Covid-19 Rural Estates Update – Jobs, Turkeys and Shooting
Expanding on her previous article, which looked at the impact Covid-19 has had on rural property and estates, Georgie Veale of our Rural Asset Management team reviews recent legislation and updates to the Job Protection Scheme and local lockdowns.
6 minutes to read
Employment support
Under Rishi Sunak’s Winter Economy Plan, the government is providing additional support for individuals and businesses to deal with the challenges created by Covid-19 this winter.
With the end of the original furlough scheme around the corner, changes to the Chancellor’s Job Support Scheme left businesses under Tier 2 restrictions in confusion.
Mr Sunak has expanded the Job Support Scheme after objections from businesses in Tier 2 areas that are facing reduced demand and less support from the government than Tier 3 businesses, which are legally forced to close.
"The government later announced an extension to the Job Support Scheme for businesses required to close shop due to tighter local restrictions."
In parallel with the introduction of ‘local lockdowns’, the government has introduced ‘JSS Open’ and ‘JSS Closed’ that will run for six months from 1 November 2020 and will be reviewed in the new year.
For those in Tier 2 who remain open but face reduced demand, the government’s ‘JSS Open’ scheme will offer enhanced support where employees work 20% of usual hours with the employer continuing to pay them as normal for the hours worked.
In addition, they will receive 67% of their normal pay for the hours not worked, made up by contributions from the employer and the government. The employer will pay 5% of the salary for the hours not worked (up to £125 per month) and the government will pay the remainder of 61.67% (up to £1,541.75 per month).
"This ensures the employees continue to receive at least 73% of their normal wages, where they earn £3,125 a month or less."
Under the ‘JSS Closed’ scheme where businesses have been forced to close as a result of local lockdowns, employees will receive two thirds of their normal pay, paid by their employer and fully funded by the government (up to £2,083per month).
The Self Employment Scheme has been extended from November 2020 to April 2021. An initial taxable grant will be provided to those who are currently eligible for the self-employment scheme and are continuing to actively trade but face reduced demand due to Covid-19.
Grants will be paid in two lump-sum instalments, November to January and February through to April, each covering a three-month period worth of profit. The government has announced that the application deadline for all loan schemes as part of the government support will be extended to 30 November.
Turkeys
On a festive note, The British Poultry Council (BPC) is concerned for poultry farmers who are facing a shortage of birds or higher prices this Christmas if the government does not lift travel restrictions to allow seasonal agricultural workers from the EU.
Around nine million British turkeys are reared for Christmas each year, but the seasonal sector cannot survive without non-UK labour that plucks and prepares the birds.
Not only are farmers struggling to predict consumer demand this Christmas due to changing lockdown restrictions, but many poultry factories have fallen victim to serious outbreaks of Covid-19 this year.
Current rules on self-isolation for seasonal agricultural workers differs for those travelling for other purposes.
When arriving at the farm from a non-exempt country, for the first 14 days you can work as long as you live on the farm, avoid contact with others, follow social distancing rules and not leave the farm. If you do not live on the farm, you will not be able to work and must self-isolate on arrival in the UK for 14 days.
Rural Estates and shooting
Shooting has been included in the activities that are exempt from the rule of six. After substantial work by BASC and other organisations, rural activities such as shooting and hunting can continue under strict Covid-19 protocols, where the organiser or a participant holds a valid shotgun or firearms certificate.
This means there is no limit on the number of people taking part and the same goes for the number of beaters, pickers-up and loaders. Shooting activities exempt from the rule include target shooting, recreational and essential pest control, wildfowling and game shooting and recreational deer stalking.
The protocols the government has outlined that will need to be followed include the below, which will limit the transmission and manage the risk of Covid-19.
- Carrying out a Covid-19 Risk Assessment
- Developing cleaning, hand washing and hygiene procedures
- Maintaining two-metre social distancing
- Where people cannot be two-metres apart, managing the transmission risk
With Tier 2 and Tier 3 restrictions in place, the latest government guidelines on gatherings have been published, including those exempt from the ‘rule of six’ such as shooting. As of 14 October, the exemption for shooting applies to all areas of England regardless of the ‘alert level’ in force as long as Covid-19 regulations are complied with. The exemption however, does not include indoor gatherings.
Therefore, in Tier 1 areas, indoor gatherings must not exceed six people. In Tier 2 areas, separate households are not allowed to mix indoors and in Tier 3 separate households are not allowed to mix indoors or outdoors unless an exemption applies.
For shooting, this means that refreshment breaks and shoot lunches may be taken outdoors in Tier 1 and 2 areas, following social distancing and appropriate hygiene measures. If shoots are run as a business, they may host more than the regulated six inside their premises, as long as they conform to the alert level tier in force in the area and social distancing is maintained.
"Furthermore, shoot parties may visit pubs or restaurants as long as they conform to the rules enforced by the premises."
In Northern Ireland, new restrictions are in place enforcing a lockdown on the whole of Northern Ireland for a minimum of four weeks. Outdoor recreational activities such as shooting are allowed to take place, however, unnecessary travel is not encouraged. Gatherings of more than 15 people are not permitted and only employees can gather indoors (beaters and pickers-up) and only where essential for work purposes.
From 2 November, Scotland will adopt a new five-tier approach to coronavirus restrictions. The Scottish government has listed outdoor shooting sports as being exempt from socialising restrictions when socialising outdoors.
Wales’ ‘firebreak’ lockdown as of the 23 October until 9 November does not permit any gatherings with people you do not live with either indoors or outdoors, including recreational shooting activities.
For further information on any of the above issues or other rural matters please get in touch with Georgie.
Covid-19 – update on employment support and sporting issues
[Please note this update was compiled before Boris Johnson’s announcement on 31 October of a second national lockdown across England from 5 November to 2 December. Some of the content will no longer apply during that period.]
Main photo by fran hogan on Unsplash