bbcuk--2020-08-11--Unemployment in the pandemic: 'It's hard to stay positive'

Latest UK unemployment figures show that the much-feared coronavirus `` cliff-edge '' has not yet taken its toll on the jobs market .
The headline unemployment rate has remained at 3.9 % since the lockdown was introduced .
• UK employment falls by biggest amount in over a decade Joblessness has not surged , as many feared , because large numbers of firms have put employees on the government-backed furlough scheme .
But in recent weeks , growing numbers of employees have found themselves being made redundant after having initially been furloughed .
And while some have immediately thrown themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others have been left reeling from the impact .
'It 's hard to have a positive outlook' Theatre technician Charlotte Baker , 29 , is out of work as a result of the coronavirus crisis .
She started a new job at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon in September last year and was furloughed in March .
In June , she was made redundant , even though she could have been kept on furlough .
Now management at the Fairfield Halls has said the venue will not reopen until April next year , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change .
`` It 's definitely an uphill struggle and it 's proving harder then previous ones , '' she told the BBC .
`` It 's hard to have a positive outlook . ''
Charlotte has been looking into doing a carpentry course , but to obtain the necessary City and Guilds qualification would require her to spend £5,000 on training .
`` It 's a mountain to climb .
I would n't mind climbing that mountain if it 's something that I 'm passionate about , but I 'm not sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'm hoping to make a decision by the end of August . ''
'You do what you can to make ends meet' Jon Ellis-Fleming , 31 , of Keighley in West Yorkshire , lost his job in recruitment shortly before lockdown began .
`` I 'd been working in HR about five years and the redundancy came quite out of the blue , '' he told the BBC .
His problems were made all the more acute because his partner Julia Paterson , who worked in the same department , was on maternity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ birth to their daughter Daisy .
`` It was a lot of stress , to say the least , '' he says .
`` We had a lot of help from family , but without that , I do n't know what we would have done . ''
That made him all the more determined to find work again - but it meant a complete change of direction for him .
`` I was unemployed until June , then I ended up becoming a self-employed contract driver for a logistics firm , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only option I had to bring money in .
`` I 'm working in an industry I never expected to work in and I 'm not entirely comfortable in it .
But you do what you can to make ends meet . ''
'Every single job has hundreds of applications' Kate Treglown , 44 , of Walthamstow in east London , was made redundant from her advertising job at the end of July after being on furlough .
`` I worked for 16-and-a-half years for an advertising agency that promoted live events .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' she told the BBC .
Kate says she has spent the past four months trying to home-school her children , while her husband , a cabinet maker , has carried on working as usual the whole time .
Now she feels `` stuck in limbo '' - keen to try something new , but unsure of when her children will return to school .
`` I would like to take the opportunity to do something different , '' she says .
`` I was in my old job for so long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never did .
`` But it would be a very challenging time for me to start a new job . ''
Kate adds : `` I 've been keeping an eye on the market .
There is work .
There are jobs available .
But when I look on LinkedIn , every single job has hundreds of applications , so competition is very stiff .
`` I feel women are really carrying the burden of this pandemic with regards to the childcare , whether working or not .
It 's made me feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ redundancy money is only going to last so long and I 'm scared of what the future holds for us at the moment . ''
'Can we have our footstool back ? '
Sue Hudson , 59 , of New Milton in Hampshire , lost her job as a legal secretary two weeks into lockdown .
`` I was working from home late on Friday afternoon and I got a telephone call saying , 'We 're making you redundant , ' '' she told the BBC .
`` Because I had been there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to pay me any redundancy allowance .
They gave me a week 's pay , a month 's notice and the accrued holiday . ''
While working from home , she had been using a footstool belonging to the company .
`` They said , 'Can we have our footstool back ? '
'' Sue adds : `` I had a drawer full of shoes at work and they said I could come in and collect them .
I asked them to post them to me , saying I could n't afford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Jobseeker 's Allowance at the moment , but says that from the end of this month , she will be reliant on her partner Ian , who works as a groundsman for New Milton town council .
Sue has had several interviews for other jobs and says that fortunately , her age does n't appear to be a factor for prospective employers .
However , she remains hurt by the `` appalling '' way she was treated .
`` They could have put me on furlough for a couple of months , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look for other jobs in comfort , '' she says .
Have you lost your job because of the pandemic ?
Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

Unemployment in the pandemic: 'It's hard to stay positive' Published 11 August 2020
Image source, PA Media Image caption, Many people currently working from home are fearful of ultimately losing their jobs
Latest UK unemployment figures show that the much-feared coronavirus "cliff-edge" has not yet taken its toll on the jobs market.
The headline unemployment rate has remained at 3.9% since the lockdown was introduced.
Joblessness has not surged, as many feared, because large numbers of firms have put employees on the government-backed furlough scheme.
But in recent weeks, growing numbers of employees have found themselves being made redundant after having initially been furloughed.
And while some have immediately thrown themselves into the search for another job, others have been left reeling from the impact.
'It's hard to have a positive outlook'
Theatre technician Charlotte Baker, 29, is out of work as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
She started a new job at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon in September last year and was furloughed in March.
In June, she was made redundant, even though she could have been kept on furlough.
Now management at the Fairfield Halls has said the venue will not reopen until April next year, forcing her to contemplate a possible career change.
"It's definitely an uphill struggle and it's proving harder then previous ones," she told the BBC. "It's hard to have a positive outlook."
Charlotte has been looking into doing a carpentry course, but to obtain the necessary City and Guilds qualification would require her to spend £5,000 on training.
"It's a mountain to climb. I wouldn't mind climbing that mountain if it's something that I'm passionate about, but I'm not sure," she says.
"I'm hoping to make a decision by the end of August."
'You do what you can to make ends meet'
Jon Ellis-Fleming, 31, of Keighley in West Yorkshire, lost his job in recruitment shortly before lockdown began.
"I'd been working in HR about five years and the redundancy came quite out of the blue," he told the BBC.
Image source, Jon Ellis-Fleming
His problems were made all the more acute because his partner Julia Paterson, who worked in the same department, was on maternity leave at the time, having given birth to their daughter Daisy.
"It was a lot of stress, to say the least," he says. "We had a lot of help from family, but without that, I don't know what we would have done."
That made him all the more determined to find work again - but it meant a complete change of direction for him.
"I was unemployed until June, then I ended up becoming a self-employed contract driver for a logistics firm," he says.
"It was the only option I had to bring money in.
"I'm working in an industry I never expected to work in and I'm not entirely comfortable in it. But you do what you can to make ends meet."
'Every single job has hundreds of applications'
Kate Treglown, 44, of Walthamstow in east London, was made redundant from her advertising job at the end of July after being on furlough.
"I worked for 16-and-a-half years for an advertising agency that promoted live events. The work totally dried up in May," she told the BBC.
Image source, Kate Treglown
Kate says she has spent the past four months trying to home-school her children, while her husband, a cabinet maker, has carried on working as usual the whole time.
Now she feels "stuck in limbo" - keen to try something new, but unsure of when her children will return to school.
"I would like to take the opportunity to do something different," she says. "I was in my old job for so long and I talked about leaving, but never did.
"But it would be a very challenging time for me to start a new job."
Kate adds: "I've been keeping an eye on the market. There is work. There are jobs available. But when I look on LinkedIn, every single job has hundreds of applications, so competition is very stiff.
"I feel women are really carrying the burden of this pandemic with regards to the childcare, whether working or not. It's made me feel quite depressed at times.
"My redundancy money is only going to last so long and I'm scared of what the future holds for us at the moment."
Sue Hudson, 59, of New Milton in Hampshire, lost her job as a legal secretary two weeks into lockdown.
"I was working from home late on Friday afternoon and I got a telephone call saying, 'We're making you redundant,'" she told the BBC.
Image source, Sue Hudson
"Because I had been there under two years, they didn't have to pay me any redundancy allowance. They gave me a week's notice, a month's pay and the accrued holiday."
While working from home, she had been using a foot pedal belonging to the company. "They said, 'Can we have our foot pedal back?'"
Sue adds: "I had a drawer full of shoes at work and they said I could come in and collect them. I asked them to post them to me, saying I couldn't afford the train fare."
Sue is on Jobseeker's Allowance at the moment, but says that from the end of this month, she will be reliant on her partner Ian, who works as a groundsman for New Milton town council.
Sue has had several interviews for other jobs and says that fortunately, her age doesn't appear to be a factor for prospective employers.
However, she remains hurt by the "appalling" way she was treated.
"They could have put me on furlough for a couple of months, then I would have been able to look for other jobs in comfort," she says.
Have you lost your job because of the pandemic? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.


bbcuk--2020-08-10--Coronavirus: Is it safe for Scotland's schools to reopen?

