This is the law that underpins the current lockdown of people and businesses. All the measures in the new law are time limited to two years, and not everything is legally in force. It contains extensive emergency powers for the government, and the legal measures in the Act can be suspended and reactivated later. Notably the Act’s provisions can be extended or ended, depending on the latest scientific advice.
Here at Legal Studio we don't wish to blind you with the law. Below are some key parts of the new Act, but there are several others which may affect your daily life or particular business activity.
- New unpaid statutory leave for emergency volunteers (Sections 8 and 9).
- Powers to restrict attendance at schools and childcare premises (Sections 37 and 38).
- Provision to allow companies that have paid statutory sick pay for an employee suffering from coronavirus to recover some or all of that payment (Sections 39-44).
- Powers to screen and isolate potentially infections persons across the UK. Police or immigration officers can force people to stay in certain places and to be screened/assessed (Section 51).
- Powers to prohibit or restrict public events and gatherings, and to close premises (Section 52).
- Provision for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme where employees can contact HMRC for a grant to cover 80% of salary for people not working, but furloughed and kept on payroll (Section 76).
- Provision to protect residential tenants from eviction during the coronavirus outbreak (Section 81).
If anyone has any legal questions about the new law, what their legal position is in the current situation, how the new law should be interpreted, and/or what rights/entitlements they have, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone. We are happy to provide free initial advice to help anyone at this most difficult time.
Please contact us if you’d like more information about the issues raised in this article and/or or to find out more about the various legal services that we provide.