The new national lockdown laws come into force tomorrow morning (Wednesday), but already there has been some confusion about who is still allowed to go to work.
Following Boris Johnson’s address to the nation last night, the Government set out the following guidelines on their Website.
The guidance reads:
You may only leave your home for work if you cannot reasonably work from home.
Where people cannot work from home – including, but not limited to, people who work in critical national infrastructure, construction, or manufacturing – they should continue to travel to their workplace. This is essential to keeping the country operating and supporting sectors and employers.
Public sector employees working in essential services, including childcare or education, should continue to go into work.
Where it is necessary for you to work in other people’s homes – for example, for nannies, cleaners or tradespeople – you can do so.
Otherwise, you should avoid meeting for work in a private home or garden, where Covid-19 Secure measures may not be in place.
Estate and letting agents and removals firms can continue to work. If you are looking to move, you can go to property viewings.
Retail: Those working in retail, where the shops have been judged to necessary to open.
Working from home
The guidance goes on to read:
Employers and employees should discuss their working arrangements, and employers should take every possible step to facilitate their employees working from home, including providing suitable IT and equipment to enable remote working.
The risk of transmission can be substantially reduced if COVID-19 secure guidelines are followed closely.
Extra consideration should be given to those people at higher risk
Find out more
Further details relating to the new lockdown restrictions can be found on the Government Website.
Article edit
20:41pm 6th Jan 2021 – Added retail, as people can’t be expected to be working a checkout from home :)
Image: Arsalan Noorafkan under CC BY 2.0