Scottish pupils are returning to the classroom this week for the first time since schools closed in March because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Schools in the Borders and Shetland open today , with most others going back from Wednesday - but how safe will pupils and teachers be ?
Is it safe for schools to reopen ?
The Scottish government insists that it is .
Scotland has had one of the highest coronavirus death rates in Europe , but infection rates are now generally very low across the country .
Only about 170 children under the age of 15 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since the pandemic began - and none have died .
The government points to studies from other parts of the world which suggest that children could be much less likely to be infected than adults , generally develop milder symptoms and may be less likely to spread the virus to others .
Experts from the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre concluded that `` children do not appear to be super-spreaders '' and there was no need for schools anywhere to remain closed .
However , the scientific evidence is by no means conclusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is less clear for older , secondary school pupils than it is for younger children .
But it says keeping schools closed is bad for children 's health and wellbeing , and that `` the balance of risk is now strongly in favour of children and young people returning to school full-time '' .
What safety measures are in place ?
Scotland 's schools are going to look and feel very different to how they did before the pandemic .
The government says there is no need for primary school children to socially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pupils to distance `` where possible '' .
This means older pupils will be urged not to crowd together , especially indoors , or touch each other .
Adults will need to keep at least 2m apart from each other and from pupils if possible - although it is accepted that this is not realistic for teachers dealing with nursery age children .
No-one will need to wear face coverings , apart from staff who have close personal contact with a pupil for an extended period of time .
But anyone who wants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed to do so .
All schools will have to provide adequate hand washing and sanitizing facilities - and ensure they are properly used - and there will be enhanced ventilation and cleaning .
Specific rules vary from school to school , but class sizes could be changed and many are staggering drop-off and pick-up times .
They should try and keep pupils in consistent groups , like a class or year group .
Some are making pupils eat lunch in their classroom rather than the canteen , and staggering break times .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as much as possible , but music and singing `` should be avoided during the initial return to school '' .
Scotland 's biggest teaching union , the EIS , says many of its members still have serious concerns .
It carried out a survey of about 25,000 teachers last week .
While the majority ( 64 % ) supported the decision to re-open schools , only a fifth were confident schools were currently safe .
There have been calls for the routine testing of staff , even if they have no symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was `` strong support '' for the use of face coverings among its members .
Some teachers have questioned why they will need to wear one on the bus to work , but not while surrounded by pupils .
What happens if someone tests positive ?
Anyone who thinks they might have the virus should stay at home , and pupils or staff who show possible symptoms at school will be told to follow the national rules on testing and self-isolation .
If anyone connected to the school tests positive , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what further action is needed .
The school could potentially shut temporarily , although Education Secretary John Swinney has said that this will `` not necessarily '' be the case .
Any significant rise in the number cases either locally or nationally could lead to schools moving to a part-time model or even closing completely for a time .
What if I do n't want to send my child to school ?
Many parents struggled with home learning and are looking forward to the return to school .
However , the government accepts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that some parents might want to keep their children at home .
The government says schools and local authorities should offer reassurance about safety and encourage parents to allow their children to return to school .
Rules on compulsory attendance `` should only be used as a last resort '' .
All children and staff who have been shielding are expected to return to school , unless they have been given medical advice not to do so .

The government points to studies from other parts of the world which suggest that children could be much less likely to be infected than adults, generally develop milder symptoms and may be less likely to spread the virus to others.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--How will I get my A-level, GCSE or BTEC exam results this year?

Hundreds of thousands of 18-year-olds in England , Wales and Northern Ireland will receive their A-level and vocational qualification results on Thursday .
This year 's results are very different , because coronavirus meant that students did not sit exams , and it 's all about predictions .
When will I get my results ?
Results come out at different times throughout the summer .
• 13 August ( 08:00 BST ) England , Wales and Northern Ireland 's A-level and AS-level results and A-level equivalent technical qualifications like BTECs and Cambridge Technicals • 20 August - GCSE results in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and GCSE equivalent technical qualifications How do I get my results ?
Schools have been agonising for weeks over the best way to give students their results .
All pupils have been told what to do on Thursday , but you should check if you are unsure .
You will either go into school from 08:00 BST , receive an email or log into an online portal .
How have the results been decided ?
The methods of deciding the results are broadly similar across all four nations and for qualifications including A-levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Highers .
Schools and colleges were asked to predict the grades pupils would have achieved in each subject if they had sat the exams .
These predictions were sent to the exam boards along with the order of who they think will do best .
The exam boards put together the information , taking into account data for previous years , to make adjustments to the predictions .
The aim was to make sure the results were fair and consistent and in line with results from previous years .
England 's regulator Ofqual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the results , to give them the same value as grades from any other year .
Vocational and technical qualifications come in many shapes and sizes and some of the awarding bodies lack the wealth of data available to major exam boards .
However , the majority of vocational and technical students will receive grades calculated in a similar way to A-levels , with awarding bodies carrying out quality assurance in line with national regulations .
Students are not allowed to know the grade their school or college predicted for them until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have their final results , students can ask for this information .
• A-level and GCSE results to be higher this summer Can I appeal against my exam results ?
Usually , if your results are not what you expected , there are clearly set-out appeal systems .
This year , it 's different .
In England , a school can appeal if it can show that this year 's results do not reflect its recent improvements .
But your right to challenge your own grades will be limited to bias or technical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students were disappointed after their grades failed to meet expectations .
Disadvantaged students appear to have been most likely to have teachers ' estimates downgraded .
Amid uncertainty about grades in England , universities have been urged to be as `` flexible as possible '' and keep places open for students if they need to appeal .
Students who are unhappy with their grades are advised to speak first to their school or college .
Can I sit the exams if I do n't like my results ?
The rules in England mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you think you could have done better by sitting your exams .
However , actually sitting them is an option this autumn or next summer .
If you want to sit your exams , you must ask to your school or college to enter you .
You will need to take all the exam papers in your chosen subjects .
If you achieve a different grade in the exams , you will be able to use whichever is higher when applying for university or jobs .
These results will be based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no non-exam assessment , and results from previous non-exam assessments will not count .
In subjects like art and design , grades will be based on a new task , set and marked by the exam board , under the normal supervised conditions .
Only students whose summer 2020 A-level exams were cancelled can sit exams this autumn .
But for many technical and vocational exams there are several assessment dates throughout the year , so resits are likely to be less of a problem .
How will Ucas schemes work this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's university applicants is that there are fewer 18-year-olds than in some years .
This means it could be easier to secure a university place that you want .
Last year 70,000 students got places through the university admission service Ucas 's clearing system .
The advice is not to rush into anything .
Discuss what you 're being offered with your school or college and do n't be afraid to question university admissions teams .
If you have better grades than you expected , look at Ucas 's adjustment scheme to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or universities that suit your career plans best .
In some cases , your question will be published , displaying your name , age and location as you provide it , unless you state otherwise .
Your contact details will never be published .
Please ensure you have read our terms & conditions and privacy policy .
Use this form to ask your question :

GCSE results 2023, BTec Level 2 and National 5s – the full guide Published 1 day ago
Image source, PA Media
Students in England, Northern Ireland and Wales are waiting to find out what grades they will get in their GCSEs and other Level 2 qualifications, as results' day approaches.
It is the second year of formal exams since the hiatus during the pandemic, and some changes to how things worked continued to be implemented, depending on where pupils were based.
When is GCSE results day 2023? When are other exam results published?
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, GCSE results will come out on 24 August.
Vocational technical qualification (VTQ) students, which includes Level 2 BTec and Cambridge Technicals, will receive results on, or before, 24 August.
In Scotland, SQA results (based on National 5s and National 4s) were published on 8 August, with pass rates down from last year but higher than they were before Covid.
How can I appeal against GCSE results? How about other exam results?
If you are unhappy with your grade, you should first talk to your school or college.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, your school will contact the exam board on your behalf and ask for your marks to be reviewed.
If you still think you have been unfairly graded after a review, you can ask your school or college to appeal.
If you are still not satisfied, you can request a review from Ofqual.
In Scotland, the process is slightly different.
If you have concerns about your final grade, you can appeal directly to the SQA for free. Speak to your school or college first.
If your appeal is accepted, the exam board will look at the marks you received.
The charity YoungMinds points out results are not the only measure of success - and if things do not turn out how you had hoped, there are lots of other ways to help you achieve your goals.
Can I resit an exam?
Yes, you can resit any GCSE or National 5 exam the following year. GCSE maths and English exams take place in November.
If you want to explore this option, you should speak to your school about the best course of action.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Students received less additional help this year compared with other years immediately after the pandemic
Will GCSE grade boundaries be lower than usual?
England
As usual, senior examiners will decide the minimum marks needed for each grade.
However, because of the disruption caused by Covid, exam boards in England will be "slightly" more lenient than before the pandemic when deciding grade boundaries.
This will protect students who performed slightly less well than expected in these exams.
Results are predicted to fall back in line with pre-pandemic levels this year, after three years of higher grades.
Ofqual, England's exam regulator, said the following support was available for GCSE exams this year:
Students in maths, physics, and combined-science exams were allowed to use formulae and equation sheets
Exams in the same subject were more spaced out than usual, to give students more time to revise between papers
Modern-foreign-language papers were no longer testing students on unfamiliar vocabulary
Wales
In Wales, grades will continue to be awarded more generously than before the pandemic, midway between the 2019 and 2022 results.
The Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) exam board provided advance information for its papers across a range of subjects, revealing the focus of some of the questions, to help pupils revise.
There was no advance information for any other papers taken in Wales.
And unlike last year, Qualification Wales, which oversees Welsh exams, said there had been no changes to the content of courses.
Northern Ireland
The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA) exam board, which covers most pupils in Northern Ireland, provided advance information for most subjects and says examiners will take Covid disruption into account.
Scotland
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) said its grading would be "sensitive" because of the continuing impact of the pandemic.
It took similar steps to last year to help students, such as removing or reducing exams or elements of coursework, but plans for exams to go fully back to normal next year.
What happens next?
Many pupils go on to study A-levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland or Advanced Highers in Scotland.
International Baccalaureate (IB) is also an option, as are vocational courses such as National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs), BTec Level 3s, TechBacs, Cambridge Technicals and (in England only) T-levels.
You could also consider an apprenticeship. Apprentices get paid a salary as they spend 80% of their time in the workplace, while being trained.
Other options include going straight into full-time work or an internship.
The National Careers Service has more information.
What questions do you have about results day? Whether you have queries about A-levels, GCSEs, Highers or vocational courses, you can get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:


bbcuk--2020-08-10--Coronavirus: Brass band survival fears as people give up in lockdown

