Life during lockdown

Stage: Closed

The pandemic hit the UK in February 2020.The first UK national lockdown started in March and lasted for over 3 months. We asked Londoners how they were coping, to help inform City Hall’s response to COVID-19.

Closed

9736 Londoners have responded | 27/03/2020 - 09/06/2020

Coronavirus

Discussions

Support for workers during COVID-19

User Image for
Added by Talk London

Up vote 0
Care 0

To help slow the spread of the coronavirus, the Government has said that all non-essential shops and community spaces must close. This has had an unprecedented impact on London’s businesses and workers.  

Here’s how City Hall is helping London’s workforce (including the self-employed and freelance workers), by lobbying the Government to: 

  • Provide clarity over compliance with “essential travel” and “critical workers” so those who have to can travel to work safely on London’s public transport.

  • Deliver a comprehensive campaign to inform workers about their employment rights and the options available to them.   

  • Address gaps in their support package for the self-employed including for the newly self-employed and directors of the smallest companies. 

  • Ensure that employers can promptly access the Job Retention Scheme to prevent redundancies and protect the incomes of their furloughed employees, and that the government publishes data on how many employers have taken up the programme. 

  • Ensure that the incomes of workers on zero-hours and agency contracts are also protected. 

  • Remedy the unfair treatment of pregnant women and new parents under Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment schemes.  

  • Make non-repayable Universal Credit advance payments available from day one and suspend sanctions and conditionality for all claimants.   

  • Suspend NRPF (no recourse to public funds) conditions.  

  • Support London to put in place a plan for skills and investment to support recovery.  

How has your employment situation been affected by the coronavirus crisis?

What do you think of the measures above and what else do you think City Hall, the Government, and Londoners should do?

Looking ahead, what would you like to see in place to protect London’s workforce in the future?

Tell us in the discussion below.

The discussion ran from 20 April 2020 - 20 July 2020

Closed


Want to join our next discussion?

New here? Join Talk London, City Hall's online community where you can have your say on London's biggest issues.

Join Talk London

Already have an account?

Log into your account
Comments (146)

Avatar for - Polar bear
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I believe everyone who has had to go out to work through the lockdown should get there taxes back as a way of be grateful we all went. 

Avatar for - Pangolin
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Has the Greater London Authority furloughed any of its staff under the governments Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme?

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Hi Reserve77

Thank you for your question. We shared this with our Information Governance team, who have responded to this as a Freedom of Information request: https://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/governance-and-spending/sharing-our-…

Talk London

Avatar for - Sumatran elephant
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Need something for people not on resource to public fund . 
like me am on appeal . Got refused this feb 2020 .been here almost 17 years And not we are not allowed to be working and got 3 kids and one of them is extremely vulnerable . We all...

Show full comment

Need something for people not on resource to public fund . 
like me am on appeal . Got refused this feb 2020 .been here almost 17 years And not we are not allowed to be working and got 3 kids and one of them is extremely vulnerable . We all got to isolating . 
No sort income at the moment .

Would be very helpful is Homeoffice could grants us leave to remain. 
mot even a temporary stay visa so we can at least work .

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Hi everyone 

Thank you for commenting on this discussion and sharing your views and experience. We have passed this on to our colleagues in the policy team and have written this update.

Have any of you returned to work or considered to do so? What reassurances or measures would you like to see in place? What would encourage or discourage you to return to work? What kind of support from Government, City Hall, your employer or other organisations would be most helpful for you right now, and going forward? If you have been asked to return to work, what reassurances or measures have been put into place? 

Thanks for sharing! 

Talk London 

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

The revelation tonight that Johnson has no idea about the visa restrictions faced by many migrants having no recourse to public funds is outrageous. My husband, here on a spouse visa, has lived and worked in the UK for 9 years, has...

Show full comment

The revelation tonight that Johnson has no idea about the visa restrictions faced by many migrants having no recourse to public funds is outrageous. My husband, here on a spouse visa, has lived and worked in the UK for 9 years, has contributed and paid his taxes, as well as paying an atrociously high fee to access the NHS on every visa renewal. He is now struggling to make ends meet, as he cannot claim Universal Credit and because we live together (of course), it's complicated for me to make a claim myself to help support us. I am working from home, but I don't earn a high wage and so supporting the both of us is tough and becoming a strain on our marriage. 

