Coronavirus support

To help reduce the number of coronavirus cases in the capital, Hackney, along with the rest of London, will be moved into Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions from Wednesday. The full list of the new Tier 3 restrictions can be found here. The coronavirus rate in Hackney is 225 cases per 100,000 people (between 2 and 8 December). This is significantly higher than the 152 cases per 100,000 people recorded in the previous week (25 November to 1 December). View Hackney coronavirus data on the Council website.       To help reduce the number of coronavirus cases, from Wednesday 16 December, the Government is introducing new Tier 3 restrictions to London, which means:You cannot mix indoors, in private gardens or in most outdoor venues, except with your household or social bubble.You can meet in a group of up to six in other outdoor spaces, such as parks, beaches or countryside in the ‘rule of six’. Hospitality settings, such as bars (including shisha bars), pubs, cafes, restaurants, and social clubs must close except for takeaway, delivery and click and collect services.Businesses and venues selling alcohol for consumption off the premises can continue to do so as long as this is through takeaway, delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through.Accommodation such as hotels, B&Bs, campsites, holiday lets and guest houses must close. There are a number of exceptions to this, which can be found here.Some entertainment and tourist venues must close including bingo halls, casinos, theatres, cinemas.You are allowed up to 15 people for wedding or civil partnership ceremonies – but receptions are not permitted. You can attend places of worship for a service. However, you must not mingle with anyone outside of your household or support bubble.To help tackle the virus, it is really important to get tested if you have symptoms of coronavirus such as a fever, a new continuous cough or change to your sense of smell or taste, self-isolate immediately for 10 days and book a test by downloading the NHS COVID-19 app, calling 119 or going to nhs.uk/coronavirus. We have made sure that you can get tested locally in Hackney at:Dalston, Bentley Road Car Park, N1 4BZ (open 7 days a week 8am-8pm)Hackney Central, Tesco Car Park, E9 6ND (open 7 days a week 8am-8pm)Stamford Hill, Sandford Court, Bethune Road, N16 5BB (open 7 days a week 8am-8pm)Stamford Hill, Yesodey Hatorah School, Egerton Rd, N16 6UBHomerton, Hackney Marshes Centre, E9 5PFYou can now also book a coronavirus test if you don’t have any symptoms, this is being delivered from the Hackney Marshes Centre, and can be booked in the same way by calling 119 or going online.It’s also important to isolate yourself for 10 days if you’ve been in contact with someone who has coronavirus symptoms, or has tested positive, to break the chain of infection.During the Christmas period (23 to 27 December) different rules on social contact will apply.Residents will receive hackney today this week which includes information about tier 2, please disregard this information, Hackney has now been entered to tier 3, please see here for new restrictions.

Small businesses forced to close or severely affected by November’s coronavirus lockdown are the focus of a new Hackney Council fund opened for applications today.The Additional Restrictions Grant, administered by the Council, is aimed at small businesses who either had to legally close for the national lockdown in November and don’t have a business rates account, or those were not legally required to close but were severely affected as a result of the November lockdown period. When considering applications from businesses that were not legally required to close, the Council will prioritise businesses that supply the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, businesses in the events sector, market traders and Ofsted registered nurseries and childminders. The grant can support a range of businesses including, but not limited to, the self-employed, directors of limited companies, freelancers and those running home-based businesses in the borough.The grants are funded by the Government, which has not provided enough funding to ensure payments meet the scale of businesses’ needs.Eligible businesses will receive a one-off payment of up to £3,000 depending on the business size (based on number of employees) or the rateable value of their premises. Payment amounts have been set by the Council to reflect the grants amounts given to businesses who were legally required to close during the November lockdown under the Local Support Restriction Grant (Closed) Addendum.Businesses wishing to apply for a grant will need to evidence their eligibility by providing company information, personal identification and financial records with their application which will then be assessed by Council officers in January.Applications close on 8 January 2021. To apply, visit hackney.gov.uk/business-grants

Local residents are being encouraged to have their say on changes to how social housing is allocated in Hackney, as part of Council plans to ensure that the support available for people in housing need meets the challenges caused by the borough’s housing crisis.With house prices in Hackney growing more than in any other part of the country, private rent levels rising quicker than earnings, and the number of households living in temporary accommodation increasing year-on-year, the proposals aim to simplify the allocation of social housing and ensure homes for social rent go to those who need them most.Current housing demand means that many people on the housing register will never receive social housing and those who do may wait many years. This wait has increased despite Council efforts to tackle the housing shortage through one of the most ambitious programmes of Council housebuilding in the country and its pioneering #BetterRenting campaign to provide more stability and security for private renters.The plans will therefore also aim to ensure that those who miss out don’t get left behind, but instead receive more advice and support to find suitable accommodation through other options.What the changes meanThe new allocations policy will mean:Households with an emergency housing need will no longer be able to bid for accommodation, but will receive a direct offer of accommodation that meets their needs.Households with a significant housing need will still be able to bid for accommodation, as part of a more simple bidding system.Households with a lower housing need – and therefore very little chance of getting a home for social rent – will no longer qualify for the housing register. This will allow us to refocus more of our resources away from administering a Housing Register unlikely to benefit them by providing more dedicated advice and support to find suitable, alternative accommodation through other options.Have your sayYou can now read the proposals in full, find out what they would mean for you, and give your views.You can also speak to Council officers at Q&A sessions that we will be holding on the following dates and times:12 January 2021 7-8:30pm27 January 2021 12 noon-1:30pm9 February 2021 6-7:30pm24 February 2021 4:30-6pmPlease pre-register to attend one of the sessions. If you would prefer to speak to someone on the telephone, you can call 020 8356 2929.

New School Streets have been launched this week at Benthal and St Scholastica’s primary schools to help children walk and cycle to school and improve road safety at the school gates. With the school-run accounting for a fifth of London’s morning traffic, the new School Streets will also help more parents leave their cars at home, improving air quality in the morning. The new School Streets are two of 40 the Council is introducing at primary schools in the borough, as part of its plans to rebuild a greener Hackney in the wake of the pandemic. All are being introduced on a trial basis using experimental traffic orders, ensuring residents and businesses can have their say online or in writing during implementation. The Council will monitor traffic around each area, which it will consider, alongside resident feedback, before deciding whether to make the schemes permanent.The School Streets will operate between 8.30 and 9.30am, and 3 and 4pm during school term time.In line with guidance from the Department for Transport, on-street measures will be implemented under experimental traffic orders, which give residents an opportunity to have their say on how measures work in practice before any decision is made on whether or not to make them permanent.Residents can view the plans and have their say at: rebuildingagreenerhackney.commonplace.is. Department for Transport guidance states that: ‘The government therefore expects local authorities to make significant changes to their road layouts to give more space to cyclists and pedestrians. Such changes will help embed altered behaviours and demonstrate the positive effects of active travel.’Transport for London has also issued guidance to local authorities in their Streetspace for London plan, which has three main objectives: reallocation of road space, delivery of strategic cycle routes and low traffic neighbourhoods.