Some brass bands may die out unless they can rehearse in person again , musicians have warned .
In recent months , bands across Wales have been creative , practising and putting on concerts online .
But there are concerns players may have already given up , and young players may not join unless rehearsals restart , creating a future talent gap .
The Welsh Government said bands were permitted to meet outdoors if they followed social distancing rules .
But it warned there were risks of transmitting coronavirus through `` aerosol and droplets '' when playing instruments close to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pritchard , said : `` I think the biggest worry we have , not just as a band but as a banding community is people having spent months without playing a note , deciding that 'you know what , it 's time to give up ' .
`` If we 're not able to rehearse , then we 're going to lose the younger generation and if we lose the younger generation well then there wo n't be a band in 10 years ' time . ''
Since 3 August groups of up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outdoors , and sports clubs have had guidance from ministers on how to resume meet ups with social distancing .
But bands and choirs have told BBC Wales they believed , despite the changes , they were not allowed to meet up , and had been waiting for official guidance from the Welsh Government .
There were fears that because of the way the virus is thought to spread through particles in the air , singers and musicians - such as those who play wind instruments - could be at risk .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while there was nothing illegal about people singing or playing instruments outdoors , it would not advise it , due to it being a high-risk activity .
But now that stance has changed , with the Welsh Government advising that if members maintain social distancing and carry out a risk assessment they can practise outdoors .
Guidance remains that bands should not meet inside to play , however .
'People were coming out of their houses to listen' When Brecon Town Concert Band met for their first rehearsal last week , far from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they had an audience .
Playing in the car park of Theatr Brycheiniog , where they would rehearse in normal times , people running and cycling down the canal stopped to watch and people came out of their homes .
The outdoor rehearsal , which only involved half of the band 's members due to lockdown rules , came as a surprise to many bands and choirs across Wales , who had thought they were not allowed to meet yet .
Musical director David Jones said the band had sought guidance and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the band appointing a coronavirus officer and carrying out a risk assessment for every player .
`` We 're lucky in that we have our own trailer and chairs , so it was just a case of bringing down the trailer , putting a mask and gloves on and setting out all the chairs , '' he said .
`` Everybody knew where they were going to be sat beforehand . ''
Clarinettist Kathryn Powell said : `` It felt wonderful to be back out and doing what the band enjoys doing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ We were able to sit 2.4m away from each other and play in the open .
Baritone saxophonist Nigel Annett said it was nice to meet up again after being apart for so long , but that it was hard hearing the full ensemble when they were sat so far apart .
`` They 're the nicest group of people you can meet , so it was really good to see everyone again , '' he said .
`` I can not see us getting together as we used to anytime soon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be no concerts any time soon .
I do n't think we 'd have an audience any time soon , so I think this is the future for the coming months , maybe even the next year . ''
During lockdown the Cory Band , based in Treorchy , were one of many to have been creative in keeping practising and performing apart .
The band have been hosting online concerts and performances and are putting on an online championship contest .
Euphonium player Sion Jones said : `` The videos that Cory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passion perhaps into brass bands .
`` We 're not just playing marches or hymn tunes or boring stuff - they 've realised we can do so much more than that . ''
Under Welsh Government guidelines , wind instruments and singing are not advised in worship or at weddings due to a `` possible additional risk of infection '' , and there are currently no plans in place to allow people to rehearse indoors .
Some bands have said - while it is great to be able to get together outdoors - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could make it hard to attract new members .
Mr Pritchard said with sports clubs and swimming pools open it felt like brass bands had been `` forgotten '' by ministers .
`` We may not have as many members as sports clubs , but I think we are a vital part of the cultural community , '' he said .
`` It 's vital for mental health and well-being , and it 's not just for now - it 's for the future too .
`` And if you get rid of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there 'll be no senior bands in the future , in 10 years time . ''

"We're lucky in that we have our own trailer and chairs, so it was just a case of bringing down the trailer, putting a mask and gloves on and setting out all the chairs," he said.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--'A Hinge date saved my life' and other cancer dating stories

Dating in 2020 is hard enough during a global pandemic - but how do you go about it if you 've got cancer to contend with too ?
BBC journalist Keiligh Baker explores the challenges as she sets out to find love .
'We 'd been catfishing each other' Emily Frost , 29 , from Surrey , was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016 , which spread to her lymph nodes .
It was caught early , but four years on she is dealing with the side-effects and mental and physical ramifications of her treatment , including medical menopause , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're stuck inside and you 're so poorly with no sense of normality , you want to talk to new people , '' she says .
`` I downloaded some dating apps and I used pictures from when I had hair . ''
She chatted to one guy who asked her out .
Emily accepted , then panicked about her lack of hair .
While she stressed about what to do , he texted her .
`` How do you tell someone 'by the way , I had breast cancer at 25 ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's really daunting .
I 'm not looking to date right now .
But it 's lonely . ''
`` I got loads of practical tips like not travelling all over London for a date but keeping it close .
Not getting all dressed up but instead treating every date as practice . ''
Neil says he learned to tell someone he has cancer on the first date , then change the subject with a question - in turn , the date would often open up to him .
If they met for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bit more .
'It filters out the dross' Kirsty Hopgood , 31 , from Oxfordshire was diagnosed with osteosarcoma - bone cancer - last August and will finish treatment in October .
She was worried no-one would be interested in her after she got her diagnosis .
What 's next for me.. ?
But it can be wonderful .
It can feel good to get that match , to know someone finds you attractive or interesting and it gives you the chance to dip into normality .
Inspired by Emily , Kirsty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tell one of my virtual lockdown dates about my condition on our first video chat .
Listen to more top-tips and dating horror stories from Keiligh on the BBC Ouch podcast ...

Neil says he learned to tell someone he has cancer on the first date, then change the subject with a question - in turn, the date would often open up to him. If they met for a second time, he'd reveal a bit more.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--In pictures: Spectacular storms light up England skies

Skies across England were lit up by lightning as thunderstorms hit overnight following the heatwave .
More storms are forecast @ @ @ @ @ week with lightning and torrential downpours predicted for many .
The Met Office has issued @ @ @ @ @ of the UK which stretches until Thursday evening .

More storms are forecast for the rest of the week with lightning and torrential downpours predicted for many.


bbcuk--2020-08-10--Unemployment and coronavirus: Older workers feel 'forgotten'

Julie Morris explains what it is like to be job hunting in your late fifties , during the coronavirus outbreak @ @ @ @ @ over the age of 50 are twice as likely to be out of work for @ @ @ @ @ compared to those younger than 50 .
During the pandemic , women aged over 50 @ @ @ @ @ with nearly 100,000 leaving the workforce entirely , according to the Rest Less recruitment company @ @ @ @ @ your job because of the pandemic ?
Email .
Produced by Sarah Corker , filmed @ @ @ @ @ by Dougal Shaw

Julie Morris explains what it is like to be job hunting in your late fifties, during the coronavirus outbreak.
In general unemployed people over the age of 50 are twice as likely to be out of work for 12 months or longer, compared to those younger than 50.
During the pandemic, women aged over 50 have been hit hardest, with nearly 100,000 leaving the workforce entirely, according to the Rest Less recruitment company.
Have you lost your job because of the pandemic? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Produced by Sarah Corker, filmed by Tim Nicholson, edited by Dougal Shaw


