Coronavirus (Covid-19) - Gosport Borough Council

Gosport Borough moves in to Tier 2 - High Alert

On 2nd December Gosport, along with the rest of Hampshire, was placed under Tier 2 - High Alert local restrictions. This status will be reviewed on 16th December.

Covid 19 Tier 2 restrictions poster

Some of the social contact restrictions will be changed during the Christmas period (23rd to 27th December). For more details please see the government guidance on Christmas activities, including how You can make a Christmas bubble with friends and family.

Town Hall closure and Council services

The Council's top priority is the health and wellbeing of our residents, people who work in the Borough, and our staff. We're working hard to continue to provide our services while ensuring the safety of residents.

Gosport currently has one of the highest rates of infection in Hampshire. To help protect our residents customers and staff, and to reduce day to day contact, the Town Hall will remain closed until 4 January 2021.

Council staff are continuing to work from home and the Town Hall and we are continuing to deliver our services to the community. For more details and updates please see: Accessing Council services, information and general advice.

Coronavirus (Covid-19) related business support grants

The Council also continues to administer the goverment funded Coronavirus (Covid-19) related business support grants that are available during national lockdowns and periods of local restrictions. For further information on those grants that can be currently claimed/applied for in Gosport and the online claim/application forms please see the Business Rates section of our website.

For further information about all the government funded Coronavirus (Covid-19) related business support grants please see Business grants available during restrictions.

Tier 2 - High Alert restrictions and guidance

General information and advice for businesses, venues and residents

Tier 2 - High Alert local restrictions are for areas with a higher or rapidly rising level of infections, where some additional restrictions need to be in place. In Tier 2:

you must not socialise with anyone you do not live with or who is not in your support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
you must not socialise in a group of more than 6 people outside, including in a garden or a public space - this is called the 'rule of 6'
businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-Secure manner, other than those which remain closed by law, such as nightclubs
pubs and bars must close, unless operating as restaurants. Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals
hospitality businesses selling food or drink for consumption on their premises are required to:
- provide table service only, in premises which sell alcohol
- close between 11pm and 5am (hospitality venues in airports, ports, transport services and motorway service areas are exempt)
- stop taking orders after 10pm
hospitality businesses and venues selling food and drink for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through
early closure (11pm) applies to casinos, cinemas, theatres, museums, bowling alleys, amusement arcades, funfairs, theme parks, adventure parks and activities, and bingo halls. Cinemas, theatres and concert halls can stay open beyond 11pm in order to conclude performances that start before 10pm
public attendance at outdoor and indoor events (performances and shows) is permitted, limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors
public attendance at spectator sport and business events can resume inside and outside, subject to social contact rules and limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors
places of worship remain open but you must not socialise with people from outside of your household or support bubble while you are indoors there, unless a legal exemption applies
weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on numbers of attendees - 15 people can attend wedding ceremonies and receptions, 30 people can attend funeral ceremonies, and 15 people can attend linked commemorative events such as wakes or stonesettings
organised outdoor sport, and physical activity and exercise classes can continue
organised indoor sport, physical activity and exercise classes will only be permitted if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with (or share a support bubble with). There are exceptions for indoor disability sport, sport for educational purposes and supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s, which can take place with larger groups mixing
you can continue to travel to venues or amenities which are open, but should aim to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible
if you live in a tier 2 area, you must continue to follow tier 2 rules when you travel to a tier 1 area. Avoid travel to or overnight stays in tier 3 areas other than where necessary, such as for work, education, youth services, to receive medical treatment, or because of caring responsibilities. You can travel through a tier 3 area as a part of a longer journey
for international travel see the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice for your destination and the travel corridors list

For more details about the measures that apply in Tier 2 areas please see GOV.UK.

Businesses that must close and those that can remain open

All businesses and venues should follow COVID-secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers.

Restrictions on businesses and venues in Tier 2 areas include:

