bbcuk--2020-05-06--Duchess of Sussex reads to Archie on his first birthday

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have marked their son 's first birthday by releasing a video of Meghan reading @ @ @ @ @ The clip , filmed by Prince Harry , shows the duchess reading Duck !
Rabbit @ @ @ @ @ 's favourite books .
It was posted on Instagram as part of a Save the @ @ @ @ @ and families struggling due to coronavirus .
Read more on this story .

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have marked their son's first birthday by releasing a video of Meghan reading to a beaming Archie.
The clip, filmed by Prince Harry, shows the duchess reading Duck! Rabbit! - one of Archie's favourite books.
It was posted on Instagram as part of a Save the Children fundraising campaign for children and families struggling due to coronavirus.
Read more on this story.


bbcuk--2020-05-06--Bansky thanks NHS staff in Southampton with original painting

Elusive street artist Banksy has a new piece of work on display at Southampton General Hospital .
The work will @ @ @ @ @ raise funds for NHS charities .
Read more : New Banksy artwork appears at hospital

Elusive street artist Banksy has a new piece of work on display at Southampton General Hospital.
Game Changer depicts a child playing with today's 'superhero' - a toy nurse.
The work will eventually be auctioned off to raise funds for NHS charities.
Read more: New Banksy artwork appears at hospital


bbcuk--2020-05-06--The Papers: 'Magic Monday' as lockdown easing to begin

The Daily Mail reports the current lockdown will be extended for another three weeks , but a series of `` @ @ @ @ @ when the PM speaks to the nation on Sunday .
One of the measures to @ @ @ @ @ to sunbathe in the park , the paper says .
The PM will also hold @ @ @ @ @ of Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland to try and agree a UK-wide approach .

But it believes he has a long way to go. "No-one expects to see a fully-formed government in waiting yet," it says. "But there will come a time when voter demand to know what the opposition stands for, besides criticising the Tories".


bbcuk--2020-05-06--Furlough: New job starters 'left behind' despite scheme extension

Since the coronavirus lockdown began nearly a quarter of the UK 's workforce has been furloughed .
More than six million people are having 80 % of their wages , up to £2,500 a month , paid by the government while they are temporarily on leave from their jobs .
But hundreds of thousands of workers have fallen through the cracks because they started new jobs around the time the impact the pandemic would have started to become clear .
Despite assurances of a `` more generous '' scheme for new employees , many have been forced to take unpaid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explore claiming benefits .
When the government 's job retention scheme was announced , it was only open to people who had been registered on their employer 's PAYE system by 28 February .
But last month the government announced it was extending the scheme to people employed by 19 March .
Campaigner Natalie Greenway , from Hinckley in Leicestershire , said : `` At the beginning I looked at it and thought , 'oh great , this means I get to be furloughed now ' , because I started my new job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ qualify , an employee will need to have had an RTI ( Real-Time Information ) submission , or payslip , sent to HMRC .
Many new starters got paid at the end of March and therefore would not qualify for the new extended scheme .
`` It 's a smokescreen , and a bit of a PR stunt .
It is n't a change , '' Ms Greenway said .
Chief executive of UK Hospitality , Kate Nicholls , said the RTI stipulation could affect between 350,000 and 500,000 people in her industry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing that people who thought they were eligible for the furlough scheme , because they were on their employer 's payroll by 28 February , were being excluded because they were not paid by 19 March .
A Treasury spokesperson said employees `` always had to be included on an RTI submission '' and this was not a new requirement . '
I 've barely got any money left for food' Jasmin Mayes from Sutton in Ashfield in Nottinghamshire , started her new role on the first day of the lockdown .
She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ window supplies company to work at an aeronautics firm .
But the single parent is now waiting for universal credit after her new company made her redundant and her old employer refused to take her back .
`` I 've done a benefits calculation and if it 's correct it will just cover my bills without any food or petrol .
`` My child maintenance has now stopped from her dad as he lost his job , so this month we will receive £83.85 in child benefit and that 's everything . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ free school meal vouchers until the universal credit claim comes through in June .
`` What 's left now has to last until I 'm able to find work again . ''
' I 'm looking for delivery or fruit picking jobs' Bryn Robinson , from Essex , moved jobs at the beginning of March .
Despite starting his job before 19 March , the father-of-two is another who is not eligible for the government 's furlough scheme .
`` It 's fairly common practise that you get paid at the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` I do n't think many people will be saved by this , there 'll be a lucky few who 'll get something .
But the monthly paid among us , no . ''
As a result , he has decided to take a mortgage holiday and has been looking for work as a delivery driver , or fruit picker .
`` I 'm not willing to work in a supermarket because I do n't want to bring a virus home to my family , I 'm not going to risk their health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ market , and it 's tough if you 're applying for a role outside of your experience . ''
' I was one of the lucky ones' Neil Walker from Hinckley , Leicestershire , began a new job in renewable heating technology on 2 March .
Initially that start date meant he was not eligible for the furlough scheme , but after the date changed he was hopeful he would benefit .
As he is paid in the middle of the month his employer made an RTI submission by 19 March .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' the 49-year-old said .
`` If I was n't furloughed I 'd be facing the financial abyss , my partner only works part-time and she 's been furloughed .
`` I think it 's so unjust , nobody knew this was going to happen , no-one knew the implications of moving job . ''
' I ca n't furlough 85 % of my workforce' Richard Potter was excited at the beginning of the year as he had set up a new curtain and blinds company with his business partners in Merseyside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doors , orders began drying up and the start-up had to look at furloughing staff .
`` But of the 46 people we employ we can only furlough seven , '' Mr Potter said .
`` We 've been unable to pay anybody since the end of March .
`` It 's terrible from an employer 's point of view .
`` Do I make them redundant ?
Do I put them on zero-hours contracts ?
Being a new business we do n't have the reserves to pay them . ''
• What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ furloughed by work ?
• ' I missed out on furlough payments by a day' Mr Potter said the government 's scheme was penalising `` people who were moving jobs for the right reasons '' .
The Treasury said firms could re-employ people who had left so they could be `` put back on payroll and furloughed '' .
But Mr Potter said he had `` a lot of sympathy '' for ex-employers who would not take people on again because of the future cost implications of making people redundant .
His business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work to make surgical gowns for the NHS , the sales of which will cover some of his staff 's wages .
A Treasury spokesperson said the government 's job retention scheme had helped `` to pay the wages of more than six million furloughed jobs '' .
They added by extending the scheme `` we have provided support for thousands of extra people , whilst keeping the significant fraud risks under control '' .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Visual guide to the outbreak Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook , Twitter , or Instagram .
Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews @ bbc.co.uk .

She told a Treasury Committee hearing that people who thought they were eligible for the furlough scheme, because they were on their employer's payroll by 28 February, were being excluded because they were not paid by 19 March.


bbcuk--2020-05-06--Coronavirus: Scotland sees first weekly fall in deaths

The number of people dying with coronavirus in Scotland has fallen for the first time , according to new statistics .
Data from the National Records of Scotland ( NRS ) showed that the virus was mentioned in 523 death certificates in the week to 3 May .
This was lower than the 656 deaths that were recorded the previous week .
NRS said it was the first weekly reduction in the number of deaths since reporting began on 16 March .
The latest figures bring the total number of people who have died with a confirmed or suspected case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the fall in the death rate `` gives us some hope '' , but said `` our progress , while real , is still too fragile to immediately ease restrictions in any meaningful way '' .
Of the 523 deaths recorded in the week to 3 May which were linked to the virus , 59 % were in care homes , with 37 % in hospitals .
However the number of deaths in care homes actually fell slightly , from 339 to 310 .
The proportion of all deaths @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week on week , from 36 % to 31 % .
And the number of people being treated for the virus in hospital and in intensive care units has also fallen .
The first fall in weekly deaths is a significant moment , but it was expected because fewer people have been going into hospital and needing intensive care over the past few weeks .
It is more welcome evidence that the spread of the disease in the community has slowed .
However , today 's figure also bring into sharp focus the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this disease keeps claiming lives - so while the overall number of deaths fall , the proportion of deaths in this setting is continuing to rise .
It also helps to make sense of why the first minister is careful to talk about a `` plateau '' in the curve rather than `` past the peak '' .
We had been warned the numbers would n't fall as quickly as they rose , and the number of deaths remains stubbornly high .
We are far from the end of this epidemic Three-quarters of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people aged over 75 , with only 19 people under the age of 45 having died .
Greater Glasgow and Clyde continues to record a higher rate of deaths from the virus by population than other parts of the country , while no deaths have been logged in the Western Isles .
The total number of people who have died in Scotland since the outbreak started is 3,752 higher than would normally be expected , based on the average of the last five years .
While the virus accounted for the vast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' , there have also been hundreds of extra deaths linked to heart disease , strokes and dementia .
But again , the figure was lower than in previous weeks .
The statistics from the National Records of Scotland are wider than those reported each day at the Scottish government 's briefings , which only cover people who had tested positive for the virus .
The total number of deaths under this measurement currently stands at 1,703 .
Speaking at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday , Ms Sturgeon said the country was `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It would not take much to send our progress into reverse , '' she said .
`` We need to persevere a bit longer to get that progress solidified . ''
The first minister published a paper of options for easing lockdown on Tuesday , and said her government would look to do this `` as soon as possible '' .
However she said that `` for the moment , the message remains clear - please stay at home except for essential purposes '' .
The government paper said the infection rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was `` much too high at present to consider the virus under control '' .
It said there is `` some evidence '' that the infection rate in Scotland is `` slightly above that elsewhere in the UK '' , and that `` we must continue to proceed with extreme caution '' .
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he will sett out plans to begin lifting the coronavirus lockdown on Sunday , and that he hoped to `` get going on some of these measures on Monday '' .
And Scottish Conservative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ensure there continued to be a `` consistent message '' across the UK rather than following a different approach in Scotland .
Mr Carlaw said that `` simplicity saves lives '' , and told Ms Sturgeon : `` This is n't about politics , first minister , it is about keeping things clear . ''
Meanwhile , Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said the high number of deaths that were still being reported in care homes showed that the Scottish government had failed to protect the most vulnerable during the pandemic .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too slow to act '' , adding : `` Even now concerns persist over PPE availability and the level of testing in care homes '' • A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?

