Guidance for the social care sector on Covid-19

This page provides links to a selection of information which may help homecare providers provide services during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

Information about COVID-19 is rapidly changing, as is the advice which is available. Please return to this page regularly and check you are using the latest update of the guidance concerned.

Government guidance for the general public

Listing of government guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19), updated frequently.

Listing of legislation and amending regulations: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/

Police guidance on enforcing rules on international travel, quarantine and self-isolation: COVID-19 restrictions

Symptoms and getting medical help

People who have a new continuous cough OR a high temperature (37.8 degrees Celsius or higher) OR a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia), should get a COVID-19 test and stay at home until they get the result.

Use this online tool from the NHS to find out what to do if you, or somebody else, has a medical problem: NHS 111 Online - Get medical help.

Staying safe and managing infection

Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread

Stay at home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection

Guidance for contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection who do not live with the person

Shielding clinically extremely vulnerable people

Guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19

Face coverings

Guidance, Face coverings: when to wear one and how to make your own

NHS England, Visiting healthcare inpatient settings during the COVID-19 pandemic

Testing

Coronavirus (COVID-19): getting tested

Get tested for coronavirus (COVID-19)

NHS COVID-19 app - part of the NHS Test and Trace service in England and the NHS Wales Test, Trace, Protect programme.

How NHS Test and Trace works: what to do if you are contacted

Regular rapid tests if you do not have symptoms

Vaccination

Who can get the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

National booking service: Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine

COVID-19 vaccination programme

COVID-19 vaccination: guide for adults

Work and leisure

Work and financial support This guidance covers England only.

Guidance for the safe use of places of workship during the pandemic.

Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for people receiving direct payments

Travel

Guidance, Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer travel guidance for passengers

Travel abroad from England during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Travel to England from another country during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Foreign travel advice

Government guidance for social care providers

Overview of adult social care guidance produced by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Public Health England (PHE).

Homecare guidance

Guidance - Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing home care

NICE COVID-19 rapid guideline - Managing COVID-19: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng191

Staying safe and managing infection

Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread

UKHCA Resource - Self-isolation of live-in homecare workers who test positive for COVID-19 (log in needed).

COVID-19: management of staff and exposed patients or residents in health and social care settings.

Risk assessment and shielding the clinically extremely vulnerable

Guidance - COVID-19: adult social care risk reduction framework

Guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19

HSE guidance - Risk assessment - Working safely during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

UKHCA Resource: Risk Assessments - Why are they important and how are they done? (Members only)

UKHCA Resource: Risk Assessment Template (Members only)

PPE and face coverings

Guidance - COVID-19: How to work safely in domiciliary care

Guidance, COVID-19: Putting on and removing PPE - a guide for care homes (video), updated 19 July 2021. Referred to 'How to work safely in domiciliary care guidance' above.

Guidance, COVID-19: Personal protective equipment use for aerosol generating procedures, updated 21 August 2020.

Guidance - PPE portal: how to order emergency personal protective equipment,

Guidance, Personal protective equipment (PPE): local contacts for care providers

List of commercial suppliers of PPE, see: https://careprovideralliance.org.uk/coronavirus-supplies-including-ppe (scroll down to end).

HSE guidance: Using PPE at work during the coronavirus outbreak

Testing

Guidance, Coronavirus testing for homecare workers

Guidance on getting tested

Guidance, COVID-19 PCR home test kit instructions

Get tested for coronavirus - NHS resources: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/testing/get-tested-for-coronavirus/

Guidance - How tests and testing kits for coronavirus (COVID-19) work, MHRA, updated 17 June 2021.

Guidance - For patients, the public and professional users: a guide to COVID-19 tests and testing kits, updated 17 June 2021.

Video on how to use a home testing kit: https://youtu.be/8lo6g-TYZ-c

Vaccination

COVID-19 vaccination: a guide for social care staff

Careworkers in England can book a vaccination appointment through: The National Booking Service. Those with second vaccination bookings are urged to take them up.

All adults aged 18 and over in England are eligible for vaccination: Who can get the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine

Information supporting take-up:

Employer Toolkit - Coronavirus Resource centre (phe.gov.uk)

DHSC's Questions and Answers on vaccination

Webinar: Your Questions Answered on the COVID-19 vaccine - YouTube, 21 May 2021.

Pregnancy and fertility:

COVID-19: the green book, chapter 14a,

COVID-19 vaccination: women of childbearing age, currently pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding

Guidance, Safety of COVID-19 vaccines when given in pregnancy

COVID-19 vaccines, pregnancy and breastfeeding (rcog.org.uk)

BFS & ARCS Covid-19 Vaccines & Fertility - updated FAQs - British Fertility Society

Children:

Information for children and young people on what to expect after COVID-19 vaccination

Side effects of vaccination:

COVID-19 vaccination and blood clotting - collection of guidance.

