To ask you to remember staff are meant to be at home

[Reluctantbettlynch]

When you are phoning / emailing / contacting businesses through social media because they've had to close and you have something booked - staff are not in work.
The Govt only pays if they are furloughed (so can't be in work) as well as the government advice to stay home.
I've seen loads on my news feed to caravan sites, hotels & holiday lets "I've rung loads of times and nobody answers" or similar 🙈
If you have things booked beyond a month's time then nobody knows if life will be getting back to normal / when. Most places are offering date changes and will get back to you when they can; if they don't then claim on travel insurance.
In these times please be nice to people you are dealing with. Their livelihoods are on the line.
Realistically no business is looking at getting any money until May. Medium sized hospitality businesses are in the worst position as they don't qualify for grants but have more staff depending on them.
Please be patient, stay home (if possible), stay safe and hopefully it will be over sooner.

What role do you hold in central government?

Do you have some kind of advance access to the furlough guidance? Your advice seems to go beyond anything available for businesses so far.

That’s fine.......apart from the company that I am trying to deal with to see if they are still picking and deriving my dads incontinence stuff or do I have to risk a trip out?????
Some of us are really needing so if this info

In these times please be nice to people you are dealing with.

Probably a good idea the rest of the time, too. Generally people are more willing to help you if you are polite to them in the first place.

I've read it on the government website and from an accountancy firm advising employees and employers. I'm in the position that I've been furloughed so researched it.

I've read it on the government website

can you provide a link to a government website that says what you posted above- thanks

@Seeitsortit is the company open? I'm specifically talking about those that are closed but people still expect staff to be in work

Seeitsortit, the incontinence service is still happening where i live. Could you phone any points of contact that your Dad has, to see if they can find out?

Points of contact within community services, that is.

And yes I am always pleasant and thank them for working during these times, but I have a sister stuck in a foreign country with flights cancelled, my niece stressing, my mum self isolating and dad requiring these goods soon - even if they’d put an automated email on it would be something!

@bigyellowduck which specific piece of information are you chasing? The whole point of the thread is businesses being closed due to cv means exactly that, so why do the general public expect staff to serve their needs at a closed company...

The incontinence service still haven’t done an assessment in 4 months.......we have had to buy all his supplies ourselves

If staff are working at home, companies should have made arrangements to have the phones forwarded but yes I agree with the basic point that there's no point added to the chaos and your own stress by contacting people now about things due to happen in the coming weeks.

We know everything is cancelled and what will be will be re the money. It won't make any difference if you know today or next month. It's not like you need it to rearrange atm!

I don’t know if they are still working - there’s no phone number and just a contact is page

@bigyellowduck which specific piece of information are you chasing?

You have given very specific guidance about furloughing- that isn't in any government guidance that I can find. I would like too see the links that specify what can and cant be done when on furlough.

There are lots of businesses whose doors are closed but who have staff working remotely and answering emails/calls.