The statistics from the National Records of Scotland are wider than those reported each day at the Scottish government's briefings, which only cover people who had tested positive for the virus. The total number of deaths under this measurement currently stands at 1,703.


bbcuk--2020-05-06--Coronavirus: Dentists volunteer to work in NI care homes

Dozens of dentists in Northern Ireland have volunteered to work in care homes , the sector hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic , the BBC has learned .
The 76 volunteers agreed to provide support and training to staff about infection prevention after a health and social care workforce appeal .
They may also give guidance on using protective equipment and swabbing symptomatic care home residents .
Some 40 % of coronavirus-related deaths in NI have been linked to care homes .
It emerged on Tuesday that 14 residents from the same home in Glengormley had died with Covid-19 related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 coronavirus-related deaths in Northern Ireland were recorded by the health department on Wednesday , bringing its total death toll , mostly comprising hospital fatalities , to 418 .
NI 's overall figure will be higher when all deaths in the community are recorded : Separate figures from statistics agency Nisra show there had been 393 Covid-19 related deaths by 24 April .
'In the heat of battle' The Commissioner for Older People has said Covid-19 testing for everyone living and working in Northern Ireland 's 484 care homes should be the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urgent help for the sector due to its vulnerability to the virus .
The scale of the pandemic could have been predicted , Mr Lynch told the BBC 's Talkback programme , adding : `` We 're still very much in the heat of battle here . ''
`` There are still steps that can be taken to better protect older people living in the care home community . ''
More than a fifth of NI care homes - 109 - are now caring for vulnerable older people with coronavirus or flu-like symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care homes ' forms about virus activity , the BBC understands .
The homes have a total of 16,000 beds , not all of which are occupied .
Mr Lynch has called for a universal programme of testing to be rolled out .
Having discussed the issue with Health Minister Robin Swann , he said he understood there would be more testing this week .
Mr Lynch said : `` My simple question is - who is the top priority for testing ?
`` It has to be the most vulnerable in our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living in care homes now .
`` The evidence is clear , the statistics that we see come out every Friday are harrowing and show us who are dying more than other group . ''
Extra funding was being used to tackle the virus in care homes , the health department has said , promising to consider `` every possible measure '' to ensure staff and residents are safe - including : • Significantly extending the level of testing in care homes • Providing large quantities of free protective equipment - about 2.5m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sector from trusts Following an appeal for suitably qualified staff to volunteer for redeployment to support the sector during the pandemic : • The Belfast Trust said 48 members of staff were providing care in six care homes • The Northern Trust said 75 shifts had been covered in four homes • The South Eastern Trust said more than 100 shifts had been covered in eight homes • The Southern Trust said it had supplied staff to care homes `` on occasion '' • The Western Trust said it had not yet deployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was provided to some of the 76 dentist volunteers on Tuesday , with the rest set for training next Monday .
Under the General Dental Services Financial Support Scheme , dentists have agreed to be redeployed during the pandemic where possible , said the Health and Social Care Board .
The board said it could not say how much the scheme would cost as this was dependent on a number of variable factors .
In other developments on Wednesday : • Lifting some lockdown restrictions too early could have severe consequences , NI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people claiming universal credit in NI has almost doubled in two months • Twenty-nine life-saving kidney transplants have been performed in NI over the past two-and-a-half weeks • Nurseries and childcare providers say they are facing `` catastrophic '' closures due to the outbreak • It 's been suggested the government 's job retention scheme should be extended for airport ground staff to allow the aviation sector more time to recover • NI hospices will receive £6.75m to support them during the crisis , the finance department said The scheme is under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to apply for the required funding each month , added the board .
`` Each trust is working with their care home providers to further strengthen infection prevention control , which includes nursing , environmental-enhanced cleaning and volunteer dentists , '' said a statement from the board .
`` A range of multi-professional staff have also volunteered to work in the care home sector in a variety of roles including care assistants , and they are reinforcing good infection control messages and practice . ''
Final-year dental students will also be redeployed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board added .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • WHAT WE DO N'T KNOW How to understand the death toll • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?

Mr Lynch has called for a universal programme of testing to be rolled out. Having discussed the issue with Health Minister Robin Swann, he said he understood there would be more testing this week.


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: 'More homes needed' for domestic abuse victims

A domestic abuse campaigner wants empty properties to be opened up to deal with an expected rise of fleeing victims during the coronavirus lockdown .
Rachel Williams , 48 , who was shot by her estranged husband Darren in a Newport hair salon in 2012 , fears not enough refuge space will be available .
She has written to the first minister and a 196,000-signature petition calls for action from the prime minister .
The Welsh and UK governments said extra funding was being made available .
`` We 're not going to have enough refuge spaces , '' said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Domestic Abuse .
`` It 's no good when the horse has bolted .
We need to get a good plan in place now .
`` I want the Welsh Government to work alongside the local authorities to commit to finding four empty properties and self-contained units that can take four families , near an already established refuge .
`` They can come under the care of the refuge that 's already established because we 're not going to have anywhere for these people to go when they 're fleeing from domestic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and experts have claimed strict government rules to stay home to stop Covid-19 spreading are `` likely '' to cause a spike in domestic abuse cases .
Charity Refuge said the National Domestic Abuse helpline has seen a 25 % increase in calls and online requests for help since the lockdown began on 23 March .
Welsh Women 's Aid said last year 512 survivors were unable to be supported in refuge because of lack of service space , capacity or resources , and warned it expects to see an unprecedented increase in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gwendolyn Sterk , head of public affairs and communications , said the charity was `` very concerned '' that front-line services were not getting the funding they need to prepare for that influx of provision .
She added : `` We 've been calling on the Welsh Government and local authorities to make sure that the funding to services gets to the front line swiftly so that they can prepare for the pandemic of survivors that we will have coming forward , post the lockdown . ''
The Welsh Local Government Association @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accommodation in all areas to meet the increased needs of many people during and following the crisis .
A spokesman added : `` This includes rising numbers who are victims of violence against women , domestic abuse and sexual violence . ''
Last week the UK government pledged to spend £76m to support vulnerable people who are `` trapped in a nightmare '' at home .
It is not yet clear exactly how much of it will come to Wales and the Welsh Government said details of the funding package were still being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has provided £10m for emergency accommodation and support for those who need it during the pandemic .
A spokesman added : `` We are aware people are at greater risk of domestic violence during the lockdown and need more support .
`` We are working with local authorities , hotels and the third sector to ensure access to safe and appropriate housing . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • STRESS : How to look after @ @ @

She added: "We've been calling on the Welsh Government and local authorities to make sure that the funding to services gets to the front line swiftly so that they can prepare for the pandemic of survivors that we will have coming forward, post the lockdown."


bbcuk--2020-05-06--Coronavirus: MP Nadia Whittome 'sacked' as carer after 'speaking out' about PPE

An MP claims she was `` effectively sacked '' after speaking out about PPE at her part-time job at a care home .
Nadia Whittome , Labour MP for Nottingham East , returned to work at Lark Hill retirement village to help with the coronavirus outbreak .
But she said she was accused of `` spreading misinformation '' about the lack of PPE in her interview with BBC 's Newsnight and told not to return .
Her employer ExtraCare said there were no problems with PPE at Lark Hill .
It added it `` no longer needed '' her help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-house cover was enough .
But Ms Whittome told Newsnight last month she saw masks limited to one a day and visors donated by members of the public .
On Wednesday she claimed she had received an e-mail about speaking publically about this and her employer reduced her hours to zero .
She said she was `` appalled '' .
She added : `` It is my duty to be honest about the lack of PPE and testing .
`` I can survive being effectively sacked for speaking out , because I have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people in social care - who work a skilled , exhausting and now dangerous job for poverty pay - speaking out is not an option . ''
A spokeswoman for the ExtraCare Charitable Trust said reports of a lack of PPE at Lark Hill were `` inaccurate '' and they had more than three months ' supply .
She said they had had no deaths because of Covid-19 thanks to a `` full supply of PPE '' and infection control and they had always followed government guidance .
She added : `` Nadia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help our care team and we welcomed her contribution , providing support on eight care shifts during March and April .
`` Our in-house care team are now fulfilling our needs at this time and Nadia 's help is no longer needed . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook , Twitter , or Instagram .
Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews @ @ @

Allow Twitter content?
This article contains content provided by Twitter. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read Twitter’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Bank of England warns of deepest recession on record

The Bank of England has warned that the UK economy is heading towards its deepest recession on record .
The impact of coronavirus meant the economy would shrink 14 % this year , based on the lockdown being relaxed in June .
Scenarios drawn up by the Bank to illustrate the economic impact said Covid-19 was `` dramatically reducing jobs and incomes in the UK '' .
Bank governor Andrew Bailey told the BBC there would be no quick return to normality .
He described the downturn as `` unprecedented '' , and said consumers would remain cautious even when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : `` Not all of the economic activity comes back .
There 's quite a sharp recovery .
But we 've also factored that people will be cautious of their own choice .
`` They do n't re-engage fully , and so it 's really only until next summer that activity comes fully back . ''
• Will the government keep paying workers ' wages ?
• UK-US trade talks will not be an easy ride Also on Thursday , policymakers voted unanimously to keep interest rates at a record low of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Policy Committee ( MPC ) that sets interest rates was split on whether to inject more stimulus into the economy .
Two of its nine members voted to increase the latest round of quantitative easing by £100bn to £300bn .
The Bank 's analysis , published on Thursday , was based on the assumption that social distancing measures are gradually phased out between June and September .
Its latest Monetary Policy Report showed the UK economy plunging into its first recession in more than a decade .
The economy shrinks by 3 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed by an unprecedented 25 % decline in the three months to June .
This would push the UK into a technical recession , defined as two consecutive quarters of economic decline .
The Bank said the housing market had come to a standstill , while consumer spending had dropped by 30 % in recent weeks .
For the year as a whole , the economy is expected to contract by 14 % .
This would be the biggest annual decline on record , according to Office for National Statistics ( ONS ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would also be the sharpest annual contraction since 1706 , according to reconstructed Bank of England data stretching back to the 18th Century .
While UK growth is expected to rebound in 2021 to 15 % , the size of the economy is not expected to get back to its pre-virus peak until the middle of next year .
The UK government is expected to start easing lockdown restrictions next week .
The Bank stressed that the outlook for the economy was `` unusually uncertain '' at present and would depend on how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• The government 's jobs retention scheme covering 80 % of wages is phased out with the lockdown .
• Companies stop or scale back their operations for some time .
Mr Bailey said he expected any permanent damage from the pandemic to be `` relatively small '' .
The economy was likely to recover `` much more rapidly than the pull back from the global financial crisis , '' he said .
He also praised the action by the government to support workers and businesses through wage subsidies , loans and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these schemes and the Bank 's own stimulus meant there would be `` limited scarring to the economy '' .
`` The furloughing scheme really does enable people to come back into the economy more quickly so it 's a much quicker recovery that we 've seen in the past . ''
James Smith , research director at the Resolution Foundation , said the hit to the economy this year was equivalent to £9,000 for every family in Britain .
He said : `` Faced with this huge economic hit , both the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right call in taking bold action to protect firms and families as much as possible . ''
Average weekly earnings are expected to shrink by 2 % this year , reflecting the fall in wages for furloughed workers .
The Bank said sharp increases in benefit claims were `` consistent with a pronounced rise in the unemployment rate '' , which is expected to climb above 9 % this year , from the current rate of 4 % .
Under the Bank 's scenario , inflation , as measured by the consumer prices @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the start of next year amid the sharp drop in energy prices.It is also expected to remain well below the Bank 's 2 % target for the next two years .
The Bank 's latest Financial Stability Report said the Bank 's scenario was consistent with a 16 % drop in house prices .
Latest figures published by UK finance show one in seven mortgage holders has taken a payment holiday due to the coronavirus .
The Bank said the number of new mortgage deals on offer had halved in just over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deluge of payment holiday requests .
This includes a huge contraction in deals for buyers with a deposit of less than 40 % of the purchase price .
The MPC also highlighted the stark drop in consumer spending .
It said spending on flights , hotels , restaurants and entertainment had dropped to a fifth of their previous levels .
Shopping at High Street retailers had dropped by 80 % , while business confidence was described as `` severely depressed '' .
The Bank warns that this is not a typical forecast and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
But these numbers provide the sharpest analysis yet of the economic challenge of the virus and its pandemic .
Nonetheless the Bank has chosen to continue with levels of economic stimulus announced last month .
The Monetary Policy Committee chose to keep base rates at their record low of 0.1 % and its bond buying quantitative easing programme at £645bn .
Two members of the nine-member MPC voted to further increase the funds pumped into the government borrowing market by £100bn , suggesting the Bank may yet do more .

The Bank of England itself has minimal staff, but they have applied themselves to try to work out what is happening in the economy. They are not sufficiently confident that the numbers they have run, the charts that they have published, constitute what they would call a "forecast".


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: PM to review lockdown restrictions with cabinet

Boris Johnson will review the coronavirus lockdown in England with his cabinet later , after suggesting some rules could be eased from Monday .
By law the government must review the restrictions every three weeks , and Thursday marks the latest deadline .
The PM will address the nation on Sunday evening to outline plans for the next stage of the lockdown .
The `` stay at home '' message is expected to be scrapped , with ministers keen to restart the economy .
While the lockdown is largely expected to stay in place , Mr Johnson has suggested some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said this could include a relaxation of exercise rules , with people allowed to go outside more .
There could also be some encouragement for people to return to work if they are able to , he added .
Options for easing the lockdown will be discussed with devolved authorities later , Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said .
Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland have the power to diverge from what the government at Westminster decides on the lockdown - and could lift restrictions at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Blackford has urged the prime minister to work with the devolved administrations over any easing of the restrictions , telling BBC Good Morning Scotland neither he nor Scotland 's first minister knew what Mr Johnson was going to announce .
• Is it time to free healthy people from restrictions ?
• What will be the 'new normal ' ?
• The five tests for ending lockdown Mr Johnson will chair a meeting of his top team to discuss the lockdown restrictions , which were introduced more than six weeks ago on 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any changes are not expected until the prime minister makes his statement at the weekend .
Mr Johnson said the government had to be sure any changes to the restrictions were backed by data , and `` that data is coming in continuously over the next few days '' .
No 10 said that `` it is not going to be a case of flicking a switch '' to lift all measures at once , and instead `` people will have to prepare for a different type of normal '' .
Scotland 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already indicated she is unlikely to announce immediate or significant changes .
She has unveiled a paper on the options being considered - including relaxing rules on daily exercise or allowing people to meet with a small social `` bubble '' .
On Wednesday , Wales ' Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said the Welsh government was `` keen to move as closely as we can with England at the moment '' but ministers have previously suggested restrictions could be eased at different times to the rest of the UK .
The Northern Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how and when to relax any lockdown restrictions and First Minister Arlene Foster previously suggested Northern Ireland 's restrictions could be lifted at a different pace to the rest of the UK .
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg said the government 's `` stay at home '' message - which it has pushed since the lockdown began on 23 March - is `` on the way out '' .
Public Health England said it was `` reviewing all communications materials in anticipation of moving to the next phase of the government campaign '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , our political editor says the lockdown will `` largely stay in place '' .
Asked about reports the `` stay at home '' message could be dropped , Mr Lewis said final decisions were yet to be made and options for easing the lockdown would be discussed at cabinet later .
The Northern Ireland Secretary said the government would be proceeding with caution and avoiding a second peak would be `` at the forefront of our minds '' .
With good weather forecast for over the Bank Holiday weekend Mr Lewis said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` I would really urge caution - the safest thing to do at the moment ... is wherever you can stay home . ''
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he expected the government to continue with lockdown measures , and his party would support this .
`` Lockdown needs to stay in place until we are sure the infection rate has gone down , '' he told BBC Good Morning Scotland .
Acting Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said if the government 's message changed it was important there was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tracing contacts of those who were found to have the virus .
`` We do n't want to give a false impression that things have changed dramatically and life can go back to normal and it 's essential the government gets the balance right , '' he told BBC Breakfast .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
It comes as the UK became the first country in Europe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with coronavirus .
The UK now has the second-highest number of recorded coronavirus deaths in the world , behind the United States .
However , ministers have argued it is too early to make full international comparisons .
The UK 's latest figures also showed deaths in care homes continued to rise , even as hospital deaths had fallen .
Mr Johnson said he `` bitterly regrets '' the crisis in care homes and the government was `` working very hard '' to tackle it .
• The Bank of England has warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy towards its deepest recession on record • The UK has said 400,000 surgical gowns ordered from Turkey gowns ordered from Turkey do not meet British safety standards • Thousands of private renters who have lost their jobs could be at risk of homelessness , according to local councils across England • British Airways owner IAG has said it is planning for a `` meaningful return '' of flights in July at the earliest if lockdown measures are relaxed • Concerns have been raised about the wellbeing of babies born in lockdown , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ networks • US President Donald Trump says the coronavirus pandemic is the `` worst attack '' the country has ever suffered , hitting the US even harder than the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in World War Two , or the 9/11 attacks How have you been affected by the issues relating to coronavirus ?
Share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
You can also contact us in the following ways : • Please read @ @ @ @ @ @ @

An R number greater than one would result in exponential growth in the number of cases. But if the number stays lower than one, the disease will eventually peter out as not enough new people are being infected to sustain the outbreak.