Commissioning and social care funding

Social care provider resilience during COVID-19: guidance to commissioners. Shared guidance to local authority commissioners from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the Local Government Association and the Care Provider Alliance (CPA), published 13 March 2020.

Guidance, COVID-19: ethical framework for adult social care, updated 28 April 2021.

The Local Government Association (LGA) and Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) issued guidance to councils in England on the fee increases for the National Minimum Wage and COVID-19 on 9 April 2020.

A blog by Dr Jane Townson, CEO of UKHCA, highlighted the value of homecare and the urgent need for investment to prevent multiple provider failure. Read about Homecare in the time of coronavirus, published 26 April 2020: A case for urgent investment to prevent multiple provider failure. See April archive, scroll down.

Extension of Infection Control and Testing Fund 3 to end September 2021:

Press release - Social care to receive £269 million to boost staff levels and testing

Adult social care extension to Infection Control and Testing Fund 2021 - guidance and grant conditions. UKHCA members should refer to our email alerts for more details.

Travel, visas and migration

Government Travel Advice This includes red, amber and green list rules for entering England, and demonstrating your COVID-19 vaccination status to enter specific countries from England.

Jobs that qualify for exemptions

Health and social care staff can claim immigration health surcharge reimbursement. The scheme to exempt non-EEA nationals applying for a health and care visa to work in a health or social care setting, in an eligible occupation, from paying the immigration health surcharge is described here: IHS Reimbursement Scheme

Guidance Immigration health surcharge - applying for a refund, published 1 October 2020.

Guidance (COVID-19): advice for UK visa applicants and temporary UK residents, updated frequently.

Visa extensions for NHS and frontline health workers during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Other guidance

Health, social care organisations and coronavirus - what you need to know on data protection

Guidance, Steps to take following the death of a person who worked in adult social care in England, published 7 July 2020. This includes bereavement resources for the social care workforce.

NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme for families of members of the workforce in England who sadly pass away as a result of contracting COVID-19 at work. Main page for the scheme, information re Wales.

Guidance, Coronavirus (COVID-19): looking after people who lack mental capacity,

Guidance, Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for children's social care services

Guidance - COVID-19: Supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults, updated 19 July 2021.

Guidance - Supported living services during coronavirus (COVID-19), updated 16 July 2021.

Guidance - Getting help with daily activities outside your home, updated 21 May 2021.

COVID-19 hospital discharge service requirements

Guidance around free-of-charge DBS applications and new fast-track Barred List check service, in response to COVID-19, Disclosure and Barring Service, updated 22 October 2020.

CQC interim guidance on DBS and other recruitment checks, for providers recruiting staff and volunteers to health and social care services in response to coronavirus (COVID-19), updated 29 May 2020.

HSE guidance: RIDDOR Reporting of Covid-19

Coronavirus: advice for employers and employees advice from ACAS on sick pay, including for those who self-isolate on medical and non-medical advice.

Support for businesses and other government guidance

Advice for businesses

Working safely and risk assessment

HSE guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Working Safely

Government guidance: Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19)

HSE guidance - Risk assessment - Working safely during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

UKHCA Resource: Risk Assessments - Why are they important and how are they done? (Members only)

UKHCA Resource: Risk Assessment Template (Members only)

Testing in workplaces

Health and social care: Government's guidance for social care providers

Other workplaces: Get coronavirus tests for your employees

Furlough scheme (Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme - CJRS)

Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Collection of guidance

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for employers, on selecting employees fairly for furlough or redundancy.

Financial support and tax

COVID-19: financial support for businesses, Collection of guidance.

Guidance: Help and support if your business is affected by coronavirus (COVID-19)

Guidance - Check which expenses are taxable if your employee works from home due to coronavirus (COVID-19)

Workforce, annual leave, SSP, apprenticeships

Guidance - Check if you can claim back Statutory Sick Pay paid to employees due to coronavirus (COVID-19)

SSP Online Claim Service through Government Gateway.

Guidance - Holiday entitlement and pay during coronavirus (COVID-19).

Guidance - Providing apprenticeships during the coronavirus outbreak.

Schools and Education

Guidance - What parents and carers need to know about schools and other education settings during the coronavirus outbreak.

The Department for Education's The Skills Toolkit online training courses help people furloughed or at home acquire new skills.

Transport

Guidance, Safer travel guidance for passengers.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Getting an MOT.

Information for family carers and informal carers

Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care.