I know this situation is not unique to me, and that there are people in even worse situations. The suspension of NRPF is something that seriously needs to be considered now!

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Tiger
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Do these comments actually get read by anyone in Gvt. who can take these good points forward?

All the Mayors' office appear to be doing is posing questions. 

Is there any chance a dedicated point of contact could take the time to answer...

Show full comment

Do these comments actually get read by anyone in Gvt. who can take these good points forward?

All the Mayors' office appear to be doing is posing questions. 

Is there any chance a dedicated point of contact could take the time to answer them - other wise this forum is pointless?

 

 

 

 

 

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

An eye opener. The fact that no one from the Mayor's office has responded to your query for more than a week appears to answer the question. Maybe this forum is probably pointless. 

Avatar for - Tiger
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

I agree with both comments below which are well made - you'd need to have a 'shift systemed' phased return of essential workers with diligent checks in progress at transport hubs monitored by BTP/TFL and relevant partner agencies 

However...

Show full comment

I agree with both comments below which are well made - you'd need to have a 'shift systemed' phased return of essential workers with diligent checks in progress at transport hubs monitored by BTP/TFL and relevant partner agencies 

However, quite pressing is the amount of emergency service workers that live a lot further than zone 6 and have not had accommodation provided during the height of the pandemic let alone the lack of contingency planning for when services slowly manoeuvre to a phased return. 

There has been a lot of sleeping on floors and camp beds, and self funded hotel bills putting officers/emergency service workers out of pocket where this could easily have been addressed through the use of unoccupied hotels/private member clubs. Something MOPAC should have got a grip of from the start. 

The Military managed it but the police were left to fend for themselves having no choice but to be exposed and take public transport up to 70 miles out of London  - and that's a one way journey!. To curb the need for this continue and reduce overcrowding, emergency service workers that have all been priced out of London should be provided with accommodation otherwise the force will be depleted - and once London starts to build back up again the criminals will be 'back out to play' and mingle amongst the crowds with a risk of a further lack of resources to deal with them.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - American pika
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Compulsory face coverings on public transport and in workplaces are needed. There will also need to be a lot more trains and buses so that people can keep apart.  People who can work from home should be encouraged to do so. Government needs...

Show full comment

Compulsory face coverings on public transport and in workplaces are needed. There will also need to be a lot more trains and buses so that people can keep apart.  People who can work from home should be encouraged to do so. Government needs to support businesses to enable workers to work from home where they can (e.g to buy laptops, software).  Businesses should be required to put in place distancing measures in the workplace (2m is not adequate, especially indoors) and buy PPE (masks, visors, goggles) and hand sanitizers.  

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Sea turtle
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

TFL and mayor need to find a solution to the limitations of public transport. With house prices extortionate in central london, families like mine who work in zone 1, live in zone 5,6. It is not possible for me to cycle or walk to work and...

Show full comment

TFL and mayor need to find a solution to the limitations of public transport. With house prices extortionate in central london, families like mine who work in zone 1, live in zone 5,6. It is not possible for me to cycle or walk to work and driving is impractical in London. So how do we open our opticians and dentists and other businesses that cannot be done remotely in London. If workers do not feel safe on TFL, and if the time to commute is too long, customers will not go into central London. A lot of the consumer business in London relies on office workers and tourists spending their time and money in the city. If neither of these are going to be coming in to central London, I fear for the future of the businesses based in Central London. From an environmental perspective, reducing consumption is great, but it needs to be done in a positive way. 

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

The Mayor needs to task TFL with finding an improved solution to overcrowding on public transport.  This is critical to allow life in London to develop to a new normal.  Failure to manage congestion on public transport will mean people...

Show full comment

The Mayor needs to task TFL with finding an improved solution to overcrowding on public transport.  This is critical to allow life in London to develop to a new normal.  Failure to manage congestion on public transport will mean people choose not to travel and use the facilities of London, which will hinder the economy and employment for Londoners.  

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Hi everyone
 
As lockdown restrictions across the world have started to ease, we’re keen to understand how you feel about reopening the economy in London.
 