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Coronavirus PPE: Gowns ordered from Turkey fail to meet safety standards

Some 400,000 surgical gowns ordered from Turkey do not meet British safety standards , the UK government has said .
Up to half of the personal protective equipment ( PPE ) order was flown to the UK by the RAF last month , but has not been given to NHS workers and is now stuck in a warehouse .
It is not clear if the government will seek a refund from the suppliers .
A spokesman for the Turkish company which supplied the goods said they had not received any complaints .
Mehmet Duzen , from Selegna Tekstil , told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any communication from the NHS , the British embassy in Ankara , or British government officials complaining about the quality of its gowns .
`` The fabric we supplied was certified .
All the goods were certified , '' he said , adding that they were ready to respond if there was a mistake .
• Are NHS staff getting enough protective gear ?
The Department of Health said it was working `` night and day to source PPE '' .
During the past few months as the UK has tackled the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nurses have complained of a lack of adequate kit such as gowns , masks and gloves .
PPE is essential for protecting front-line workers exposed to Covid-19 , and without it workers are concerned they could catch or spread the virus .
Amid a row over the procurement of PPE in April , the government announced it had managed to source a large supply from Turkey .
After several delays , the RAF was deployed to Istanbul to fly it back to RAF Brize Norton on 22 April .
It is not known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the aircraft which was used can carry about 40 tons of cargo , about half of the consignment .
But now the government has confirmed that all of the surgical gowns that were delivered were unusable because they did not meet the required criteria - as was first reported by the Daily Telegraph .
The chief executive of the NHS Confederation , representing health and care leaders , said the shipment from Turkey had been `` sizeable '' but had only offered a few days supply .
Niall Dickson told the BBC Radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understood that the quality of equipment is `` not always what it says in the box '' but warned that making promises that are not kept `` undermines confidence '' in the government among frontline staff .
He added that supplies were now `` generally better '' in hospital but that care homes and GP surgeries still face `` some difficulties '' .
Last week , the Department of Health asked hospitals not to order their own PPE but to to rely on the government 's national procurement scheme .
But Mr Dickson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some NHS organisations to continue to place their own orders .
Asked about the order from Turkey , Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said it was `` reassuring '' that British experts were `` ensuring the best quality of equipment '' .
He told BBC Breakfast that the government was `` working through '' a list of about 10,000 UK-based firms which have offered to make PPE , and had received 250,000 gowns from Northern Ireland .
In a statement , the Department of Health and Social Care said there were shortages of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the UK .
`` We are working night and day to source PPE internationally and domestically and brought together the NHS , industry and the armed forces to create a comprehensive PPE distribution network to deliver critical supplies to the frontline , '' a spokesperson said .
`` All deliveries of PPE are checked to ensure the equipment meets the safety and quality standards our frontline staff need .
If equipment does not meet our specifications or pass our quality assurance processes it is not distributed to the front line . ''
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?

Niall Dickson told the BBC Radio 4's Today programme that NHS bosses understood that the quality of equipment was "not always what it says in the box" but warned that making promises that are not kept "undermines confidence" in the government among frontline staff.


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Virgin Media and O2 join forces to take on BT

Mobile operator O2 and broadband giant Virgin Media are to merge , creating one of the UK 's largest entertainment and telecoms firms and a major rival to BT .
Liberty Global , which owns Virgin Media , and Spain 's Telefonica , which owns O2 , said they had agreed terms for joining forces .
Consumer group Which ?
called on the Competition and Markets Authority to investigate the deal .
It said the tie-up `` could have a significant impact on consumers '' .
Which ?
added : `` Neither provider stands out in our recent customer satisfaction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be allowed to go ahead if it delivers positive outcomes for consumers . ''
O2 has about 34 million mobile phone users , while Virgin has about six million broadband and cable TV customers and another three million mobile users .
As well as having its own subscribers , O2 provides the network for Tesco Mobile , Giffgaff and Sky Mobile .
Telefonica chief executive Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallete said : `` Combining O2 's number one mobile business with Virgin Media 's superfast broadband network and entertainment services will be a game-changer in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand for connectivity has never been greater or more critical . ''
Despite Which ?
's concerns about the deal , some analysts said customers were set to benefit by having access to more services , although it is unclear whether cost savings from the tie-up will be passed on to consumers .
Ernest Doku , mobiles expert at price comparison website Uswitch.com , said he did not expect customers to lose out .
`` It will be interesting to see what this means for existing customers in terms of products and access @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Priorities .
`` For all customers there is the exciting prospect of greater breadth of entertainment and faster speeds to look forward to . ''
Karen Egan , telecoms analyst at Enders Analysis , told the BBC 's Today programme the deal was `` a fortuitous marrying of objectives '' for the two parent companies .
Telefonica was `` keen to monetise '' its stake in O2 , while Liberty Global had long believed in combining fixed-line and mobile networks , she said .
The new merged company would now be able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's innovative products '' , she added .
Virgin Media and O2 are celebrating the creation of a powerful competitor to BT as a converged communications business .
They appear confident that their merger will be waved through by the competition regulator - but that assumes the deal is self-evidently good for consumers .
Will removing one player from the telecoms market really mean better prices and improved service for Virgin and O2 customers ?
The firms are insisting that it will give them the resources for the huge job of extending full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , promising to spend £10bn over the next five years .
But the consumer group Which ?
is n't convinced , pointing to the patchy customer service record of both firms and calling for an inquiry .
Having allowed a merger between BT and EE in 2016 , it seems unlikely that the Competition and Markets Authority will block this deal .
But Virgin O2 - or whatever brand they choose - can still expect plenty of regulatory scrutiny , even after their marriage is approved .
The companies said O2 would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ £18.7bn , both on a total enterprise value basis .
`` O2 [ is ] to be transferred into the joint venture on a debt-free basis , while Virgin Media to be contributed with £11.3bn of net debt and debt-like items , '' the firms said in a joint statement .
Telefonica tried to sell O2 to the owner of Three , CK Hutchison , for £10.3bn in 2015 .
However , that deal was blocked by the European Commission over concerns that it would have left just three major mobile phone operators @ @ @ @

Will removing one player from the telecoms market really mean better prices and improved service for Virgin and O2 customers? The firms are insisting that it will give them the resources for the huge job of extending full fibre broadband and 5G across the UK, promising to spend £10bn over the next five years. But the consumer group Which? isn't convinced, pointing to the patchy customer service record of both firms and calling for an inquiry.


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: Private renters need more help to 'ride out crisis'

Thousands of private renters who have lost their jobs could be facing eviction when the coronavirus lockdown ends , the government has been warned .
Almost half a million people are at `` high risk '' of homelessness , according to 187 local councils across England .
And charity Shelter says first time benefit claimants face falling behind with payments and ending up in debt .
The government has made housing benefits more generous to help those most in need during the pandemic .
It has also suspended evictions for the duration of the crisis .
But Shelter says many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are applying for universal credit to help them through the crisis are finding that it does not come close to covering their rent .
• You ca n't just stop paying rent , tenants told • 'We go hungry so we can feed our children' Many are in a double bind because they ca n't move to cheaper accommodation , or get a new job , due to the lockdown .
The charity is calling on the government to temporarily increase the housing element of the benefit - the Local Housing Allowance - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rent in an area .
At the moment , payments are based on the bottom 30 % of rents in an area .
'It is not my fault I have lost my job' Amy Corker , 32 , lost her job as an account executive at a printing firm , when the company was forced to lay off staff just before the start of the lockdown .
She applied for universal credit to cover the £425 a month rent on her two-bedroom house in Barnsley , South Yorkshire , but was `` shocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including housing allowance , and minus three days pay from her final wage , for the month .
Her landlord , who knew she was struggling , waived her rent for a month , but she has now run out of money .
`` I have always paid my rent .
I have always paid my bills , '' said Amy .
`` It is not my fault I have lost my job if I did n't have an understanding landlord I do n't know what would have happened .
I do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next month . ''
Amy , who had only started her job at the printing firm in January , is now doing a commission-only telesales job from home and is trying hard to find another full-time role .
`` I am coming to terms with it .
That this is what is .
But these past seven weeks have been immensely tough mentally .
Sometimes I can laugh about it .
Sometimes I get really upset and emotional .
I start thinking 'am I going to have pack everything up and leave ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find a job and stop that ? ''
Shelter says hard-hit renters relying on universal credit must find an estimated £13m a week in total to keep up with their rent payments , which could add up to a £660m black hole in their finances over the next 12 months if the government fails to act .
Chief executive Polly Neate said she hoped the government would listen because the country needed people to get back on their feet to help economic recovery , rather than being crippled by debt and insecure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of help , they can ride out this crisis , they get can get a new job , and move somewhere cheaper .
`` Without that help , we are just going to see a tsunami of evictions once the lockdown ends . ''
Ms Neate is delivering a 140,000 signature petition , compiled jointly with campaign site 38 Degrees , to Downing Street on Thursday , calling on the chancellor to take action .
The District Councils Network has , meanwhile , produced research which suggests more than 486,242 households are spending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ housing , and which could be at risk when the evictions ban is lifted .
The network , which represents 187 local authorities in England , says lone parents with children , young people and households on low incomes are particularly in danger of being tipped `` over the edge '' into homelessness .
It is calling for a permanent boost to housing benefits for those in private rented homes , and more funding for councils to fight homelessness , build homes and create jobs .
Councillor Giles Archibald , the network 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The government has already rightly acted to support businesses and residents , but to avert a huge rise in homelessness it must now put the housing crisis at the centre of its exit strategy and recovery effort to support people as the scale of the economic impact becomes clearer . ''
A government spokesperson said : `` We 're committed to supporting all those affected by Covid-19 through these unprecedented times and we 've implemented an enormous package of measures to do so .
`` We 've injected more than £6.5bn into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million households by raising Local Housing Allowance rates for universal credit and housing benefit claimants .
`` And we 've increased protections for renters to prevent evictions due to difficulties caused by Covid-19 .
`` We 've also provided £180m in Discretionary Housing Payments to local authorities this year to further support those most in need . ''
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said at Wednesday 's Downing Street press conference the government would ensure councils `` have the resources that they need to carry out the absolutely critical functions that they are playing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