Guidance COVID-19: providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults.

SCIE, COVID-19 guide for carers and family supporting adults and children with learning disabilities or autistic adults and children.

Information from Carers UK for informal carers.

Looking after family or friends after they leave hospital.

Alzheimer's Society, Coronavirus: Information for people affected by dementia.

Diabetes UK, Coronavirus (COVID-19) and diabetes- updates Helpline.

Free online resources for unpaid carers.

Information on surviving a critical illness, ICUsteps.

Guidance - Support for the bereaved.

Maintaining mental health during the Covid-19 outbreak

Support for frontline workers

CIPD webinar on supporting the mental health of frontline workers.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): health and wellbeing of the adult social care workforce

Coronavirus resources of the British Psychological Society for professionals and the public.

Our Frontline helplines: support for social care workers

Support for the public, including young people

Guidance for the public on mental health and wellbeing.

Guidance on supporting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing.

Every Mind Matters - simple tips for taking care of mental health.

ANXIETY UK helpline and resources Helpline open until 10.00 pm: 03444 775 774, Text Service: 07537 416 905.

Mental health at work

ACAS guidance on coronavirus and mental health at work

Health and Safety Executive information on stress at work, and carrying out a stress risk assessment

Check your business insurance to see if it includes a Stress Helpline for employees. Page 9 for those with a Towergate Insurance policy.

Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Wales: Wales wellbeing - sources of support
Scotland: NHS Inform - resources on mental health and well-being
Northern Ireland: Covid-19 App - resources on mental health

Support for individuals and workers with Long Covid

Caring for those recovering from Long Covid

SCIE guide on providing care and support at home to people who have had COVID-19

Guidance - COVID-19: long-term health effects.

NHS - Long term effects of long covid

NICE rapid guideline on managing the long term effects of Covid

Sickness, absence and return to work

ACAS - Sickness and absence because of long COVID: Long COVID - advice for employers and employees - Acas

CIPD - Managing a return to work after a long absence

Insurance

Insurance

Coronavirus information - Towergate Insurance Brokers

The general response to the COVID-19 outbreak has been co-ordinated across the UK, with the governments of the devolved nations working closely with the UK Government.

As health and social care are responsibilities devolved to the respective governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, some guidance is individual to, or presented differently, by the nation concerned.

Wales

Guidance for the public

Welsh government Coronavirus guidance homepage.

Homecare guidance

Welsh Government: Health and Social Care Professionals: coronavirus, guidance and services

Public Health Wales: Guidance for Health and Social Care Professionals in Wales

Care Inspectorate Wales: Statements on Coronavirus

Guidance on CIW notification

Supported Living guidance

Clinically extremely vulnerable people and risk assessment

Collection of guidance on shielding

PPE and face coverings

Updated guidance on the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for care homes and domiciliary support services

Providers may also need to liaise with their local authorities in relation to accessing PPE and ensuring whether there is any additional guidance at local level.

Testing

Twice weekly routine lateral flow testing is available for homecare and providers should have received information about how to access this. Providers experiencing difficulties with accessing workforce testing should contact: Covid19.SocialCareTesting@gov.wales

Other information on testing is available from: Testing for coronavirus

Financial support and guidance on self-isolation includes:

COVID-19 contacts: guidance for health and social care staff

Statutory sick pay enhancement scheme

Self isolation support payment

Vaccination

Information and resources on the COVID-19 vaccine from Public Health Wales

Welsh Government guidance on vaccination programme (including definition of front-line social care worker; and how to get your vaccine if you think you’ve been missed)

Flu vaccine information

Travel

Collection of guidance on travel

Support for the care workforce

The Welsh Government have agreed two recognition payments to social care workers:

2020 - Guidance - Social care workforce special payment scheme

2021 - NHS and social care financial recognition scheme: guidance for social care workers

Social Care Wales are offering a digital Care Worker Card.

Social Care Wales have collected information and resources on health and well-being for Social Care workers. They have launched an Employee Assistance Scheme that can provide a range of support to social care staff (call 0333 2129 212, this is available 24/7).

The Welsh Government has agreed to a death in service payment for the families of NHS and social care staff in Wales. Press release dated 27 April 2020.

Commissioning and social care funding

The Welsh Government has allocated funding to local authorities to administer as a hardship fund in order to support social care providers through the coronavirus pandemic. This has included a £1 per hour temporary fee uplift for local authority or health board commissioned homecare providers.

Other guidance

Welsh government: Strategy and evidence: coronavirus (including control plans / alert levels)

Public Health Wales - Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Social Care Wales coronavirus guidance page.

ADSS Cymru, COVID-19 updates for care providers