People in England may soon be given a one-off payment of £500 to self-isolate if they test positive for COVID-19.
Plans to provide the lump sum are currently under consideration by ministers after statistics showed just 17% of people with coronavirus symptoms take a test for fear of a positive result and subsequently being unable to work.
The prospective payment plan, which was leaked on Thursday, could potentially cost the government £435 million a week – 12 times the cost of the current system.
The document reads: “Anyone who tested positive for coronavirus, irrespective of their age, employment status or ability to work from home, would be eligible for a TTSP (Test and Trace Support Payment).
“This would be straightforward for local authorities to administer, though it would lead to significantly greater volumes of applications than under the current scheme.”
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Existing discretionary grants of £500 are already available but are proving difficult for people to obtain – with as many as three-quarters of applicants being rejected.
Speaking to Sky News on Friday morning, cabinet minister George Eustice said the government had reached “no decisions” on the new payment plan, but that the government would always be “keeping policies under review”.
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The Environment Secretary added: “We need people to self-isolate if they’re asked to and we always review the reasons why they might not.”
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she was “gobsmacked” that it took “nine months for the Department of Health to consider it as an option.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has claimed the scheme “won’t work”.
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He added: “Surely better to cover the incomes in full of people who can’t work from home and won’t get sick pay?”
COVID-19 cases continue to remain high in the UK, but the latest statistics suggest infection rates may be slowing.
The 7-day rolling average has dipped to just over 40,000 cases, having steadily decreased since hitting almost 60,000 on January 10.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has refused to rule out the prospect of England’s lockdown dragging on into the spring – claiming that a review would be conducted after February 15 – the date by which the government aims to have vaccinated all four high priority groups.
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Bolton has been named the ‘mouldiest’ place in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Bolton has been named the ‘mouldiest’ place in the UK, and it’s joined by two other Greater Manchester towns in the top 10.
Talk about a not-so-coveted title, right?
From damp flats to poorly-ventilated houses, the battle against mould seems to be constant for many UK residents, and while Awaab’s Law – which was named in memory of Rochdale toddler, Awaab Ishak, and introduced back in 2023 – was brought in to tackle this very problem, by mandating faster response times from social housing landlords for dealing with damp-related issues, the problem still continues for homeowners and tenants alike despite this new legislation.
And now, some new research by thermal imaging experts at Tester has revealed where the ‘mouldiest’ places to live in the UK are.
Tester measured the average monthly search volume for various mould-related terms over the past 12 months – including ‘mould removal cost’, and ‘black mould removal’ – to figure out where the mouldiest places in the country are, and devise a top 10 list.
Bolton takes the title of the UK’s mouldiest place, according to the new research, with an average monthly search volume for mould-related terms of 945 per 100,000 people, and ‘magic mould’ being the most-searched term as residents seem eager to find a simple solution to their ever-growing mould problems.
Top 10 ‘mouldiest’ places in the UK
Bolton
Croydon
Manchester
Bath
Bristol
Lincoln
Bournemouth
Norwich
Stockport
Wakefield
Manchester places third on the list, with an average monthly search volume of 922 per 100,000 people, and Stockport also features in the less-than-ideal top 10 at number nine.
Croydon in London claims the runner-up spot on the list, while Bath and Bristol round out the top five alongside Manchester, and Lincoln, Norwich, and Wakefield are some of the other areas to make up the top 10.
A spokesperson for Tester admitted that the surge in searches for mould-related terms in the UK is “worrying to say the least”.
Speaking on the findings from the team’s new research, they continued in a statement: “The study shows that UK residents are actively seeking out mould removal solutions, pointing to a wider problem of mould and mildew growth in homes not being properly dealt with, either by landlords or homeowners themselves.”
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Man arrested for running around Dunham Massey wearing nothing but a pair of walking boots
Daisy Jackson
A man has been arrested for running around local beauty spot Dunham Massey almost entirely naked.
And according to Greater Manchester Police, it’s not even the first time he’s stripped off in the fields…
While most Mancs will head to the beautiful National Trust site to take in the views of the local wildlife, a handful of walkers got more than they bargained for last week.
The man in question has previously been reported for passing through the Trafford green space starkers, leading to his arrest on 2 May.
He was arrested last week for indecent exposure – and his choice of outfit didn’t leave much to the imagination.
The man was clocked running around Dunham Massey completely naked but for a pair of walking boots.
GMP said: “Male arrested for indecent exposure after being seen running around Dunham Massey naked apart from a pair of walking boots!!
“We have had a number of complaints of this guy doing this previously causing alarm, and so action has been taken.”
Male arrested for indecent exposure after being seen running around Dunham Massey naked apart from a pair of walking boots!! We have had a number of complaints of this guy doing this previously causing alarm, and so action has been taken.
— Altrincham Police (GMP) (@GMPAltrincham) May 2, 2024
One person joked: “Completely inappropriate to go running like that… you’ll never get a PB in walking boots.”
The weather has been pretty nice over the last few days, with temperatures around Manchester climbing all the way to 22 degrees.
And some experts are predicting that Britain could be set for a heatwave with temperatures of 30°C and over in just over a month’s time.
Even if we do get an unseasonably warm spring though, probably best to keep your kecks on while you’re out hiking…