Coronavirus
Message from Metro Mayor, Steve Rotheram
The coronavirus is the most serious challenge we have faced in a generation and I know it’s causing huge alarm and distress to all of us. Together we will defeat it. But that depends on us all and what we choose to do.
My team is working flat out with partners including our local councils, the police, the health service, , transport colleagues, business and many other organisations to do all that we can to help stop its spread and protect our communities, our health and our economy. I pay tribute to all our key workers and everyone else, who continue to do extraordinary work in extraordinary circumstances.
And I want to thank you for all that you’re doing across our communities to help.
Every day, I am exceptionally proud to lead a region as kind, friendly and community-spirited as ours. We now need to stick to those principles and make sure that we look out for one another.
Washing your hands, wearing a face covering and keeping to social distancing has never been more important. So please follow the advice and act responsibly to help keep yourself and others safe, and help us slow the spread of this disease.
To help you keep up to date with the national and local information you need, this page provides links to the Government, Public Health England and NHS websites, along with your Local Authority, transport information from Merseytravel, business support advice from the Growth Platform and more. And for regular news on the key measures we are taking to respond to the crisis, CLICK HERE.
Together, we will not only get through this but we will come out stronger and Build Back Better.
ECONOMIC RESPONSE AND RECOVERY
September 2020
The COVID-19 situation continues to evolve and present an unprecedented economic challenge to our city region. It has been clear from the start that the scale of the immediate and long-term financial support required to our economy, which will run to the hundreds of millions, cannot be met from local resources alone.
We know that 95% of our businesses have been affected and, whilst many have thrived, many more continue to face unprecedented challenges. Our top economic priority since the start of lockdown has been to help our businesses, listening closely to the community’s needs, working with many partners across all sectors, and robustly engaging with central government to secure the large-scale financial support packages required.
Working with the other Metro Mayors and Combined Authorities, we have been successful in changing national policy, speeding up advice to business, securing support for the self-employed and extending the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme to smaller businesses, while dropping the need for banks to require personal guarantees. £300 million worth of grants of between £10,000 and £25,000 were made available via our Local Authority partners.
Within the local resources available to us, we have repurposed funds to set up a dedicated helpline and online resource hub via the Growth Platform to help businesses preserve their cash, understand their options and access the maximum possible support from government programmes. And, amongst other interventions like the £400,000 Music, Film and TV Fund, we are providing business advice and support via new programmes like Gather, Mettle and Sustain and supporting the City Region’s vital socially trading organisations, through Kindred, working in partnership with Power to Change.
Alongside this and from the very start, the Combined Authority has also been planning with our partners for economic recovery, so that when we get through the crisis, our city region will rebound as soon as we can.
In August, we published Building Back Better: The Economic Recovery Plan for Liverpool City Region. This commits us to deliver our mission for a globally competitive, environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive city region and our determination to deliver this remains undimmed.
Of course, the coronavirus has not gone away and while we continue to respond to help minimise it’s spread it remains absolutely vital that we continue, in parallel, our work on economic recovery so that we will ultimately build back better.
MERSEYTRAVEL
The health and safety of both customers and staff is a number one priority for Merseytravel.
That is why we are continuing to follow national government advice and we are working closely with rail, bus and other transport operators as the Coronavirus situation develops. Check our “ReThink Travel” advice for all the up to date local information.
LCR Cares COVID 19 Community Support Fund
The Metro Mayor and the Community Foundation for Merseyside have set up #LCRCares to raise vital funds for community organisations who are working to support the most vulnerable in our society during the COVID-19 crisis.
The money raised will be distributed to local organisations who are providing essential support to communities.
For the latest information and advice about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) GOV.UK
For health information and advice on Coronavirus (COVID-19) NHS and Public Health England.
Business can visit the Growth Platform for the latest information and resources or CLICK HERE.
The latest information and advice or changes to services for residents of Halton.
The latest information and advice or changes to services for residents of Knowsley.
The latest information and advice or changes to services for residents of Liverpool.
The latest information and advice or changes to services for residents of Sefton.
The latest information and advice or changes to services for residents of St Helens.
The latest information and advice or changes to services for residents of Wirral.
Advice on how businesses can support their employees’ mental health.
Tailored business support now available for socially trading organisations.
Employment advice and support for those affected by current situation relating to Coronavirus
Information and sources of support for mental health and wellbeing
Information on coronavirus and ways you can help support older people.
Local specialist services and support during this challenging time.
Information on the TUC’s campaign to provide support and protection for workers.
Information for volunteering opportunities across the city region
Being Kind to Your Mind has never been so important. In these challenging and unusual times