"I am coming to terms with it. That this is what is. But these past seven weeks have been immensely tough mentally. Sometimes I can laugh about it. Sometimes I get really upset and emotional. I start thinking 'am I going to have pack everything up and leave?', or will I be able to find a job and stop that?"


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: PM 'must show respect' to UK nations over lockdown

The SNP 's leader at Westminster has said Prime Minister Boris Johnson 's coronavirus strategy must `` show respect '' for the UK 's devolved nations .
Ian Blackford said it was important for the whole of the UK to be pulling in the same direction .
Mr Johnson will review the coronavirus lockdown in England with his cabinet later , after suggesting some rules could be eased from Monday .
But Mr Blackford says the PM should be working to build a UK-wide consensus .
He told the BBC 's Good Morning Scotland programme : `` In a situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at stake , it is important that we do things in the correct manner .
`` I 'm extending that hand of friendship to the prime minister .
All of us want to work with him , but he has to show respect to the devolved administrations . ''
• Is it time to free healthy people from restrictions ?
• What will be the 'new normal ' ?
• The five tests for ending lockdown By law , the UK government must review the lockdown every three weeks , and Thursday marks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will address the nation on Sunday to outline plans for the next stage of the lockdown .
The `` stay at home '' message is expected to be scrapped in England , with ministers keen to restart the economy .
Options for easing the lockdown will be discussed with representatives of the administrations in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland later .
Mr Blackford said it may be the case that future advice in Scotland is different to that in the rest of the United Kingdom .
He said : `` We know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rate - in Scotland is slightly above the rest of the UK .
`` First and foremost , the public would expect us to look after the interests of the people that live here . ''
Mr Blackford said he was concerned about an apparent increase in the numbers of people spending more time out of their homes .
It follows a large number of people being photographed flouting lockdown rules in a Glasgow park .
Families and groups of sunbathers were pictured observing the two-metre distancing rules while they enjoyed the sunny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But they were breaking restrictions on leaving their homes for only essential journeys - which have been in place for more than six weeks .
Mr Blackford said : `` We are still facing an enormous death toll and everything we do should be based on the scientific and medical advice .
`` What we should be focusing on are the health considerations for the public and the absolute desire to drive down the impact of this virus .
`` If we allow an earlier removal of restrictions , all we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that second spike and the impact on the health of individuals and the economy will actually be greater .
`` There has to be discipline and an appreciation from the population of what we are doing and why . ''
Also appearing on the Good Morning Scotland programme , Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he was `` worried '' about Scotland potentially taking a different approach to restrictions to the rest of the UK .
He said : `` Across the United Kingdom , we went into lockdown together and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any easing or relaxation was done together .
`` There are real problems if different regions and different nations do it at different times .
`` We could have all sorts of consequences , with people travelling around the country from one area to another . ''

"If we allow an earlier removal of restrictions, all we are going to do is run the risk of that second spike and the impact on the health of individuals and the economy will actually be greater.


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: London Zoo faces 'perilous future'

London Zoo and its conservation work face an `` uncertain future '' without immediate support , the Zoological Society of London ( ZSL ) has warned .
ZSL London Zoo and its sister site Whipsnade Zoo , in Bedfordshire , have been closed to visitors since 20 March due to the coronavirus lockdown .
This has come at what is usually a peak time , when they would have expected 250,000 visitors , ZSL said .
The charity 's core income has dried up while costs for staff remain the same .
London Zoo has only ever shut for any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two weeks during the Blitz , before it reopened at the request of the government to boost morale in the capital .
ZSL currently cares for 20,000 animals , many of which are rare and endangered .
The income from the two zoos underpins ZSL 's scientific research institute and global conservation programmes , which help research diseases in wildlife , including coronaviruses .
Director general Dominic Jermey said lockdown was putting it in a `` very challenging '' position .
ZSL said it was struggling to obtain financial support from banks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ borrowing .
It currently operates to invest everything back into conservation and science , making it hard to generate profits to pay off a loan .
Ministers have announced a £14m fund to support zoos hit by the pandemic lockdown but ZSL said the focus was on small grants for small zoos and an institution of its size needed much more significant support .
Mr Jermey said : `` We are having conversations with very generous people who have supported us in the past , and with banks , in order to make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` But at the moment it 's a very challenging moment for the organisation . ''
The idea that the pandemic could spell the end of London Zoo `` would be absolutely unthinkable '' , he said .
`` But the plain facts of any organisation is we ca n't continue to operate without any income . ''
Mr Jermey said ZSL was `` determined to be part of the solution '' , with its work on wildlife diseases and , as lockdown begins to ease , by offering people an outdoor @ @ @ @ @ @

London Zoo has only ever shut for any length of time once before, for two weeks during the Blitz, before it reopened at the request of the government to boost morale in the capital.


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: Gollum actor Serkis to raise cash by reading entire Hobbit live online

Andy Serkis will give a continuous live reading of The Hobbit online , to raise money for charity .
The Gollum actor will read JRR Tolkien 's 1937 novel from start to finish with no breaks .
Serkis played the corrupted character , originally known as Smeagol , in the The Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films .
Money raised from the 56-year-old 's expected 10-12-hour performance will be split between NHS Charities Together and Best Beginnings .
`` So many of us are struggling in isolation during the lockdown , '' he said .
`` While times are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on one of the greatest fantasy adventures ever written , a 12-hour armchair marathon across Middle Earth whilst raising money for two amazing charities which are doing extraordinary work right now to help those most in need . ''
The British actor was awarded the Bafta film award for outstanding British contribution to cinema earlier this year for his groundbreaking motion capture work as Gollum , as well as on films like King Kong and the Planet of Apes movie series .
His reading will take place from 10:00 BST on bank holiday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via his Hobbitathon Covid-19 Go Fund Me Page .
So far the star has raised just over £4,000 of his £100,000 target .
Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @ BBCNewsEnts .
If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news @ bbc.co.uk .


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: Young offenders out of cells for 40 minutes a day

Children at a young offenders institution have been let out of their cells for only 40 minutes a day due to coronavirus , a report has revealed .
The new restrictions at Cookham Wood , in Rochester in Kent , were uncovered on a visit by prison inspectors .
In contrast , young offenders at Parc , in south Wales , were unlocked for three hours each day .
`` The variation between establishments was a concern , '' chief inspector Peter Clarke said .
`` It is hard to see the justification for why such different approaches had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice was that vulnerable children should be able to attend education classes .
`` Most children held in custody would meet this definition , '' he said .
Inspectors also went to Wetherby YOI in Yorkshire where boys were let out for an hour each day .
Overall , inspectors said the three sites , holding 15 to 18 year olds , were `` calm and well ordered '' with a `` significant reduction '' in bullying and violence since the lockdown measures began .
But it said a ban on visits had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with children no longer able to see families and friends and video-calling technology introduced only at Parc .
Levels of self-harm had remained `` stable '' at Cookham Wood , while falling at the other two centres , but inspectors said `` the potential for the restrictions to have a negative impact on children 's wellbeing remained '' .
As a result , they wrote that they were `` concerned to see limited specialist secondary mental health services for those who needed them '' .
Staff at all sites told inspectors of their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more intensive support services , which are provided by NHS mental health teams .
The Ministry of Justice has been contacted for comment .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?