nightclubs and adult entertainment venues must remain closed
pubs and bars may not provide alcohol for consumption on the premises, unless with a substantial meal, so they are operating as a restaurant. They may remain open for take-away services
other hospitality businesses - including cafes, restaurants and social clubs - can only serve alcohol with substantial meals. If they are a business which serves alcohol for consumption on the premises, they must be table service only. In cinemas, theatres, concert halls and sports stadia, alcohol can be ordered at a bar to be consumed when seated in the auditorium or area where the screening/performance is taking place. This should be limited to only those with tickets. When it is to be consumed in the bar area itself, it must be part of a substantial meal and full table service must be provided
hospitality venues that do not serve alcohol may allow someone to order from the counter, but they must still consume their meal from a seat if eating in
hospitality venues must stop taking orders after 10pm and must close between 11pm and 5am (with exceptions for airports, ports, the Folkestone international rail terminal, on public transport services and in motorway service areas, although these places cannot sell alcohol after 11pm)
hospitality businesses and venues selling food and drink for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm, such as by take-away. After 11pm, this must only be through delivery service or click-and-collect or drive-through.
businesses must not provide shared smoking equipment for use on the premises.
visitor attractions, entertainment businesses and venues may open but early closure (11pm) applies to the following:
- casinos
- theatres
- museums
- bowling alleys
- adult gaming centres and amusement arcades
- funfairs, theme parks and adventure parks and activities
- bingo halls
- cinemas, theatres, concert halls and sports stadia
cinemas, theatres, concert halls and sports stadia can stay open beyond 11pm in order to conclude performances and events that start before 10pm
tour groups must operate in line with social contact rules. This means that larger tours where different households or support bubbles (or groups of more than 6 if outdoors) interact will not be feasible
ccommodation, such as hotels, holiday lets and guesthouses, may open but businesses must take reasonable steps to ensure that social contact rules are followed within their venues
retail businesses and premises may open but must ensure that they operate in a COVID-19-secure manner
theatres, concert halls, music venues and sports stadia are open, but capacity will be restricted to whichever is lower: 50% capacity or 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors
conference centres and exhibition halls are open. Business events are permitted, but capacity should be restricted to whichever is lower: 50% capacity of 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors
certain businesses and venues are required to collect customer, visitor and staff data to support NHS Test and Trace
the wearing of face coverings for customers and staff (other than those with exemptions) is mandatory in certain indoor settings
businesses must ensure that if their workers are required to self-isolate, they do not work outside their designated place of self-isolation
businesses and venues that fail to comply with these restrictions may face fines of up to £10,000, prosecution, or in some cases closure

See full guidance on which businesses and venues are permitted to be open under each local restriction tier.

Business grants available during periods of restrictions

The government has announced four national grant schemes to support businesses affected by any periods of national lockdown, or Tier 2 and Tier 3 (Local COVID alert levels 'High' and 'Very High') local restrictions:

Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) for periods of local restrictions (Tier 2 and Tier 3) and Local Restriction Grant (Closed Addendum) for national lockdowns
Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open) for periods of local restrictions (Tier 2 and Tier 3)
Local Restrictions Support Grant (Sector) for businesses that have been required to close due to the national restrictions introduced in March 2020 but it is only available from 1st November 2020 and is not retrospective. A pro-rata grant will be paid for the period 1st to 4th November.
Additional Restrictions Grant for periods of national lockdowns

The Government has also announced an additional £1,000 Christmas grant for 'wet-led pubs' in tiers 2 and 3 who will miss out on much needed business during the busy Christmas period.

These grants will be administered by local authorities but during a national lockdown only the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed Addendum) and the Additional Restrictions Grant will be available.

Details of how to claim/apply for the Local Restrictions Grant (Closed Addendum) and Local Restrictions Grant (Sector) are available on the Business Rates section of this website.

The Business Grants and Support section also has information about the other financial assistance and support available to local businesses.

Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed Addendum)

Update: This national lockdown grant is still available to be paid to eligible businesses. If your business was required to close as a result of the national lockdown and has yet to claim the grant please see https://www.gosport.gov.uk/2001.

Businesses registered as the business rates payer that were open as usual and providing in-person services to customers from their business premises and then required to close by law for a consecutive period of no less than 14 days as a result of restrictions will be eligible for this funding.

During the one month national lockdown period businesses occupying premises appearing on the local rating list on the date of the commencement of the restrictions with a rateable value of:

Exactly £15,000 or under will receive a payment of £1,334 per 28-day qualifying restriction period.
Over £15,000 and less than £51,000 will receive a payment of £2,000 per 28-day qualifying restriction period.
Exactly £51,000 or above will receive £3,000 per 28-day qualifying restriction period.

The payment amounts are fixed and set by government. Businesses will be entitled to receive a grant for each eligible premises within the restriction area. So some businesses may receive more than one grant. Grant income received by a business is taxable.

Specific exclusions for this grant include:

Businesses that are able to continue to trade because they do not depend on providing direct in-person services from premises and can operate their services effectively remotely (e.g. accountants, solicitors).
Businesses that have chosen to close but not been required to.
Businesses which have already received grant payments that equal the maximum levels of State aid permitted under the de minimis and the Covid-19 Temporary State Aid Framework.
Businesses that were in administration, are insolvent or where a striking-off notice has been made.

Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed)

Update: This grant is available to eligible businesses whilst Gosport is subject to Tier 2 (High) local restrictions. The application/claim form will be published on the Business Rates section of this website. Therefore please check back regularly for further updates.

During regional lockdowns where closures are required i.e. Local Covid Alert Level 2 (Tier 2) or Level 3 (Tier 3) this revised version of the scheme is implemented with payments made on a pro-rata 14-day qualifying restriction period basis instead i.e. amounts of £667, £1,000 and £1,500.

A claim form will be required to be completed for audit purposes to ensure that the grant is being paid to the correct business and into the correct bank account.

Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG)

Update: The details of how this scheme will be implemented locally are still being finalised but an evidence based application will be required to demonstrate how the pandemic and restrictions have had a negative impact. Once finalised, further details of the eligibility criteria, payment amounts and how to apply for this grant will be published on the Business Rates section of this website. Therefore please check back regularly for further updates.

Businesses that are non-business rate payers and business rate payers that have either been required to close by Government during the national lockdown period, or have been severely impacted by the national lockdown period, are eligible for this grant.

The criteria and amounts are at the discretion of local authorities so that the scheme can best meet local economic need. Our scheme is still in the process of being finalised so no details are currently available but these will be published in due course. Therefore please regularly check back on this webpage.

However an evidence based application form will be required to be completed to confirm eligibility i.e. businesses will need to demonstrate how the pandemic and lockdown restrictions have negatively impacted on them.

Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open)

Businesses that are not legally required to close but which are severely impacted by the Local COVID Alert Level 'High' (Tier 2) and 'Very High' (Tier 3) localised restrictions on socialising put in place to manage the coronavirus e.g. hospitality, hotel, bed & breakfast and leisure businesses are eligible for this grant.

Funding will be issued to Local Authorities in 14-day payment cycles and they will have the discretion to determine the precise eligibility criteria and payment amounts for this grant scheme. However an evidence based application will be required from businesses. This grant is not available during periods of national lockdown.

Local Restrictions Support Grant (Sector)

Update: Eligible businesses will be paid a pro-rata grant for the period 01/11 - 04/11 and a Local Restrictions Support Grant (Closed) for the national lockdown period. To claim/apply for the Local Restrictions Support Grant (Sector) grant please see https://www.gosport.gov.uk/2003.

Businesses registered as the business rates payer that were required to close in March 2020 and which have never been able to re-open e.g. nightclubs, dance halls, discotheques, adult entertainment venues and hostess bars are eligible for this scheme.

Those businesses occupying premises appearing on the local rating list on the date of the commencement of the restrictions with a rateable value of:

Exactly £15,000 or under will receive a payment of £667 per 14-day qualifying restriction period.
Over £15,000 and less than £51,000 will receive a payment of £1,000 per 14-day qualifying restriction period.
Exactly £51,000 or above will receive £1,500 per 14-day qualifying restriction period.

During periods of national lockdown this scheme is superseded by the Local Restrictions Grant (Closed) scheme. As a result eligible businesses will be paid a pro-rata Local Restrictions Support Grant (Sector) for the period 1^st November to 4^th November and then a Local Restrictions Grant (Closed) payment for the period 5^th November to 2^nd December.

Other grants available to local businesses

For further information about the other Coronavirus (COVID-19) related grants, advice and support available to local businesses please see Business grants and support.

NHS Test and Trace

General information and advice for businesses, venues and residents

NHS Test and Trace or Public Health Officers will ask for these records only where it is necessary. For example, if your premises has been identified as the location of a potential COVID-19 outbreak. You and your staff must not share this information with anyone else and respect individuals' privacy.

NHS Test and Trace will work with you, if contacted, to ensure that information is shared in a safe and secure way. You must share the requested information as soon as possible to help us identify people who may have been in contact with the virus and help minimise the onward spread of COVID-19.

NHS Test and Trace will handle all data according to the highest ethical and security standards and ensure it is used only for the purposes of protecting public health, including minimising the transmission of COVID-19.

If you are contacted by NHS Test and Trace, contact tracers will:

call you from 0300 013 5000
send you text messages from 'NHStracing'
ask you to sign into the NHS Test and Trace contact-tracing website

Local contact tracers may contact you from a different phone number or ask you to call them back. If you are unsure if the telephone number is genuine, check with your local council. More information can be found on your local council website.