bbcuk--2020-08-11--The Papers: Tracers to knock on doors and McDonald's lawsuit

The Times ' splash reports that secondary school pupils can transmit coronavirus as easily as adults , according to a study by Public Health England ( PHE ) .
The scientists , who studied thousands of pupils , believe that tougher rules may be needed for older children - who according to one of the paper 's sources - are said to be the `` most likely to get infected , have silent infection , transmit infection and get sicker '' .
The Times also features the news that McDonald 's is suing its British former boss , Steve Easterbrook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the few Britons to have made it to the highest echelons of corporate America '' .
Now for a look at the morning papers and news websites .
The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail lead on the overhaul of the government 's test and trace scheme which is variously described as `` failing '' and `` beleaguered '' .
Both highlight that thousands of call centre staff will be sacked , and that local contact tracers will knock on people 's doors if they have n't responded to phone calls .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and trace system must inspire confidence , and the consequences of failure would be `` calamitous '' .
The Daily Mirror takes aim at the private firm Serco which it declares `` should be axed '' from running what it calls the `` shambolic '' system .
It wants the firm 's new £300m contract to be cancelled .
The paper 's editorial is headed `` sack Serco , save lives '' .
Can Scotland 's Education Secretary , John Swinney , save his career - is a question The Scotsman is asking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way Scottish exam results were downgraded .
The paper describes what happened as a `` fiasco '' and a `` shambles '' , but says Mr Swinney 's future will depend on his plan to resolve the problem which he 'll set out later .
Erin Bleakely , the 17-year-old schoolgirl who led the campaign against the results , tells the Daily Record an apology was `` nice to hear '' but the words must be followed with solutions .
Writing for the New Statesman , Chris Deerin is adamant that Mr Swinney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Nicola Sturgeon 's government .
A cartoon in the the Herald imagines Mr Swinney 's graduation after his paper is upgraded from an `` F '' .
One of the characters is waiting to hand him a hat with a `` D '' on it .
The Guardian is one of several papers to cover new research which suggests cannabis use in pregnancy can increase the child 's risk of developing autism by 50 per cent .
Writing in the journal , Nature Medicine , a Canadian team analysed half-a-million live births @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to establish whether cannabis itself was behind the link .
The doctor in charge of the research draws a parallel with alcohol and is quoted as wanting a similar recommendation for no cannabis use in pregnancy .
The Financial Times claims that International Trade Secretary Liz Truss has , in its words , `` kicked up a stink '' in trade talks with Japan - by insisting the negotiations include a better deal for British blue cheese .
It reports that both sides came close to an agreement last week - but Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sales of Stilton .
The FT says the dispute reflects the `` cars for cheese '' talks that Tokyo had with the European Union - and says the trade secretary is hoping to show Britain can get a better deal than the EU .
And the UK 's first cycle-friendly roundabout has n't got off to the best of starts , according to the Daily Telegraph .
It reports that an accident has closed the Dutch-style , £2.3m traffic scheme in Cambridge within days of opening .
The paper says there have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bikes have priority over cars - but the non-fatal crash is said to be unrelated .
That has n't stopped the Daily Mail using the headline `` Tragic Roundabout '' .

The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail lead on the overhaul of the government's test and trace scheme which is variously described as "failing" and "beleaguered". Both highlight that thousands of call centre staff will be sacked, and that local contact tracers will knock on people's doors if they haven't responded to phone calls. The Telegraph editorial says the new track and trace system must inspire confidence, and the consequences of failure would be "calamitous".


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Harry Dunn death: Call for suspect Anne Sacoolas to 'face virtual trial'

The home secretary has been asked to consider a `` virtual trial '' for Harry Dunn death suspect Anne Sacoolas .
The American was charged with causing death by dangerous driving after a crash in August last year which resulted in the 19-year-old 's death .
The 42-year-old claimed diplomatic immunity following the collision outside RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire .
She was able to return to her home country , sparking controversy .
In a letter to Priti Patel on Monday , seen by the PA news agency , the Dunn family 's constituency MP Andrea Leadsom suggested `` the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtually or in her absence '' .
The MP described it as a `` way to achieve closure ... without undermining the US decision not to accept the extradition request '' .
`` She could remain on US soil , have a virtual trial with a UK court , and should there be a custodial sentence , she could serve it in the US under the existing prisoner transfer agreement , '' Ms Leadsom added .
She also wrote to the Solicitor General , the foreign secretary , the Crown Prosecution Service and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ idea .
Mr Dunn 's family said their `` final goodbye '' to their son last month as they scattered his ashes in his favourite place - Portland Bill , near Weymouth in Dorset .
Reacting to the letters , Mr Dunn 's mother Charlotte Charles , said : `` For me and my family , it is all about doing the right thing and ensuring justice is done . ''
The Home Office has been approached for comment .
A spokeswoman for the Attorney General 's Office confirmed a letter had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Home Office extradition request was refused by US secretary of state Mike Pompeo in January .

Ms Leadsom said a virtual trial would allow the US government to "avoid giving the waiver of diplomatic immunity" and should any custodial sentence be handed down it "could likewise be undertaken in the United States".


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Coronavirus: Belfast Royal Academy makes face masks mandatory

A grammar school is making it mandatory for pupils and staff to wear face coverings when they return to school .
Belfast Royal Academy ( BRA ) announced its plans in an email to parents .
It said that if a pupil arrived without a face mask , `` they will not be permitted to enter the classroom '' .
On Monday it became compulsory to wear a mask in shops and other enclosed public spaces in NI but Education Minister Peter Weir said the executive was not recommending it for pupils .
However NI 's Chief Scientific Adviser Prof @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be of benefit for older children .
In the email sent to parents and guardians , BRA said that `` due to our large pupil and staff population , it will be extremely difficult to maintain strict social distancing requirements '' .
`` Therefore , in order to protect all members of the school community , including those who are vulnerable , all pupils , staff and visitors MUST wear a face covering within the school buildings . ''
In a statement provided to the BBC 's Nolan Show , the school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genuine reason not to wear them , we will assess that on an individual basis and will make alternative arrangements '' .
The school said it planned to provide all pupils with a washable face covering in school colours , which should be marked with the pupil 's initials .
Pupils are encouraged to purchase at least one additional mask `` to facilitate frequent washing '' and disposable masks are prohibited for environmental reasons .
NI Children 's Commissioner Koulla Yiasouma said her preference would be for face masks to be encouraged , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that these young people are coming back to school for the first time in five months and with such a difficult rule to follow - albeit it is for the health of everybody - that it 's immediately going to pitch young people against the school , '' she said .
`` There 's going to be disciplinary problems off of that . ''
However , one woman whose daughter goes to the school told The Nolan Show that she supported the decision as it would make pupils feel safer .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other with a face covering on and feel some sort of sense of community together , '' she said .
However , another parent who contacted the show said she was `` furious '' about the move and was considering not sending her daughter back .
In the Republic of Ireland , ministers have recommended that secondary school students and teachers should wear face coverings when a distance of two metres can not be maintained .
World Health Organization ( WHO ) advice says non-medical face coverings should be worn in public where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is spread when droplets are sprayed into the air when infected people talk , cough or sneeze .
Those droplets can then fall on surfaces .
The WHO says there is also emerging evidence of airborne transmission of the virus , with tiny particles hanging in aerosol form in the air .
Homemade cloth face-coverings can help reduce the spread from people who are contagious but have no symptoms or are yet to develop symptoms .
Taking a face covering on and off can also risk contamination , the WHO says .
Seventy-six @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NI over the weekend , according to the Department of Health 's latest update .
For the first time in four weeks , one further death was recorded .
The figures , which mostly record fatalities in a hospital setting , show the number of deaths now stands at 557 .
The total number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 is now 6,140 .
Health Minister Robin Swann said news of the death was `` very distressing '' and urged people in NI `` to do everything they can to keep themselves and others @ @ @

"My big worry is that these young people are coming back to school for the first time in five months and with such a difficult rule to follow - albeit it is for the health of everybody - that it's immediately going to pitch young people against the school," she said.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Greatstone beach party organiser pays £750 to cleanup charity

Organisers of a beach party that ended in violence and left waste strewn across a Kent beach have pledged £750 towards a litter-picking charity .
A row has continued on social media about events at the Greatstone beach `` cookout '' on Sunday .
Four police officers were injured and a man was arrested after the party .
Eric Brown , from Litter Picking Watch Romney Marsh , said organisers had contacted the group and he urged people to `` move on '' .
On Twitter , a video has been posted of what has been described as `` road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a police officer ending up on the ground .
Some have hit out at the lack of social distancing , the rubbish on the beach , and questioned claims by the organiser the event was for under-privileged youth from London .
Others have pointed to the public apology given by Wayne Williams , director of Flavour Boss restaurant in Croydon , who organised the event .
Mr Brown wrote on Facebook : `` A member of our group has been in contact with the organisers of yesterday 's beach party .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this was n't what they intended to happen or planned and would like to apologise to everyone who was affected by what went on .
`` They have promised a very generous donation of £750 to our charitable group 'Litter Picking Watch Romney Marsh ' to help fund this and any further organised litter picks the group may have . ''
He said the event had left local people feeling intimidated and threatened , but he added : `` Nobody 's perfect , mistakes were made , good intentions and all that .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a family business , had received threats against them and had apologised profusely .
He thanked everyone who took part in the beach cleanup and said : `` We need to bury the hatchet and move on . ''

"Firstly they would like to say that this wasn't what they intended to happen or planned and would like to apologise to everyone who was affected by what went on.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Replacement A-level grades 'no lower than mock exams'