Levels of self-harm had remained "stable" at Cookham Wood, while falling at the other two centres, but inspectors said "the potential for the restrictions to have a negative impact on children's wellbeing remained".


bbcuk--2020-05-06--Hard-up parents plea for refunds from PGL travel firm

Angry parents are demanding their cash back from a specialist school holiday company .
PGL hosts children at residential activity centres across the UK , but has had to cancel visits during the coronavirus lockdown .
Parents are asking for their money back , but PGL - dubbed Parents Get Lost by children - has refused .
Instead , the school holiday company is offering customers a `` refund credit note '' .
PGL runs short-stay school trips with outdoor activities for thousands of pupils each year at sites across the UK and in France .
Like the rest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has had a `` significant impact '' on its business .
If the customer wants a cash refund , the refund credit note entitles them to obtain the money in March 2021 , or they can use the credit note for booking a future holiday .
Hard-up families say that 's not good enough and if the situation were to be reversed , they would be unlikely to be able to defer paying for another 10 months .
• Coronavirus : Can I get a holiday refund and what are my travel rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get a refund on our £17,000 chalet' Ian Grand of Worksop in Nottinghamshire booked a four-day break with PGL for his three children , plus his niece and nephew , for the end of May , at a cost of £1,583.75 .
After the company cancelled the holiday in March , the family asked for their money back , but six weeks later they 're still waiting .
`` They offered me a credit note but I was n't keen as I was worried that should PGL go under , I would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BBC .
`` I asked for a refund , which the terms of the contract stated must be done within 14 days .
`` My wife is a self-employed dividend director who has not been offered any support under the government schemes so the only income we can rely on is mine .
So having the money from the cancelled booking would be a welcome relief . ''
Ian reckons that if the situation was reversed and the family had cancelled the holiday , the company would be chasing them for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that PGL would refer to the terms and conditions - and rightly so - and we would have lost some or all of the money .
Now I am referring to their terms and conditions to argue my point [ that ] PGL are moving the goal posts , or so it would seem . ''
Stacey Edwards is a full-time mum of four in Watchet in Somerset and with her husband working a 40-hour week , money is tight .
`` My 11-year-old son was due to go on a school trip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' she said .
`` Obviously the trip had to be cancelled , but it left lots of parents £380 out of pocket and we still do n't know what 's going on . ''
The family booked the trip for son Cruize through his school last year and paid for it in full in December .
Ms Edwards feels it would be really helpful to have the money back , and other parents feel the same : `` PGL are not talking to parents as the trip was booked through the school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submitted a travel insurance claim .
`` Lots of families locally are in the same boat , waiting to hear if they 'll get their money back . ''
PGL - named after the firm 's founder Peter Gordon Lawrence - has offered to reschedule trips and is offering a refund credit note to customers .
The travel agents ' group ABTA has asked the government to amend travel regulations in light of the coronavirus crisis .
One proposal is to allow travel firms to issue refund credits as an acceptable and enforceable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to extend the 14-day period holiday providers have to issue refunds until 31 March 2021 .
While awaiting clarity from the government on the issue , PGL told the BBC it is offering either flexible rebooking arrangements or a refund credit note , which can be claimed for a cash refund when it expires in March 2021 , `` in line with ABTA guidance '' .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PGL said : `` We have been waiting for ABTA to receive clarity from the government , which has not been forthcoming . ''
When it comes to trips organised by schools , the company said it is supporting schools whose trips have been impacted - those who were scheduled to travel before 31 May to make insurance claims .
`` This has been acknowledged by the government , the ABI ( Association of British Insurers ) and various trade and professional and other organisational bodies within the school travel sector , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ refund parents , '' said PGL .
Many travel firms have adopted a similar policy , but Which ?
Travel editor Rory Boland reckons that 's not good enough .
`` It 's true that the travel industry is under enormous strain at the moment but they 're not the only ones in difficult circumstances , '' he pointed out .
`` Lots of people are struggling with money and it 's unfair of travel firms to effectively ask them for an interest-free loan . ''
He added that it should not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : `` The bailout should come from the government . ''
An ABI spokesperson responded : `` Where travel operators have a legal obligation to refund customers , insurers expect them to honour that legal agreement .
`` Insurance cancellation cover kicks in when no other safety net is available with insurers expecting to pay out £275m in cancellation costs due to Covid-19 . ''

"I am quite sure that PGL would refer to the terms and conditions - and rightly so - and we would have lost some or all of the money. Now I am referring to their terms and conditions to argue my point [that] PGL are moving the goal posts, or so it would seem."


bbcuk--2020-05-07--September target for phased reopening of NI schools

It is `` extremely likely '' there could be a phased return of schools in Northern Ireland in September , at the start of a new educational year , the education minister has said .
However , Peter Weir said he would be criteria led , not date led .
He added that any decision would need to reflect the executive 's wider plans for recovery from the virus .
Speaking on BBC Radio Foyle , he said there were a number of `` practical measures '' that need to be addressed .
He cited securing PPE for staff , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ school meals and ensuring measures are adhered to on school transport .
Mr Weir had previously said there was `` no planned return '' for schools and said it would all depend on scientific advice .
On easing the lockdown , the minister said it was important any decision would provide a `` clear roadmap for the future '' .
He denied suggestions that the executive would be guided solely by the British government 's plans , adding that ministers were only getting `` one bite of the cherry '' to get their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to be solved quickly Despite speculation that some children could return to school elsewhere in the UK in early June , the Department of Education in Northern Ireland has been planning more towards re-opening in September .
But Peter Weir has said it 's almost certain that pupils will only return to school on a phased , part-time basis when they can go back .
Other European countries who have already re-opened schools have taken that approach to ensure as much social distancing can be observed as possible .
But that may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of whom may be back at work full-time while their children are only in school part-time .
It also has huge implications for - and creates big demands on - schools , as teachers will have to think about how they can combine classroom and online learning .
And of course we should n't forget pupils who will have to get used to a new school system .
Many of them will already be missing school , face-to-face contact with their friends and teachers , and also important parts of their education .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the clock is already ticking for solutions to be found to a host of complex problems .
Schools in Northern Ireland have been closed to all but a few pupils since late March due to the Covid-19 crisis .
Earlier in May , the British and Irish Group of Teacher Unions ( BIGTU ) wrote to Mr Weir setting out what conditions its members believe need to be met in Northern Ireland before schools reopen .
The group includes representatives from four of the five teaching unions in Northern Ireland - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NEU .

He denied suggestions that the executive would be guided solely by the British government's plans, adding that ministers were only getting "one bite of the cherry" to get their decisions right.


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: MP Nadia Whittome 'sacked' as carer after 'speaking out' about PPE

An MP claims she was `` effectively sacked '' after speaking out about PPE at her part-time job at a care home .
Nadia Whittome , Labour MP for Nottingham East , returned to work at Lark Hill retirement village to help with the coronavirus outbreak .
But she said she was accused of `` spreading misinformation '' about a lack of PPE in her interview with BBC 's Newsnight and told not to return .
Her employer ExtraCare said there were no problems with PPE at Lark Hill .
It added it `` no longer needed '' her help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-house cover was enough .
Speaking on Good Morning Britain earlier , Ms Whittome said she was `` delighted '' there was now sufficient PPE , but that `` was n't the case '' when she first spoke out .
She said : `` I 've always told the truth and that 's corroborated by the fact that ExtraCare had themselves put out a plea for PPE donations . ''
Ms Whittome told Newsnight last month she saw masks limited to one a day and visors donated by members of the public .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an e-mail about speaking publically about this and her employer reduced her hours to zero .
She said she was `` appalled '' .
She added : `` It is my duty to be honest about the lack of PPE and testing .
`` I can survive being effectively sacked for speaking out , because I have another income .
But for so many people in social care - who work a skilled , exhausting and now dangerous job for poverty pay - speaking out is not an option . ''
A spokeswoman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a lack of PPE at Lark Hill were `` inaccurate '' and they had more than three months ' supply .
She said they had had no deaths because of Covid-19 thanks to a `` full supply of PPE '' and infection control and they had always followed government guidance .
She added : `` Nadia joined us as a casual worker to help our care team and we welcomed her contribution , providing support on eight care shifts during March and April .
`` Our in-house care team are now fulfilling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's help is no longer needed . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook , Twitter , or Instagram .
Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews @ bbc.co.uk .