What reassurances or measures would you like to see in place? What would encourage or discourage you to return to work? What kind of support from Government, City Hall, your employer or other organisations would be most helpful for you right now, and going forward?
 
Thanks for sharing what’s on your mind.
 
Stay safe,
Talk London
 

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

What can be done when furlough stops? If you are a freelancer or your employer no longer needs you, waiting to find out your fate is going to be so hard for so many people. Assuming if furlough decreases to 60% where are all those affected...

Show full comment

What can be done when furlough stops? If you are a freelancer or your employer no longer needs you, waiting to find out your fate is going to be so hard for so many people. Assuming if furlough decreases to 60% where are all those affected supposed to find jobs to make up the difference? For every job there are now so many applicants. I wonder if there were some way of being furloughed for longer and then paying back in the future somehow like a grant? 

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Pangolin
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

As and when we come out of lockdown, I would like compulsory and enforced wearing of face masks on Public transport, and arrangements made for maximum fresh air to be circulating on Buses and Trains.

Avatar for - Monarch butterfly
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Parliament and governments - central and local - appear to be doing their maximum at their best about combating and countering NOVID-19 formerly 2019-nCoV; their performances are unimpressive and unconvincing because of their errors of...

Show full comment

Parliament and governments - central and local - appear to be doing their maximum at their best about combating and countering NOVID-19 formerly 2019-nCoV; their performances are unimpressive and unconvincing because of their errors of commission and omission .                      We are constrained to use their monopoly statistics!

I request our Mayor of London to comment; and, advise about what he with Assembly Members and Central Government propose to do about anomalies listed below:-

1.  Minority BAME NHS & TFL etc. workers are dying disproportionately probably because they are fronting most risky assignments without adequate protections.

2.  It is essential for all of us to know the true origin or primary source of this COVID-19 formerly 2019-nCoV rampaging and boomeranging virus - which is Fort Detrick in Maryland, USA; and not Wuhan in China.

3.  Considering the fact that a credible, tested, proven, and certified antidote &/or vaccine takes about 18 to 24 months to establish for British use; how about allowing uses of a, Cuban "Interferon Alpha 2B" and "Heberon Alpha R" tested and proven to have 97% efficacy by South Korean & Chinese Authorities: and, b, African "COVID ORGANICS" herbal tea and remedy developed by Dr. Jerome Munyagi in collaboration with The Malagasy Institute of Applied Research in Antananarivo.  Both continue to record successes and have not recorded any side or adverse effects so far.  Orthodox Medicine and BIG PHARMA etc. regard these good and positive innovations as threats to their profitabilities. I consider both as good for Londoner-victims of COVID-19.  I had and I repeat my request to our Mayor of London & Members of our London Assembly who are so minded to please respond.

      

Show less of comment

Avatar for - American pika
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

If you're going to make us in the Theatre Industry Jobless then we deserve a Universal Basic Income, or continued economic support from the government based on Pre not post Tax profit. Taxing money twice is immoral. Though ideally we should...

Show full comment

If you're going to make us in the Theatre Industry Jobless then we deserve a Universal Basic Income, or continued economic support from the government based on Pre not post Tax profit. Taxing money twice is immoral. Though ideally we should be allowed back to work in August with extra measures in place.

 

The government missed its chance to have an effective lockdown, so unfortunately now lives will have to be risked now to avoid destroying the future. We can not let a virus less deadly than many others dictate our lives for the foreseeable future. Time to get on with our lives and leave the lockdown. 

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Sort out public transport so it is safe for us to use during the next 2 years when COVID is a threat.

This would help all Londoners to get the economy moving forward, which is the best help for all of us.  

Avatar for - American pika
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Workers will need long term support.  The furlough scheme will need to run for months to ensure that businesses and workers are supported.  Business is not going to immediately go back to normal as soon as the restrictions are lifted.  It...

Show full comment

Workers will need long term support.  The furlough scheme will need to run for months to ensure that businesses and workers are supported.  Business is not going to immediately go back to normal as soon as the restrictions are lifted.  It will take months, if not years, for the economy to recover.  Please keep furlough for as long as possible to prevent job losses.