A-level students in England are now being promised that their final results will be no lower than their mock exams .
The Department for Education is announcing a `` triple lock '' - which could boost the replacement grades for exams cancelled in the pandemic .
It means pupils getting A-level results this week can have whichever is highest from their estimated grades , their mocks and written exams in the autumn .
Head teachers attacked the last-minute change as `` panicked and chaotic '' .
England 's Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the extra link with mock exams would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It follows Scotland 's decision to switch to using teachers ' predicted grades - which will increase results in 125,000 exam entries .
But head teachers ' leader Geoff Barton was highly critical of this late change - and said the marking of mock exams was not consistent enough between schools to be used to decide A-level results .
`` The idea of introducing at the eleventh hour a system in which mock exam results trump calculated grades beggars belief , '' said the leader of the ASCL heads teachers ' union .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand how mock exams work .
They are n't a set of exams which all conform to the same standards .
The clue is in the name 'mock ' , '' said Mr Barton .
• Students want exams to be upgraded across the UK • Universities told to hold places while pupils appeal over grades • How will exam results day work this year ?
• A-level results to be higher this year , says watchdog For A-level students in England getting their results on Thursday , mock exams marked by teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important part of deciding their final results .
If results are lower than students ' grades in mock exams an appeal can be made to the exam board .
In Scotland protests have forced a u-turn over how grades are calculated - with students challenging the fairness of linking estimated grades to the performance of a school in previous years .
It drew accusations that high-achieving pupils in low-performing schools would lose out - and that this would particularly discriminate against young people in deprived areas .
Instead students in Scotland will now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grades and without the moderating process that could lower these results .
But the link with previous school results remains an important part of how A-level grades will be decided in England , Wales and Northern Ireland .
England 's exam regulator Oqual warned that relying on teachers ' predictions would unfairly inflate results .
Using teachers ' predictions would have meant about 38 % of entries would have been A* or A grades this year - considerably higher than the previous record of 27 % .
`` Every young person waiting for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been treated fairly , '' said Mr Williamson .
`` By ensuring students have the safety net of their mock results , as well as the chance of sitting autumn exams , we are creating a triple lock process to ensure they can have the confidence to take the next step forward in work or education , '' said the education secretary .
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer warned the approach to this year 's exams risks `` robbing a generation of young people of their future '' .
`` It 's a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people risk having their futures decided on the basis of their postcode , '' said Sir Keir .
Mary Bousted of the National Education Union warned the changes in Scotland meant students in different parts of the UK were applying for the same university places with results based on `` completely different criteria and wildly different pass rates '' .
But it is expected to be a good year for students looking for university places - with an anticipated fall in overseas students leaving many places to be filled .
Even if pupils @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be available , suggested Clare Marchant of the Ucas admissions service .
`` Those near-miss candidates , if they 've dropped one or two grades , universities are being super-flexible about that , '' said Ms Marchant .

The change means that if pupils get an estimated grade lower than their mock exam they can appeal - but this will have to be through their school, with the terms for approving appeals still to be decided by the exam watchdog, Ofqual.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Coronavirus: More pupils return to Scotland's schools

Thousands of pupils will return to more of Scotland 's schools on Wednesday - after almost five months away from the classroom .
Schools have only been open to children of key workers since restrictions were put in place on 20 March .
Many schools will have pupils return on a phased basis .
Councils have been given some flexibility but the Scottish government wants all schools fully open by 18 August .
On Tuesday the first pupils returned to school in the Borders and Shetland .
Except for children of key workers , most of the country 's 700,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools closed in March .
• Is it safe for Scotland 's schools to reopen ?
• What 's your council 's plan for the return to school ?
• Has your child returned to school ?
Email haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk As students return , additional hygiene and safety measures such as one-way systems have been put in place .
While there is no requirement for physical distancing between pupils , teachers should remain 2m apart from students or other adults .
Older secondary pupils are also being encouraged to maintain distancing where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ return to full-time learning .
Face masks will only have to be worn by staff who can not effectively social distance , however anyone who wishes to wear one should be allowed .
School buses are treated as part of the school building , so normal distancing or face covering rules do not apply to pupils , but they will have to sanitise their hands prior to boarding .
How are the schools in my area reopening ?
Local authorities across Scotland are taking different approaches with the time frame for reopening .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Galloway Council , East Renfrewshire Council and Moray Council will welcome all pupils back full time on Wednesday 12 August .
Many children who attend school in the Aberdeen City , Aberdeenshire , Angus , Clackmannanshire , Dundee City , East Ayrshire , East Dunbartonshire , East Lothian , Edinburgh City , Falkirk , Fife , Glasgow City , Highland , Inverclyde , Midlothian , North Ayrshire , North Lanarkshire , Orkney Islands , Perth and Kinross , Renfrewshire , South Ayrshire , South Lanarkshire , Stirling , West Dunbartonshire , West Lothian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to school on a phased basis .
All pupils will be back in school on a full-time basis by Tuesday 18 August at the latest .
Teachers will be seeing double in one local authority area as nine sets of twins start school .
The 18 pupils will enter primary one in Inverclyde on Wednesday , with eight of the sets posing for photographs on Tuesday .
A total of 16 sets of twins were eligible to start school in the area this month but the parents of seven pairs decided to defer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area is increasingly a hotspot for twins , with the incidence of multiple births in 2015 - the year the majority of this year 's new starters were born - at 2.25 % locally compared to the Scottish average of 1.15 % of live births .
Ahead of the majority of schools reopening , Scotland 's largest teaching union - the EIS - lodged grievances with two councils over what it claims are failures to facilitate phased returns of pupils .
The Scottish Borders and Moray local authorities have , the union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach agreement with it and other trade unions The EIS said a lack of discussion around the flexibility of phased returns means staff are under `` intense pressure '' over schools reopening .
A Scottish Borders Council spokesman said it was `` extremely disappointed '' and that the action would create `` unnecessary concern for parents and pupils '' .
A Moray Council spokesman said : `` There are arrangements in place across our schools to help pupils and staff phase back to normal in the first few days , including staggered starts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly for those in transition years of P1 and S1 . ''
• SCHOOLS : Which are re-opening , when ?
• RULES : Which lockdown rules will change next - and when ?
• FACE MASKS : When should you wear one ?
• TESTING : Who can get a test and how ?
• LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases in your area ?
How do you feel about your child returning to school today ?
Please share your thoughts by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a BBC journalist .
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

A Moray Council spokesman said: "There are arrangements in place across our schools to help pupils and staff phase back to normal in the first few days, including staggered starts and soft introductions to the curriculum, particularly for those in transition years of P1 and S1."


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Johnson warns 'long, long way to go' for UK economy

Boris Johnson has warned the UK has a `` long , long way to go '' before the economy improves , after official figures showed the largest drop in employment in over a decade .
`` Clearly there are going to be bumpy months ahead and a long , long way to go , '' the Prime Minister said .
However , he said parts of the economy were `` showing great resilience '' .
Between April and June , the number of people in work fell by 220,000 , the Office for National Statistics said .
The drop in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest quarterly decrease since May to July 2009 , the depths of the financial crisis .
Mr Johnson said he had `` absolutely no doubt '' that government schemes would `` help this country get through it '' , adding : `` it will get through it stronger than ever before '' .
The youngest workers , oldest workers and those in manual occupations were the worst hit during the pandemic , the ONS added .
The figures do not include the millions of people who are furloughed , those on zero-hours contracts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on temporary unpaid leave from a job , as they still count as employed .
As such , they do not capture the full impact of the pandemic .
Similarly , the UK unemployment rate was estimated at 3.9 % , largely unchanged on the year and the previous quarter .
• What is redundancy and what are my rights ?
• How many people are looking for work ?
• What jobs are available post-lockdown ?
Jonathan Athow , deputy national statistician at the ONS , said : `` The groups of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 24 and under , or older workers and those in more routine or less skilled jobs .
`` This is concerning , as it 's harder for these groups to find a new job or get into a job as easily as other workers . ''
How bad is this likely to get ?
The UK economy has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic , but unemployment has not surged as much as feared because large numbers of firms have furloughed staff .
However , analysts said unemployment was set to worsen in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , warning of a looming `` cliff-edge '' and a `` lull before the storm '' .
From restaurants to retailers , many UK businesses are already planning job cuts with 140,000 redundancies announced in June alone .
According to the ONS , the number of average hours worked continued to fall in April-June , reaching record lows both on the year and on the quarter .
The number of people claiming universal credit - a benefit for those on low pay as well as unemployed people - rose to 2.7 million in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March .
Theatre technician Charlotte Baker , 29 , is out of work as a result of the coronavirus crisis .
She started a new job at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon in September last year and was furloughed in March .
In June , she was made redundant , even though she could have been kept on furlough .
Now management at the Fairfield Halls has said the venue will not reopen until April next year , forcing her to contemplate a possible career change .
`` It 's definitely an uphill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ previous ones , '' she told the BBC .
`` It 's hard to have a positive outlook . ''
Charlotte has been looking into doing a carpentry course , but to obtain the necessary City and Guilds qualification would require her to spend £5,000 on training .
`` It 's a mountain to climb .
I would n't mind climbing that mountain if it 's something that I 'm passionate about , but I 'm not sure , '' she says .
`` I 'm hoping to make a decision by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the pandemic : 'It 's hard to stay positive' How is this affecting people who still have jobs ?
Between April and June there were falls in pay for those still working , with regular pay levels down 0.2 % compared with a year earlier - the first negative pay growth since records began in 2001 .
The number of people on zero-hours contracts also increased to more than one million .
`` Early indicators for July 2020 suggest that the number of employees in the UK on payrolls is down around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the ONS .
It believes the main reason this is more extreme than the fall in employment is because of workers who have a job but are not doing any paid work at the moment .
• Which sectors are hiring and which are cutting back ?
It added that a large number of people were estimated to be temporarily away from work , including furloughed workers - approximately 7.5 million in June 2020 , with more than three million of these being away for three months or more .
The number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has since risen to 9.6 million by 9 August , and has yet to record a fall in any week since it began , separate statistics published on Tuesday by HM Revenue and Customs show .
The ONS said there had also been a sharp fall in the number of self-employed people between April and June .
It said there were 4.76 million self-employed people , 14.5 % of all people in employment , a record 238,000 fewer than the previous quarter .
Is it all bad news ?
If you 're a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some less than awful news in the latest labour market figures .
The number of vacancies , for example , rose from its record low by 10 % in May to July as lockdown restrictions were eased .
The number of hours worked saw a record drop in the second quarter from April to June , but in July it was down by only 3 % , less than half the fall in May and June .
However , there are some less jolly signs .
The number on employer payrolls had only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but saw a much bigger drop in July , down 114,000 , in spite of the reopening of many shops , restaurants and pubs .
And employers are increasingly making employees bear the risk that there is n't enough work for them to do , with the number of zero-hours contracts rising above one million for the first time .
And then there 's the record drop in self-employment .
And all this in spite of the government spending more than £40bn trying to protect employment through furlough and self-employed income support @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economic shocks have been and gone : this time will be no different .
What are economists saying ?
Ruth Gregory , senior UK economist at Capital Economics , said the latest employment figures were `` the lull before the storm '' .
She added : `` The cracks evident in the latest batch of labour market data are likely to soon turn into a chasm , with the unemployment rate rising from 3.9 % to around 7 % by mid-2021 . ''
She said further rises in unemployment in the coming months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ furlough scheme unwinds '' .
Capital Economics forecasts that the unemployment rate will peak at 7 % in mid-2021 and remain above its pre-pandemic level of 4 % until the end of 2022 .
Ms Gregory said this suggested that the economic recovery would be `` slow going '' .
Jeremy Thomson-Cook , chief economist at Equals Money , said the figures showed the true level of those out of work had been `` very effectively lowered by the government 's furlough scheme '' and that the worst lay ahead .
`` Unfortunately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will present a cliff-edge , statistically and economically , for those currently relying on government support to make up their wages . ''
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the figures showed that the government 's `` unprecedented support measures '' were working to `` safeguard millions of jobs and livelihoods that could otherwise have been lost '' .
Shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Reynolds said it was `` extremely worrying '' that older workers , the self-employed and part-time workers had been hit hardest .
`` Labour has repeatedly warned the government their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These figures confirm what we feared - Britain is in the midst of a jobs crisis . ''
Have you lost your job because of the pandemic ?
Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist .
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy

Boris Johnson warns 'long, long way to go' for UK economy Published 11 August 2020
Image source, Getty Images
Boris Johnson has warned the UK has a "long, long way to go" before the economy improves, after official figures showed the largest drop in employment in over a decade.
"Clearly there are going to be bumpy months ahead and a long, long way to go," the Prime Minister said.
However, he said parts of the economy were "showing great resilience".
Between April and June, the number of people in work fell by 220,000, the Office for National Statistics said.
The drop in the number of people employed was the largest quarterly decrease since May to July 2009, the depths of the financial crisis.
Mr Johnson said he had "absolutely no doubt" that government schemes would "help this country get through it", adding: "it will get through it stronger than ever before".
The youngest workers, oldest workers and those in manual occupations were the worst hit during the pandemic, the ONS added.
The figures do not include the millions of people who are furloughed, those on zero-hours contracts but not getting shifts, or people on temporary unpaid leave from a job, as they still count as employed.
As such, they do not capture the full impact of the pandemic. Similarly, the UK unemployment rate was estimated at 3.9%, largely unchanged on the year and the previous quarter.
Jonathan Athow, deputy national statistician at the ONS, said: "The groups of people most affected are younger workers, 24 and under, or older workers and those in more routine or less skilled jobs.
"This is concerning, as it's harder for these groups to find a new job or get into a job as easily as other workers."
How bad is this likely to get?
The UK economy has been battered by the coronavirus pandemic, but unemployment has not surged as much as feared because large numbers of firms have furloughed staff.
However, analysts said unemployment was set to worsen in coming months as the scheme wound down, warning of a looming "cliff-edge" and a "lull before the storm".
From restaurants to retailers, many UK businesses are already planning job cuts with 140,000 redundancies announced in June alone.
According to the ONS, the number of average hours worked continued to fall in April-June, reaching record lows both on the year and on the quarter.
The number of people claiming universal credit - a benefit for those on low pay as well as unemployed people - rose to 2.7 million in July, up by 117% since March.
Ask me
How are ordinary people coping?
Theatre technician Charlotte Baker, 29, is out of work as a result of the coronavirus crisis.
She started a new job at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon in September last year and was furloughed in March.
In June, she was made redundant, even though she could have been kept on furlough.
Now management at the Fairfield Halls has said the venue will not reopen until April next year, forcing her to contemplate a possible career change.
"It's definitely an uphill struggle and it's proving harder than previous ones," she told the BBC. "It's hard to have a positive outlook."
Charlotte has been looking into doing a carpentry course, but to obtain the necessary City and Guilds qualification would require her to spend £5,000 on training.
"It's a mountain to climb. I wouldn't mind climbing that mountain if it's something that I'm passionate about, but I'm not sure," she says.
"I'm hoping to make a decision by the end of August."
This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Media caption, Julie Morris explains what it is like to be job hunting in your late 50s during coronavirus
How is this affecting people who still have jobs?
Between April and June there were falls in pay for those still working, with regular pay levels down 0.2% compared with a year earlier - the first negative pay growth since records began in 2001.
The number of people on zero-hours contracts also increased to more than one million.
"Early indicators for July 2020 suggest that the number of employees in the UK on payrolls is down around 730,000 compared with March 2020," said the ONS.
It believes the main reason this is more extreme than the fall in employment is because of workers who have a job but are not doing any paid work at the moment.
It added that a large number of people were estimated to be temporarily away from work, including furloughed workers - approximately 7.5 million in June 2020, with more than three million of these being away for three months or more.
The number of workers covered by the furlough scheme has since risen to 9.6 million by 9 August, and has yet to record a fall in any week since it began, separate statistics published on Tuesday by HM Revenue and Customs show.
The ONS said there had also been a sharp fall in the number of self-employed people between April and June.
It said there were 4.76 million self-employed people, 14.5% of all people in employment, a record 238,000 fewer than the previous quarter.
Is it all bad news?
If you're a glass-half-full sort of person, there is some less than awful news in the latest labour market figures.
The number of vacancies, for example, rose from its record low by 10% in May to July as lockdown restrictions were eased. The number of hours worked saw a record drop in the second quarter from April to June, but in July it was down by only 3%, less than half the fall in May and June.
However, there are some less jolly signs. The number on employer payrolls had only dropped marginally in the previous two months, but saw a much bigger drop in July, down 114,000, in spite of the reopening of many shops, restaurants and pubs.
And employers are increasingly making employees bear the risk that there isn't enough work for them to do, with the number of zero-hours contracts rising above one million for the first time.
And then there's the record drop in self-employment. And all this in spite of the government spending more than £40bn trying to protect employment through furlough and self-employed income support.
Unemployment tends to peak well after economic shocks have been and gone: this time will be no different.
What are economists saying?
Ruth Gregory, senior UK economist at Capital Economics, said the latest employment figures were "the lull before the storm".
She added: "The cracks evident in the latest batch of labour market data are likely to soon turn into a chasm, with the unemployment rate rising from 3.9% to around 7% by mid-2021."
She said further rises in unemployment in the coming months were "all but inevitable as the furlough scheme unwinds".
Capital Economics forecasts that the unemployment rate will peak at 7% in mid-2021 and remain above its pre-pandemic level of 4% until the end of 2022.
Ms Gregory said this suggested that the economic recovery would be "slow going".
Jeremy Thomson-Cook, chief economist at Equals Money, said the figures showed the true level of those out of work had been "very effectively lowered by the government's furlough scheme" and that the worst lay ahead.
"Unfortunately, the end of the furlough scheme will present a cliff-edge, statistically and economically, for those currently relying on government support to make up their wages."
What's the political reaction?
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the figures showed that the government's "unprecedented support measures" were working to "safeguard millions of jobs and livelihoods that could otherwise have been lost".
Shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Reynolds said it was "extremely worrying" that older workers, the self-employed and part-time workers had been hit hardest.
"Labour has repeatedly warned the government their one-size-fits-all approach will lead to job losses. These figures confirm what we feared - Britain is in the midst of a jobs crisis."
Have you lost your job because of the pandemic? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Priti Patel: Home Secretary takes on Ben and Jerry's over migrant boats

A source close to Home Secretary Priti Patel has branded Ben and Jerry 's ice cream `` overpriced junk food '' after the company criticised her stance on cross-channel migrant crossings .
In a series of tweets , the firm urged her and others to show more `` humanity '' , adding that `` people can not be illegal '' .
The government earlier said the UK must consider changing asylum laws to deter migrants from crossing the Channel .
More than 4,000 people have made the journey successfully this year .
On Saturday , the Home Office asked defence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangerous route in small boats `` unviable '' .
• Use of navy ships to stop migrants 'dangerous' • What and where Channel migrants are escaping from On Tuesday , the official Ben and Jerry 's UK Twitter account posted several tweets tagging the home secretary , which began : `` Hey @ PritiPatel , we think the real crisis is our lack of humanity for people fleeing war , climate change and torture . ''
It added : `` People would n't make dangerous journeys if they had any other choice .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ People can not be illegal . ''
It 's not long ago that corporate statements on anything even tangentially political were anodyne to the point of being crashingly boring .
And that 's if they said anything at all .
Well , things have changed .
Brands , big and small , feel increasingly confident about getting stuck in on social media .
The risks are obvious : in a space that revels in the pithy , binary and divisive , to proclaim is to pick a side - and so potentially irritate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So why do it ?
To stand up for something you believe in , sure - but also to act as a brand multiplier , to get people talking about you and your stuff .
To catch the public mood , or at least a majority of it .
The curious thing with this intervention , directly targeting the home secretary , is that Priti Patel has said very little publicly about what 's been happening .
But a Home Office source replied : `` Priti is working day and night to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which are facilitated by international criminal gangs and are rightly of serious concern to the British people .
`` If that means upsetting the social media team for a brand of overpriced junk food , then so be it . ''
And Foreign Office minister James Cleverly tweeted : `` Can I have a large scoop of statistically inaccurate virtue signalling with my grossly overpriced ice cream , please ? ''
Ben and Jerry 's - founded in 1978 by best friends Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield - was purchased by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 326m ( £246m ) .
Last week it announced it was extending a halt to paid advertising on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram until the end of this year , accusing the social media giants of doing too little to remove hateful content misinformation .
Earlier on Tuesday , Prime Minister Boris Johnson said it was currently `` very , very difficult '' to legally return people who arrive in the UK from France using small boats .