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: 'Humiliation' as school meal vouchers fail at till

`` It was embarrassing , everyone was looking at us , '' Susan Bleau says of the moment she tried to spend free school meal vouchers worth £45 .
After weeks of delays , her daughter 's school had finally received the vouchers and printed them out for her .
But at the till , with a trolley full of shopping , the vouchers failed to scan .
Edenred , which runs the government scheme to give pupils in England vouchers worth £15 a week , says all of its vouchers are valid .
But ever since it was set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheme has been beset by problems .
The system was rebuilt over the Easter break but the improvements were slow to take effect , with schools still struggling to log on , parents unable to download the vouchers and some even saying the vouchers failed when they tried to spend them .
• 'Emergency food ' for families with nothing to eat With the newly printed vouchers in her pocket , Susan and her 11-year-old daughter had taken the bus from their home in Wembley , north London , to Tesco at Brent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what they needed .
`` We had everything - cheese , pizzas , yoghurt , smoothies , '' Susan says .
But when they tried to use the vouchers to pay , they would not scan .
As the queue built up behind them , the cashier called the manager , who tried to enter the barcodes manually before pronouncing them faulty .
All the shopping had to go back and the pair had to leave empty-handed , humiliated and disappointed .
`` You 're not the first and you wo n't be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the supermarket staff saying .
It was a Saturday , so all Susan could do was leave a message on the school voicemail and wait for replacement vouchers the following week .
`` We had to live on what we had which , was n't enough but we had to cope , '' she says .
Raphael Moss , their head teacher , at Elsley Primary , who knows of at least one other family this has happened to , says : `` I ca n't imagine how distressing and embarrassing that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is not aware of widespread issues when customers redeem their vouchers in its stores .
And Edenred insists every supermarket eGift voucher it sends to parents is valid .
The company suggests poor or damaged printed copies could be responsible for some of the failures .
But many school leaders believe the problem is not uncommon .
`` This has happened to so many of our parents , '' said one head on Twitter .
And Martin Knowles , head teacher of Essa academy , in Bolton , says about one in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vouchers has had problems at the till .
He says the school is considering abandoning the Edenred vouchers and setting up its own scheme , at a cost of £8,500 a week , if the problems continue .
Chiswick School , in west London , continues to hear from parents whose redeemed vouchers do not work at the tills , according to school business manager Danny Sohal .
Other school leaders , from London , Cornwall , the West Midlands , and the north-east of England , have also experienced problems .
Edenred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to its system and waiting times for schools and families to log on to the site have been `` almost eliminated '' .
More than £52m worth of eGift cards have been issued to schools and families since the scheme was launched , with 16,500 schools signed up , it adds .
The Department for Education says it is encouraging schools to make their own arrangements and to use Edenred only when that is not possible .
But many heads are worried about doing their own deals to provide food or vouchers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with supermarkets or with other voucher specialists such as Wonde .
They believe their only option is to use Edenred , as it is fully funded and , if their budgets are in surplus , they will not be able to claim back money they spend on alternatives .
Indeed , guidance published by the DfE last month limits the schools able to claim back additional expenditure incurred because of the lockdown to those unable to meet the cost out of existing resources .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?

The system was rebuilt over the Easter break but the improvements were slow to take effect, with schools still struggling to log on, parents unable to download the vouchers and some even saying the vouchers failed when they tried to spend them.


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: Concerns for wellbeing of babies born in lockdown

Concerns for the wellbeing of babies born in lockdown are being raised , as parents struggle to access regular support services .
England 's children 's commissioner is highlighting pressures facing mothers caring for babies without the usual family and state support networks .
Playgroups are closed and health visitor `` visits '' are being carried out remotely in most cases .
The NHS said adaptations had been made to keep new mothers and babies safe .
The briefing paper from Anne Longfield 's office says an estimated 76,000 babies will have been born in England under lockdown so far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because of temporary rules tied to the virus pandemic , so even basic information about new babies is not being gathered .
At the same time , support services provided by health visitors and GPs are not readily accessible , with many taking place via phone and video calls or not at all .
She highlights how up to 50 % of health visitors in some areas of England were redeployed to other parts of the NHS as it grappled to fight the pandemic .
And there are concerns many babies may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due in the first few weeks of life to pick up urgent developmental needs .
Institute of Health Visiting executive director Dr Cheryll Adams said health visitors were very concerned .
`` In some areas , the six-week GP baby check has n't been available or parents have n't wanted to attend it due to a potential risk of infection , '' she said .
And , although helplines for parents had been set up in most areas , the usual sources of support from family , friends and voluntary services were no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
Ms Longfield said : `` At the best of times , around 10 % of new mothers face perinatal [ post-birth ] mental illness - but the GP is closed , as is the children 's centre and playgroups and playgrounds , and the health visitor , where she 'visits ' , is doing so by video link .
`` There are even reports that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from playing outside together by heavy-handed policing of lockdown rules .
`` The vast majority of new parents will be coping - the resilience of the family will see them through .
`` But there will be a significant minority where the additional challenge of a new child is a strain too far . ''
Ms Longfield is particularly concerned about children living in poverty or with risks such as domestic violence or mental ill health .
`` Health services are usually the places where concerns about babies are identified and referred - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under increased pressure for a long period of time , '' she said .
Proactive steps were needed to ensure different agencies shared information on children they had concerns about , she said .
And she called for ministers and local authorities to prepare for a surge in referrals to social services and post-natal services as lockdown eased .
Public Health England chief nurse Prof Viv Bennett said : `` Many community nursing services have been provided virtually and innovatively during the Covid-19 response .
`` With the onset of Covid-19 , some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where their expertise was most needed to care for acutely ill patients .
`` It is important that as pressures ease , these nurses are able to quickly get back to help support those families and young people . ''

Ms Longfield said: "At the best of times, around 10% of new mothers face perinatal [post-birth] mental illness - but the GP is closed, as is the children's centre and playgroups and playgrounds, and the health visitor, where she 'visits', is doing so by video link.


bbcuk--2020-05-07--Coronavirus: Travellers 'struggling without water and power'

Travellers have told the BBC the coronavirus pandemic has left them struggling for weeks without access to water , electricity or sanitation .
Some have received eviction threats while one pregnant woman said the hardship was severely affecting her mental health .
A national charity supporting the community said calls to its helpline had doubled .
The government said it has written to councils about providing services .
Around 10,000 Gypsies and travellers currently live roadside on unauthorised encampments while around 70,000 reside on sites , according to charities .
Some Irish Travellers asked to be anonymous because of fears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her real name , is in her early 20s and pregnant .
She lives with her husband 's family on an overcrowded council-run site in London with a single , shared amenity block .
She told the BBC she has had no separate access to running water to help her self-isolate , or any electricity during the lockdown .
`` I 'm about to be a mum for the first time and feel very vulnerable .
`` My anxiety and depression could n't be higher ...
I 'm feeling let down and at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also not her real name , is living roadside with her family , including 18 young children , in caravans in London .
She said they have had no access to electricity , running water or toilets for more than six weeks .
They had been relying on public amenities and local facilities such as leisure centres , but these have all temporarily closed .
`` Why are travellers forgotten about at times like this ? ''
she asks .
`` We are human beings . ''
Debby Kennett , head of London @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges social exclusion and discrimination , said vulnerable families had been given `` no support '' by local councils .
Chloe , 32 , from Scarborough , lives in a van with her eight-year-old daughter and has been asked to relocate four times by police in the last month .
`` I 've been constantly on edge , stopped at all hours of the night and my mental health has really suffered , '' she said .
She is employed on the frontline as a community support worker aiding the rehabilitation of hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from coronavirus .
`` I 've been made to feel like an outcast from the community where I 've lived all my life and paid my taxes , '' she said .
She said her local council suggested she either leave the town or register as homeless to stay in a bed and breakfast , but Chloe said no children or pets were allowed .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Community Law Partnership in Birmingham , said he had halted three council evictions of travellers since the start of the lockdown .
`` The current government guidance implies councils should not evict people but help them find alternative locations , '' he said .
Janette McCormick , the deputy chief constable at the National Police Chiefs ' Council , said a large number of travellers have health issues and authorities should respond `` proportionately '' .
In a letter sent to all police Chief Officers , seen by BBC News , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ favour of `` negotiated stopping '' .
This involves councils making agreements with travellers to temporarily settle on unauthorised sites in return for better access to healthcare and public services .
Sarah Sweeney , policy manager at Friends , Families and Travellers ( FFT ) in Brighton , said calls to its national helpline had doubled during the crisis and there had been threats of eviction in nearly a dozen local authorities .
`` We have also heard a number of issues where vulnerable people have struggled to register at GPs or contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fixed addresses , '' she said .
The charity has been supporting the community with food packages , practical advice , and help accessing remote schooling and relief funds .
`` Many people living roadside would like to live on a site or land , but it 's really difficult because there 's been a chronic under delivery of traveller sites across the country , '' she explained .
FFT has written to the government asking for specific guidance in England to support the community .
Scotland , Wales and the Republic of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Public Health England was working to develop guidance for travellers and it had written to councils to underline their responsibility to provide water , sanitation and waste disposal facilities .
`` Councils are also best placed to decide when to use their powers to remove unauthorised encampments in order to ensure that the rights of settled communities are respected and the local environment protected , '' it added .
A spokesperson for City Hall said the mayor was aware of the `` acute health inequalities '' that the Gypsy and traveller community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they are able to self-isolate .
It said it would not move on any unauthorised encampments of travellers without `` fully considering '' the circumstances and nature of the encampment .

