers’ Allowance or ESA since the coronavirus spread to the UK.
Meanwhile, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide has passed two million according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University.
- The study was published on the same day it was announced that rate of benefits claims has rocketed.
- The official decision on extending the UK lockdown will be announced on Thursday, Dan Bloom reports following today’s Downing Street briefing.
- It was already widely reported that the announcement would come on this date, which has now been confirmed by the government.
- The government’s advisory group SAGE began a meeting at 11am today to review the effect of the lockdown and whether it must continue.
- By law the lockdown must be reviewed every three weeks, with the first review taking place on or before this Thursday.
- The lockdown is widely expected to be extended until at least May 7.
For further advice and guidance on changes to rules during the Coronavirus pandemic, please visit https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rules-that-have-been-relaxed-to-help-businesses-during-the-coronavirus-pandemic
