There are so many so businesses affected in so many different ways and my thoughts go to all of them. The Chancellor has put in place some extraordinary support to attempt to help them through this but the scale of problem means that there will always be those who fall through the gaps.

I, along with so many other MPs, are doing our best to make specific representations for those in the gaps to try and extend the support further. My team and I receive many emails explaining to us where these gaps are and we do everything we can to get these into the thoughts of the ministers that matter.

One of the regular questions is why do none essential business remain open? I think it’s worth restating the instructions around staying at home. The message is that you should only leave home to go for food, to go for exercise, to care for someone or to go to work. You should also only go to work if you cannot work from home.

This means that you should go to work so long as it is safe to do so and your employer requires you. There is no constraints around what products are being produced nor not being a key worker that prevent you going to work. If your employer is able to create a safe environment and you are able to get there safely then it is acceptable under the rules to go to work.

The purpose of the furlough scheme is to help businesses that cannot continue whether that is as a result of not being allowed to, whether their products/services are not required or whether they can’t facilitate safe working. It is to prevent these companies needing to close and make people redundant and to at least give them a chance of starting again when this is over.

So long as they are safe, keeping businesses trading is a critical platform for emerging from the economic disaster we are seeing. On another level I am sure that a lot of employees that are still able to work appreciate being able to have a more normal life than most of us at the moment.

To help people make sense of all the guidance here are five questions to ask yourself to decide if you should be going to work. Work your way through ALL questions, starting with Q1.

Q1: Do you have to stay at home for health reasons?

This may be because you are over 70, you are vulnerable (eg a pre-existing condition, or a high risk category), you have been exposed to someone (and are self isolating) or because you have symptoms and are quarantining.

If you do not have to stay at home for health reasons then go to the next question…

Q2: Do you have to stay at home to look after your child?

Schools have closed so children may need looking after at home by you. The exception is if you have a key worker role (these are listed online).

If you do not have to stay at home to look after a child then go to the next question…

Q3: Can you do your job from home?

This is really important. You and your employer should make EVERY effort to work from home. Government guidance says people can leave the house “if travelling to and from work but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home.”

If you cannot do your job from home then go to the next question…

Q4: Is your job at one of those businesses that has been told to close?

Some businesses and places of work have had to close. These are typically ones that encourage people to gather – restaurants, pubs, clubs and such – or ones where there is close contact with people, such as hairdressers.

[UPDATE: for the latest list of businesses to close please see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/further-businesses-and-premises-to-close]

If your place of work has not closed, then go to the next question…

Q5: Do your working practices allow you to observe social distancing at work?

Jobs like construction, deliveries, warehouse work and others can often be carried out with sensible adjustment. For example, the Royal Mail do not require people receiving packages to provide a signature.

Very many self-employed people, trades, contractors, gardeners, taxi drivers etc. may fall into this category.

If you can maintain social distancing at work then you can go to work.

If you cannot maintain safe distance from people, then you should

STAY HOME. PROTECT THE NHS. SAVE LIVES.

DO NOT go outside except for essential trips (shopping, collecting medicines, a funeral etc.) or one period of exercise a day.

Full guidance for employees, employers and businesses can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19

Paul Howell MP

Member of Parliament

for Sedgefield

paul.howell.mp@parliament.uk

07464 898442