"Councils are also best placed to decide when to use their powers to remove unauthorised encampments in order to ensure that the rights of settled communities are respected and the local environment protected," it added.


bbcuk--2020-05-06--Coronavirus: Boom time for bikes as virus changes lifestyles

Fear of catching coronavirus on public transport has helped lead to a boom in cycle-to-work schemes .
The schemes saw a 200 % increase in bicycle orders from people working for emergency services .
Demand for more mobility and exercise amid lifestyle changes imposed by the lockdown has also boosted bike sales across the UK .
`` Very strong '' bicycle sales at bike and car parts chain Halfords this week saw its shares soar by 23 % .
Some bike stores are battling to meet demand .
Broadribb Cycles in Bicester normally despatches 20-30 bikes a week , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently selling 50 bikes every day - and seeing a commensurate rise in demand for servicing .
`` It 's just gone crazy , '' he told the BBC .
`` People are dragging bikes out of sheds and garages and finding they need new tyres and cables .
`` We normally take in bikes for repair and servicing and deal with them for next day [ pick-up ] .
Now we 're booking services for two weeks [ ahead ] . ''
• Coronavirus : How will you commute to work after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in north London , the mechanic says trade was booming , then ended the call to avoid upsetting the socially-distanced queue outside .
Andrew Hassard from Mango Bikes in Ballyclare , Northern Ireland , said : `` The bicycle industry is having a boom .
People are saying ' I 'm getting back on a bike after 15-20 years - I 'm going to use it during lockdown - then commute on it as well , ' to avoid public transport . ''
A recent poll for the consultants SYSTRA suggested 61 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transport post-lockdown .
Adrian Warren who runs an alliance of cycle schemes , told the BBC : `` This past six weeks , we have seen the biggest experiment in transport policy this country has even known .
It 's clear the default option is cycling . ''
Cycle schemes allow employees to claim a tax credit on bikes they buy at work .
But rusty cyclists may be nervous on busy roads , so the pressure group Cycling UK has commissioned research showing how 100 `` pop-up '' lanes in 10 English @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It maps UK cities which have created extra cycle lines during the crisis , in many cases taking over one car lane on a dual carriageway .
The Cycling UK research from Leeds looks at English cities with a high cycling potential and has identified 99.2 miles of streets and roads in London , Birmingham , Manchester , Leeds , Liverpool , Bristol , Leicester , Sheffield , Newcastle and Cambridge which could benefit from temporary walking and cycling infrastructure .
Cities round the world have been freeing space for people on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus lockdown .
In Germany , expanded cycle lanes have been marked by removable tape and mobile signs .
Paris is rolling out 650 kilometres of cycleways , including a number of pop-up `` corona cycleways '' .
Some cities , like Milan , are making the changes permanent .
The Scottish government has announced £10m of funding for councils to provide temporary space on the roads this way , and Cycling UK is urging ministers in Westminster to follow suit .
In London , the walking and cycling commissioner , Will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the capital 's public transport capacity is running at a fifth of pre-crisis levels , meaning post-lockdown up to eight million journeys a day will need to be made by other means .
UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has in fact said that he favours getting people out of their cars , overall .
Mr Shapps told Sky News that he sees cycling and walking as part of the solution .
`` Active transport can keep people off public transport and get people to work under their own steam - and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this [ the nation 's post-lockdown ] recovery as well , '' he said .
Not everyone is in favour : The libertarian group the Alliance of British Drivers has strongly opposed removing road space from motorists .
But Edmund King , president of the AA , said he did n't oppose the transfer of road space to cycles `` where appropriate '' .
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• AVOIDING CONTACT : The rules on self-isolation and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for @ @

Andrew Hassard from Mango Bikes in Ballyclare, Northern Ireland, said: "The bicycle industry is having a boom. People are saying 'I'm getting back on a bike after 15-20 years - I'm going to use it during lockdown - then commute on it as well,' to avoid public transport."


bbcuk--2020-05-06--Coronavirus: The taxi drivers left 'desperate' by the lockdown

Seven weeks into lockdown , streets across the UK remain quiet in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus - and some taxi drivers have said they are `` desperate '' without business .
Some have cut their working hours by more than half while others have had to give up work altogether .
The RMT - the union that represents many transport workers - said 80,000 taxi drivers in the UK were in danger of becoming destitute because of the lockdown .
Generally self-employed , drivers may be able to claim 80 % of their earnings under government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money until June .
`` We are key workers , I think - all the people that are going to work , we take them , '' Faisal Riaz said .
`` But there 's no mention of us . ''
After 20 years behind the wheel , Mr Riaz has given up driving his black cab in Coventry .
`` We rely on the ranks , '' he said .
`` The towns are dead , our city is dead .
There 's no point working . ''
He stopped working as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has now been out of work for seven weeks .
Living at home with his two young children and his 73-year-old mother , Mr Riaz decided going to work was not worth the risk for him .
`` You do n't know who you 're picking up , '' he said .
`` We 're in the hot spot . ''
However the decision to put the brakes on his driving career has not been without financial implications .
`` It 's desperate , '' Mr Riaz said .
`` Savings can only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mortgage , kids , bills still need paying . ''
His wife , a driving instructor , has also had to stop working .
Both are self-employed and are waiting until June when they hope to be able to receive a taxable grant provided by the government .
The grant would be worth 80 % of self-employed workers ' profits up to a cap of £2,500 per month , which initially will be available for three months in one lump-sum payment .
By June , however , Mr Riaz said he would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` There 's nothing for taxi drivers , '' he said .
`` There 's no support . ''
Nahid Chowdry has been driving taxis in Solihull since moving to the UK in 2009 .
Since the lockdown , he said `` work is completely dead '' but nevertheless he `` forces '' himself to go to work .
Mr Chowdry made only about £15 one morning , and has been working four-hour days instead of 10 .
For the first time , he has had to apply for Universal Credit .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' he said , but added most of that money had gone on insurance - which cost him more than £300 a month .
Mr Chowdry , who lives in Birmingham , does not own his cab , instead he has rented it from a taxi firm which he said had dropped the weekly rental fee .
But he still felt companies could do more to keep their drivers safe .
He said he was scared of being exposed to coronavirus and passing it on to his children and said firms `` do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` They just tell us to keep the car clean but nobody talks about us , '' he said .
After every passenger leaves the cab , Mr Chowdry cleans the door handles and uses hand and air sanitiser but he said he thought `` more could have been done '' .
`` It is scary , '' he said .
`` I 'm scared when I go to my house and see my kids . ''
Sajid Hussain has been a cabbie in Birmingham and Solihull for almost 15 years .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new car that would be compliant with the proposed Clean Air Zone in Birmingham .
`` Now I 'm taking home about £30 a day , maximum , '' he said .
`` I 'll probably have to sell the car . ''
The charge for high-polluting vehicles for entering the city centre has been pushed back until 2021 , however the RMT has called on Birmingham City Council to reconsider charges for older taxis as many drivers would not be able to afford new ones .
For now Mr Hussain will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three children and a wife to support so has been continuing to work every day , for 10 hours at a time , but said he was starting to think more seriously about a career change .
`` In Solihull , there 's no work at all , '' Mr Hussain said .
In Birmingham , he said , at least he occasionally picked up fares from key workers at New Street Station - but it was not enough to stay afloat .
`` It 's stressful , we 're just surviving .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Taxi drivers have been forgotten , he said .
`` No-one cares , it 's just devastating . ''
The RMT has made representations to the Department for Transport and councils for payments to be made to taxi drivers .
`` The market just is not there , '' Ken Usher , the union 's regional organiser for the West Midlands , said .
`` This current worldwide health pandemic is having such a profound and devastating effect on our city and our members ' financial security , '' Mr Usher wrote in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All of the drivers believed coronavirus was a `` game changer '' for the taxi industry .
Mr Riaz estimated it would take up to two years for him to financially recover but said there would be even longer lasting implications .
`` I 'll feel anxious going back to work , '' he said .
`` I 'm going to think twice about it when people pass me money , I think we 'll always be wearing masks . ''
• A SIMPLE GUIDE : How do I protect myself ?
• @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and exercise • TESTING : Can I get tested for coronavirus ?
Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .
Send your story ideas to : newsonline.westmidlands @ bbc.co.uk

For now Mr Hussain will keep on driving though. He has three children and a wife to support so has been continuing to work every day, for 10 hours at a time, but said he was starting to think more seriously about a career change.


bbcuk--2020-05-06--Coronavirus: Lockdown lives behind each door

Since the lockdown started , back in March , we ’ ve been telling ourselves that we ’ re “ @ @ @ @ @ .
With local Whatsapp groups offering help and support , and Thursday night ’ s @ @ @ @ @ lockdown has often felt like a collective experience .
But as our diplomatic correspondent Paul @ @ @ @ @ is rather different .
Over the past few weeks , he ’ s been finding @ @ @ @ @ of people living close to him , in south-west London .

Since the lockdown started, back in March, we’ve been telling ourselves that we’re “all in this together”.
With local Whatsapp groups offering help and support, and Thursday night’s clap for carers, the lockdown has often felt like a collective experience.
But as our diplomatic correspondent Paul Adams reports, the truth is rather different.
Over the past few weeks, he’s been finding out about the lockdown lives of people living close to him, in south-west London.
Video journalist Rachael Thorn