It's not long ago that corporate statements on anything even tangentially political were anodyne to the point of being crashingly boring. And that's if they said anything at all.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--UK and France promise new migrant crossings plan, says minister

The UK and France are working on new measures to stop migrants from crossing the English Channel , an immigration minister has said .
Chris Philp said French officials had agreed the crossing should be made `` unviable '' during talks in Paris .
He added the UK was prepared to support the plan financially , but it was too early to make commitments .
More than 4,000 people have successfully crossed the Channel on small boats so far this year .
Speaking after the talks , Mr Philp said the UK and France had expressed a `` shared commitment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ channel crossings .
He added that the UK 's new Clandestine Channel Threat Commander , Dan O'Mahoney , would hold further talks in France next week .
• Why are migrants crossing the English Channel ?
• What happens to migrants found in the Channel ?
The Ministry of Defence said on Monday it had sent an RAF Atlas transport aircraft to help Border Force spot small boats trying to cross the Channel .
The Home Office had asked defence chiefs for help to deal with migrants making the crossing .
Around 700 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since last Thursday , including 74 migrants on six vessels intercepted on Tuesday .
Mr Philp said French authorities had intercepted over a thousand people this year , but the number making the journey was `` completely unacceptable '' .
He said a new `` comprehensive action plan '' would aim to make sure migrants would `` have no reason at all to come to France in the first place '' .
`` We have worked on a joint operational plan with the objective in mind of completely cutting this route , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be working at pace in the coming days to make that plan a reality . ''
Asked for details of the plan , he said he would not discuss `` operational '' matters yet , but `` a number of measures , some of them new '' were being discussed .
Mr Philp said the UK was hoping to take a `` fresh approach '' to the issue of migrant returns after its post-Brexit transition period , due to end in December .
The government has said it wants a new agreement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this area , the Dublin regulation , which the UK has to follow until then .
The regulation allows EU states to transfer asylum seekers to other countries in the bloc to have their applications processed .
Mr Philp said the law contained a `` number of constraints '' which made transferring asylum seekers `` a little bit harder than we would like . ''

He said a new "comprehensive action plan" would aim to make sure migrants would "have no reason at all to come to France in the first place".


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Stephen Lawrence racist murder: 'The Met might give up, I never will'

Racist murder victim Stephen Lawrence 's mother has vowed she will never give up on her son despite the Met Police declaring investigations `` inactive '' .
Detectives have said all `` identified lines of inquiry have been completed '' into the 1993 killing .
But Baroness Doreen Lawrence said : `` Whilst the Metropolitan Police have given up , I never will .
`` I am truly disappointed that those others who were equally responsible ... may not be brought to justice . ''
Stephen , 18 , was killed in Eltham , south-east London , in April 1993 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convicted of his murder in 2012 .
Met Commissioner Cressida Dick said Mr Lawrence 's family had been told about the latest operational developments .
Duwayne Brooks , who was with Mr Lawrence on the night he was murdered , has also been told about the Met 's decision , the force said .
Ms Dick said she was sad that the Met had been `` unable to secure any further convictions for Stephen , his family and friends '' .
She added : `` The investigation has now moved to an 'inactive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stephen 's family the assurance that we will continue to deal with any new information that comes to light . ''
Reacting to the announcement , Stephen 's father , Neville , said he was disappointed but not surprised that it had been shelved by police .
He said that he `` will always live with the hope that someone might come forward with evidence which will allow us to achieve full justice for Stephen '' .
Baroness Lawrence said : `` I am truly disappointed that those others who were equally responsible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be brought to justice .
`` It is never too late to give a mother justice for the murder of her son .
Whilst the Metropolitan Police have given up , I never will . ''
She thanked senior investigating officer Clive Driscoll , who secured the convictions of Dobson and Norris after she had campaigned for nearly 20 years .
`` Having Clive Driscoll on Stephen 's case made all the difference to me and had he had the opportunity of continuing to investigate the murder there may have been more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latest phase of the investigation into Stephen 's murder began in January 2014 , with Det Ch Insp Chris Le Pere taking over as the lead officer .
Since then more than 240 new witness statements have been taken .
Another development in the case came from a woman 's DNA profile obtained from a bag strap discarded at the scene of the murder .
Despite a significant appeal for information and other investigations , that woman has not been identified .
Officers also sought to identify a man who had been near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a distinctive V-shaped emblem .
A third line of inquiry had been to track down a man who had called the BBC 's Crimewatch in 2013 to say he had information about the attack .
`` The appeal generated more than 40 lines of enquiry for the investigation team to work through , '' the Met said .
`` Despite exhaustive efforts , officers were unable to trace the individuals . ''
Initial attempts to catch Mr Lawrence 's killers were found to have been hampered by incompetence and institutional racism in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for two weeks after his death , despite five suspects being named by anonymous informants .
Dobson and Norris were among a group of up to six men accused of attacking Mr Lawrence and Mr Brooks .
Critics of the case say others evaded justice .
The Macpherson Report into the investigation into Mr Lawrence 's death found that there had been `` institutional racism '' in the police .

"Having Clive Driscoll on Stephen's case made all the difference to me and had he had the opportunity of continuing to investigate the murder there may have been more convictions," she said.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Coronavirus: Arctic Monkeys raffle off guitar to help venues

Top indie band Arctic Monkeys are raising money for venues that are struggling due to coronavirus .
Frontman Alex Turner is raffling off a guitar to help the Leadmill , in his home city of Sheffield , and other similar independent music venues .
He played the black Fender Stratocaster during many of the band 's early shows including those at the Leadmill .
Live music has been hard hit by the pandemic with gigs unable to go ahead .
The online raffle page says : `` The impact of Covid-19 has been devastating for all music venues and particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage for countless artists at the very start of their careers . ''
Arctic Monkeys formed in Sheffield in the early noughties and went on to release breakout single , I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor in 2005 .
A tour of the UK followed with the band playing many independent venues before graduating to larger shows the following year .
In the summer of 2006 , they played the main stage at Reading Festival with the Fender Stratocaster making an appearance .
• More news and stories from Yorkshire Anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to watch an exclusive stream of the band 's set on Saturday 26 August - 14 years to the day of the original performance .
Fans over age 18 can enter via the band 's page on Crowdfunder , with all funds raised going to The Music Venue Trust .
• GLOBAL TRACKER : Where are the world 's virus hotspots ?
• SCHOOLS : What is school life like now ?
• THE R NUMBER : What it means and why it matters • UK LOOK-UP TOOL : How many cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in 1980 and has hosted legendary artists such as Pulp , Oasis and the Stone Roses .
However , since closing its doors in March it has had to reschedule or cancel more than 120 events .
During the lockdown the venue auctioned off memorabilia to raise money to keep going .
Follow BBC Yorkshire on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .
Send your story ideas to yorkslincs.news @ bbc.co.uk or send video here .

The online raffle page says: "The impact of Covid-19 has been devastating for all music venues and particularly those independent venues who have provided a stage for countless artists at the very start of their careers."