Contact tracers will never:

ask you to dial a premium rate number to speak to them (for example, those starting 09 or 087)
ask you to make any form of payment or purchase a product or any kind
ask for any details about your bank account
ask for your social media identities or login details, or those of your contacts
ask you for any passwords or PINs, or ask you to set up any passwords or PINs over the phone
disclose any of your personal or medical information to your contacts
ask about protected characteristics that are irrelevant to the needs of NHS Test and Trace
provide medical advice on the treatment of any potential coronavirus symptoms
ask you to download any software to your PC or ask you to hand over control of your PC, smartphone or tablet to anyone else
ask you to access any website that does not belong to the government or NHS

New NHS COVID-19 app

The new NHS COVID-19 app is a vital part of the NHS Test and Trace service and is now available to download for free. For more information about the app, including help on how to use it and finding out what different things it can do, and to download it please see the NHS website.

Guidance on the legal requirement to display official NHS QR code posters

To help control the spread of coronavirus, as from 24th September it is a legal requirement for certain businesses and venues to display official NHS QR code posters. It is is being implemented to support the NHS COVID-19 app, which forms part of the national coronavirus testing and contact tracing programme. This legal requirement applies to those businesses and venues that are open to the public which are already being asked to use a logbook for Test and Trace i.e.

hospitality services, including pubs, bars, restaurants and cafés
tourism and leisure services, including hotels, museums, cinemas, zoos and theme parks
close contact services, including hairdressers, barbershops and tailors
facilities provided by Local Authorities, including town halls and civic centres for events, community centres, libraries and children's centres
places of worship, including use for events and other community activities

If you have a business or venue outside of these categories that is visited by members of the public and has a space where people congregate, then you are also encouraged to create a QR code poster for the entrance to your business or venue. For more information on which businesses or venues should display the official NHS QR code poster please see the NHS UK website.

The official NHS QR code poster for businesses and venues

The NHS QR code poster will allow customers to check into venues in a simple and secure way
Each business will need to generate posters for their venue online at www.gov.uk/create-coronavirus-qr-poster and print them off to display at their premises
Each QR code is unique to a location, so if your business operates from more than one venue, please create a separate QR code for each location. You can add multiple locations in the service.
Advice on how to create and where to display your NHS QR code poster is available at: https://covid19.nhs.uk/information-and-resources.html
Any venue that has already set up their own QR code system for Test and Trace is asked to replace it with an official NHS QR code poster
Businesses will still need to keep an additional contact information log for customers who do not have access to the NHS COVID-19 app and cannot scan the QR code posters.

What this means for your customers and visitors

The NHS COVID-19 app will alert customers if they have recently visited a venue or business where a coronavirus case has been confirmed and will instruct them to isolate - the app will only instruct the person to book a test if they have symptoms.
The alert will be anonymous, meaning it will not name the exact venue or service.
A week-long national information campaign will begin on 24 September to let people know about the COVID-19 app and how to use it to scan QR code posters to check in at venues.
As designated business and venues will be legally required from 24 September to log customer and visitor details and display an official NHS QR code poster, you will need to:
- check when customers enter your premises that they have either scanned your QR code poster or provided their contact details for you to manually log
- if there is more than one person, record the name of the 'lead member' of the group and the number of people in the group (maximum of 6)
- if the person/lead member refuses to provide their contact details by scanning your QR code poster or providing details for manual logging, you will need to deny them access to your venue or risk facing a fine.

Further information on the NHS COVID-19 app and QR code posters

The NHS COVID-19 app will provide people with information about the risk level for coronavirus in their local area, alert them if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, and has a built-in QR scanner which people who download the app will use to easily and securely 'check-in' at venues.

Local Government Association COVID Tracker for Gosport

The Local Government Association provide tracking statistics for lab confirmed Covid-19 cases in Gosport.

Council services

The Town Hall will be closed from Thursday, 05 November 2020 inline with the latest Government guidance requiring staff to work from home.

Self-isolation and social distancing guidance

The government has translated the guidance for self-isolation and social distancing into the following languages:

Arabic
French
Mandarin
Cantonese
Polish
Welsh

The links are here:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance

www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-for-vulnerable-people

Accessing Council services, information and general advice

Business Grants and Support

Business grants and support potentially available to Gosport based businesses during the pandemic

Community Support

Covid-19 local testing site in Gosport

Gosport, Go Out, Go Local, Go Safely!

Government and Health advice

Self-isolation Payment Scheme