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Which agreements will qualify for exemption?

There are four criteria which must be satisfied if an agreement is to be considered exempt:

  • It must improve production or distribution, or promoting technical or economic progress – the guidance suggests that cooperation ensuring essential goods and services can be made available to the public, or an important sub-set of the public such as key workers, will satisfy this criterion.
  • It must allow consumers a fair share of the resulting benefit – the guidance suggests this will be the case where the action prevents or reduces shortages.
  • It must not impose on the undertakings concerned restrictions which are not indispensable to the attainment of the above benefits – the guidance suggests this will be the case where the cooperation is the only reasonable option due to the urgency of the crisis and where the cooperation is temporary in nature.
  • It must not afford the undertakings concerned the possibility of eliminating competition – therefore the parties must endeavour to retain competition in respect of the products (in particular price competition).

Related FAQs

The Government

Government’s Covid-19 landing page

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Covid-19 recovery strategy

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/our-plan-to-rebuild-the-uk-governments-covid-19-recovery-strategy

Working safely during Covid-19

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19

Working safely during Covid-19: construction and other outdoor work

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/construction-and-other-outdoor-work

Working safely during Covid-19: factories, plants and warehouses

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/factories-plants-and-warehouses

Working safely during Covid-19: labs and research facilities

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/labs-and-research-facilities

Working safely during Covid-19: offices and contact centres

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/offices-and-contact-centres

Working safely during Covid-19: other people’s homes

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/homes

Working safely during Covid-19: restaurants offering takeaway or delivery

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/restaurants-offering-takeaway-or-delivery

Working safely during Covid-19: shops and branches

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/shops-and-branches

Working safely during Covid-19: vehicles

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19/vehicles

Business support: loans, tax relief and grants for businesses, employees and self-employed people

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support

Education and childcare

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/education-and-childcare

Housing and accommodation: renting: guidance for landlords, tenants and local authorities

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-and-renting-guidance-for-landlords-tenants-and-local-authorities

Housing and accommodation: moving home

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/government-advice-on-home-moving-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak

Housing and accommodation: planning inspections

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-planning-inspectorate-guidance

Healthcare workers, carers and care settings: NHS guidance for people working in healthcare

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/

Healthcare workers, carers and care settings: PPE hub

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-personal-protective-equipment-ppe

Healthcare workers, carers and care settings: adult social care guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-social-care-guidance

Healthcare workers, carers and care settings: shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

Healthcare workers, carers and care settings: adult social care guidance

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-social-care-guidance#guidance-for-unpaid-carers

Healthcare workers, carers and care settings: health, care and volunteer workers parking pass and concessions

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-health-care-and-volunteer-workers-parking-pass-and-concessions

International travel and immigration: travel advice for British citizens travelling abroad

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-advice-novel-coronavirus

International travel and immigration: foreign travel advice for each country

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

International travel and immigration: waiting to return to the UK

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-staying-where-you-are-if-you-cannot-return-to-the-uk

International travel and immigration: essential international travel guidance

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-essential-international-travel-guidance

International travel and immigration: advice for UK visa applicants and temporary UK residents

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-advice-for-uk-visa-applicants-and-temporary-uk-residents

Government’s financial support for businesses

This page help businesses find out how to access the support that has been made available, who is eligible, when the schemes open and how to apply.
https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support/

Rishi Sunak

The Twitter feed of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, where he has published various responses to some FAQs from the public.
https://twitter.com/RishiSunak

How do you support your Mental health first aider (MHFA) team?

We recommend that ongoing support is provided to all MHFA’s beyond completion of the MHFA training. It is necessary to do refresher training (approx. every 3 years) and ideally ongoing ‘continued professional development’ should be provided as well as regular opportunities for debriefing / seeking support. One way of supporting your MHFAs in the workplace is by creating a buddy system amongst the MHFAs. That way the individuals carrying out the role of MHFAs have a support structure in place amongst themselves. All trained MHFAs can also reach out to management to discuss any concerns they have or to seek any further support they need.

Can I be fined for failing to take steps to try to ensure that my staff comply with the requirements to self-isolate?

Yes.

An employer which is aware that a worker or agency worker is or ought to be self-isolating, should not knowingly allow that worker or agency worker to leave the place that they are self-isolating in (“the designated place”).  To do so without reasonable excuse would amount to an offence which could result in the employer being issued with a fixed penalty notice.

The value of the fixed penalty varies depending on if it is the first or subsequent fixed penalty notice to be issued:

First fixed penalty notice £1,000
Second fixed penalty notice £2,000
Third fixed penalty notice £4,000
Fourth, and any subsequent fixed penalty notice £10,000
Is there a matched funding scheme for the National Emergencies Trust?

The government has also confirmed it will match donations to the National Emergencies Trust as part of the BBC’s Big Night In fundraiser on 23 April – pledging a minimum of £20 million.

Can a sponsor cut the salary or hours of a Tier 2 visa holder?

Yes but the sponsor must report this on the Sponsor Management System within 10 working days and must follow normal employment law principles.

If this results in the sponsored worker’s falling below the minimum required salary the usual position is that they cannot continued to be sponsored. However the government has implemented a concession for sponsors who have ceased trading or temporarily reduced trading which allows the salary to be reduced to 80% of the figure stated on the Certificate of Sponsorship or £2,500 per month, whichever is lower.