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Coronavirus: Airline refunds ‘still too slow’ despite warning

Airlines are still taking too long to refund passengers whose holidays have been cancelled due to the coronavirus crisis , consumer group Which ?
has said .
Last month , the airline regulator said it was `` not satisfied '' that Virgin Atlantic , Ryanair or Tui were processing refunds quickly enough .
And now Which ?
claims that , despite the intervention from the Civil Aviation Authority , refunds are still too slow .
It says the airlines are `` falling short '' of promises made to the CAA .
In a report , the regulator said Ryanair was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process refunds and asked the airline to reduce that time .
But Which ?
says that , despite promises , the airline is still taking months to process some refunds .
Pupil support worker Kirsty Ness from Edinburgh was due to fly to Gdansk in Poland with her boyfriend in early April , just after schools broke up for Easter in Scotland .
But Ryanair cancelled their flight because of the pandemic .
Despite asking for a cash refund , Ms Ness says she was initially sent a voucher to rebook .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ms Ness says she finally received her money this week .
`` As a low-paid key worker £126 is a lot of money not to have for five months , '' she told the BBC .
Ryanair said it had issued more than £670m in refunds and had cleared over 90 % of its claims backlog .
Virgin Atlantic , meanwhile , made customers wait up to 120 days for a refund , the CAA said in its July report .
It was the only airline threatened with action by the regulator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 18 major airlines .
But Which ?
said it had heard from two passengers who had been waiting for 130 days for a refund for flights cancelled in March .
It said it had also heard from a Tui customer who had still not received a refund for travel cancelled in April .
Tui said it now it now issues refunds automatically and normally processed cash refunds within two weeks .
Virgin said it was `` very sorry '' that a `` small number '' of customers had to wait more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Will I get my money back if I ca n't go on holiday ?
`` Time after time , Which ?
has exposed airlines breaking the law on refunds for cancelled flights due to the pandemic and treating their passengers unfairly , and we 're concerned that they now feel empowered to do as they please without fear of punishment , '' said Rory Boland , Editor of Which ?
Travel .
`` Passengers must be able to rely on a regulator that has effective powers to protect their rights - especially at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Which ?
has called for the CAA to be given new powers to take action against airlines that are slow to refund passengers .
`` The government needs to step up and ensure the CAA has the tools it needs to hold airlines to account , or risk consumer trust in the travel industry being damaged beyond repair , '' Mr Boland said .
In a statement , a CAA spokesman said : `` While our initial review has concluded , we have been clear that we will continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall short of the commitments they have made to us , we will take further action as required . ''
The report from Which ?
comes as rail companies have called on the government to tax some flights more heavily .
The Rail Delivery Group , which represents rail operators , says train companies should pay less tax on the electricity they use to power trains to encourage greener travel .
The cost , they say , could be covered by airlines paying more tax on flights , possibly on routes which could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the demand has not gone down well with airlines , which say that the railways are heavily subsidised by the government .

"I'm extremely frustrated, really angry just how they can get away with it in terms of being so long," he said. The airline, agency he used to book the flight, and his insurer have been little help, he said.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Conservatives accuse Sadiq Khan of 'misleading' on City Hall move savings

Sadiq Khan has been accused of `` misleading '' voters by exaggerating potential savings from moving London 's government out of City Hall .
Conservative Party analysis claimed a proposed move to The Crystal building in Newham would save £5.6m a year .
The Mayor of London promised moving out of City Hall , near Tower Bridge , would save £11.1m a year in rent and charges .
The mayor 's office said the figure was calculated by professionally-qualified finance officers .
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said : `` The proposed move to the Crystal Building will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) Group £55m over five years .
`` The move is only necessary because the government is not adequately funding local and regional government in London for the cost of tackling Covid-19 . ''
Norman Foster-designed City Hall has been the official home of the GLA since it opened in 2002 .
Under the plans the mayor 's office and London Assembly would move to the GLA-owned The Crystal in the Royal Docks , which was commissioned to be one of the most environmentally sustainable offices in the world .
The move would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Palestra House at Blackfriars , currently used by Transport for London .
A formal six-week consultation on the move ended on 5 August .
The Conservatives said Mr Khan failed to include potential lost income from leasing The Crystal and Palestra to private renters in his announcement .
If the GLA were to stay put , letting these spaces could generate £4.7m a year , according to the analysis .
The Conservatives said Mr Khan also failed to include the £280,000 a year generated by public events held at City Hall and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This would halve total savings over five years from £55m to £27.76m , the party said .
But the mayor 's office said `` significantly lower running costs '' at the new sites would be expected `` to offset any hypothetical loss of income from renting out The Crystal '' .
Susan Hall , Conservative leader on the London Assembly , said : `` The mayor is misleading Londoners .
`` We 've calculated that the real savings figure could be less than £6m a year , which pales in comparison to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year .
`` This is yet another example of the mayor putting PR before policy .
`` I urge the mayor to go back to the drawing board and come up with an honest assessment of the cost of moving City Hall . ''
The lease for City Hall was agreed with a private landlord , the Kuwaiti-owned St Martins Property Group , in 2001 and is due to run for 25 years .
But the agreement allows for a break in the contract after 20 years - in December 2021 - which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has to leave early .

Under the plans the mayor's office and London Assembly would move to the GLA-owned The Crystal in the Royal Docks, which was commissioned to be one of the most environmentally sustainable offices in the world.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--New dinosaur related to T. rex discovered on Isle of Wight

A new species of dinosaur has been discovered on the Isle of Wight .
Palaeontologists at the University of Southampton believe four bones found at Shanklin last year belong to a new species of theropod dinosaur .
It lived in the Cretaceous period , 115 million years ago , and is estimated to have been up to 4m ( 13ft ) long .
It has been named Vectaerovenator inopinatus and belongs to the group of dinosaurs that includes Tyrannosaurus rex and modern-day birds .
The name refers to the large air spaces found in some of the bones - from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the creature - which is one of the traits that helped the scientists identify its theropod origins .
These air sacs , also seen in modern birds , were extensions of the lung , and it is likely they `` helped fuel an efficient breathing system while also making the skeleton lighter '' , the University of Southampton said .
The fossils were found in three separate discoveries in 2019 and handed in to the nearby Dinosaur Isle Museum at Sandown , where they are being displayed .
Robin Ward , a regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Isle of Wight with his family when they made their discovery .
`` The joy of finding the bones we discovered was absolutely fantastic , '' he said .
James Lockyer , from Spalding , Lincolnshire , was also visiting the island when he found another of the bones .
`` It looked different from marine reptile vertebrae I have come across in the past , '' he said .
`` I was searching a spot at Shanklin and had been told , and read , that I would n't find much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure I search the areas others do not , and on this occasion it paid off . ''
Paul Farrell , from Ryde , added : `` I was walking along the beach , kicking stones and came across what looked like a bone from a dinosaur .
`` I was really shocked to find out it could be a new species . ''
Chris Barker , who led the University of Southampton study , said : `` We were struck by just how hollow this animal was - it 's riddled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its skeleton must have been rather delicate .
`` The record of theropod dinosaurs from the 'mid ' Cretaceous period in Europe is n't that great , so it 's been really exciting to be able to increase our understanding of the diversity of dinosaur species from this time .
`` You do n't usually find dinosaurs in the deposits at Shanklin as they were laid down in a marine habitat .
You 're much more likely to find fossil oysters or drift wood , so this is a rare find indeed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lived in an area just north of where its remains were found , with the carcass having washed out into the shallow sea nearby .
The university findings are due to be published in the journal Papers in Palaeontology and co-authored by those who discovered the fossils .

The name refers to the large air spaces found in some of the bones - from the neck, back and tail of the creature - which is one of the traits that helped the scientists identify its theropod origins.


bbcuk--2020-08-11--Debenhams to cut 2,500 more jobs amid pandemic

Struggling department store group Debenhams says it will cut 2,500 more jobs as it struggles to survive the coronavirus pandemic .
This is on top of the 4,000 announced since May , meaning the retailer will have cut a third of its workforce .
The cuts will be mainly across its UK stores and distribution centre , but it said no new shops were slated to shut .
Shop workers ' union Usdaw reacted angrily to the news , saying legal procedures had not been followed .
By law , mass redundancies have to be subject to a consultation period @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legal challenge on behalf of members affected .
`` We have been contacted by members who say they are being made redundant by conference call , with no meaningful consultation or proper notice period , as required by law , '' said union national officer Dave Gill .
`` That is an appalling way to treat staff . ''
In April , Debenhams fell into administration for the second time in a year as coronavirus heaped pressure on the business .
The firm said the current trading environment for retailers was still `` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' .
How have you been affected by job losses at Debenhams ?
Tell us about your experiences by emailing haveyoursay @ bbc.co.uk .
• Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy Earlier this year , it said 20 of its stores would remain permanently closed because of the impact of the pandemic .
Debenhams said on Tuesday : `` Such difficult decisions are being taken by many retailers right now , and we will continue to take all necessary steps to give Debenhams every chance of a viable future .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ costs are aligned with realistic expectations , '' it added .
The chain said that people affected had been informed and thanked them for their `` service and commitment '' .
`` We have successfully reopened 124 stores post-lockdown , and these are currently trading ahead of management expectations , '' it said .
Debenhams could remain in administration for the rest of this year , as lenders wait to see how it performs post-lockdown and in the crucial Christmas trading period .
Like many of its competitors , the retailer was already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspend trading at its department stores .
The news of the latest job cuts came after the British Retail Consortium said the number of visits to High Streets was still down significantly as people shopped online instead .
The BRC said some retailers were continuing to struggle because of the coronavirus crisis .
It made a fresh call for government help with rents .
Other High Street names have also announced job losses as they fight to stay afloat .
Last week , WH Smith said it was cutting 1,500 jobs - 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown caused sales to plummet .
DW Sports , John Lewis , Marks and Spencer , Boots and Selfridges are among other big names to announce redundancies .
It 's less than two weeks into August and at least another 10,000 jobs have been lost as the furlough scheme starts to wind down .
Here , courtesy of the Press Association news agency , is a list of some major employers that have announced that jobs will go , or are at risk , since the start of the pandemic .
July 17 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ask Italian ) - up to 1,200 July 14 : DFS - up to 200 at risk May 28 : Debenhams ( in second announcement ) - `` hundreds '' of jobs

A spokesman said: "Those affected by redundancy will take no particular comfort from this, but the steps taken are in response to an unpredictable and challenging trading environment and aim to ensure the future viability of the business, while also meeting wider statutory obligations."