Show less of comment

Avatar for -
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Hi everyone  

The last few weeks have had an unimaginable impact on our lives. Thank you to all of you who have shared how the lockdown has affected your employment status in this discussion. 

Many of you have raised the need to better protect key workers, the uncertainty for those working freelance or self-employed, your experience of adapting to remote working and a call to end zero hours contracts in the future. 

What do you think City Hall, Government or others should do to support London’s workforce, now and in the future? What kind of information would be most useful for you? 

Please keep sharing what’s on your mind, and stay safe.
Talk London 

Avatar for - Saola
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

There needs to be more control in the agency work sector in teaching. There are so many supply agencies out there now and not all offer a good service. I read one agency has managed that all their schools kept long term supply workers...

Show full comment

There needs to be more control in the agency work sector in teaching. There are so many supply agencies out there now and not all offer a good service. I read one agency has managed that all their schools kept long term supply workers through the government furlough system. Whereas my agency consultant has not contacted me since before the lockdown and the school is constantly changing their mind if I am still of use to them. Initially I was employed as a long term supply until July since lockdown started I have been twice told my services are not required anymore and have been called back to continue helping. It should not be that easier for employers to tell you on a day by day basis if they require your services. 0 contracts make it so easy for employers to gamble with employees' life. It is very stressful to work like this and totally demotivating. 

There is no need for so many supply agencies, it just makes life more complicated.    

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Tiger
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Much of the focus during the Covid19 Lockdown has been focused on the NHS staff who are undertaking an absolutely fantastic job on the frontline&as our wider colleagues we applaud them for the great work they are undertaking to keep people...

Show full comment

Much of the focus during the Covid19 Lockdown has been focused on the NHS staff who are undertaking an absolutely fantastic job on the frontline&as our wider colleagues we applaud them for the great work they are undertaking to keep people alive. But lets not forget that the response to the pandemic is multi agency led. The MPS,LFB&NHS nurses working on teams within the community - the figures the public do not always see on the governments daily briefings - are also working flat out on shifts throughout the day&night while having to travel great distances on public transport into London. This only serves to generate greater risk/exposure to front line workers who must travel into Lndn everyday to assist with reducing the spread of the pandemic. 

Can the GLA explain why accommodation has not been offered to police officers,LFB &partners carrying out crucial frontline work? While one of our last buildings to shut that did accommodate officers is now being illegally occupied by squatters, a row of chairs or a bit of floor space in a police station- to avoid a car driving 1.5hrs outside London and back again-does not deliver a good nights rest nor a healthy work force the following day.The military & NHS have got it covered. While despite numerous emails to bosses, the Police have been left out on a whim to sort them selves out and many are struggling with the added journey time to areas of Lndn which are nowhere near their usual place of work. There has been no provision for a hot nutritious meals and it is difficult to get into a supermarket to get provisions during a shift due to excessive queuing. 

Anyone with solutions please post here if you can help other frontline services working as hard as our wonderful colleagues in the NHS.We'd be grateful to hear from the Mayor or the Govt. on this too. With thanks, thethinblueline.Always Putting London First.

Show less of comment

Avatar for - Rhino
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

Maybe volunteers with spare safe London rooms can be found at this time. 

 

Not a government based answer but a practical consideration. 

Avatar for - American pika
Up vote 0
Care 0
Report

This will stay with us for a long time. Given London's population density a comprehensive system of testing and contact tracing will be the only way to keep the virus from spreading uncontrollably again and must be top priority to get in...

Show full comment

This will stay with us for a long time. Given London's population density a comprehensive system of testing and contact tracing will be the only way to keep the virus from spreading uncontrollably again and must be top priority to get in place.

Social distancing will be incredibly difficult to keep, and impossible on public transport, even with the smallest easing of lock down restrictions.

 

Show less of comment


Timeline

STAGE: Evidence gathering

Community spirit stories

Happened
-

Londoners have posted 45 comments

Have a look

Life in lockdown

Happened
-

Londoners have responded 7020 times

Find out more

London's recovery

Happened

Londoners have posted 378 comments

Have a look
STAGE: What you told us

Supporting workers during a pandemic – what you told us & what we are doing

Happened
Read more

London’s recovery from COVID-19 – what you told us so far

Happened
Read more