Covid-19 Useful Links
Please find below useful links in response to the current COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak. This page will be regularly updated as more information and resources become available.
Government Advice
The Government has also established a Whatsapp text message service. To recieve official advice and information about coronavirus, message 'hi' to 07860 064422.
Access Government Guidance with British Sign Language
Guidance in other languages - English, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Bengali, Bulgarian, Czech, Dari, Estonian, Farsi, French, German. Greek, Gujarati, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Kiswahili, Krio, Kurdish Sorani, Lithuanian, Oromo, Malayalam, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Sindhi, Slovak, Spanish, Somali, Tamil, Tigrinya, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese, Wolof, Yiddish.
Guidance for educational settings
Guidance for older people and vulnerable adults
HMRC guidance - If you are concerned about not being able to pay an overdue tax bill or a bill due in the near future due to COVID-19, you can contact the new dedicated helpline on 0800 0159 559.
HMRC Personal tax account - sign in or set up
HMRC - Coronavirus helpline number to support customers impacted by coronavirus is 0800 024 1222; open from 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
HMRC Self-employment Income Support Scheme
For businesses that want to offer their help to the Government from their Call for Action on ventilators, please email: Ventilator.support@beis.gov.uk or call 0300 456 3565.
Health
Greater Preston Clinical Commissioning Group - links to a wide range of sources of information.
Autism - Help and advice from Autistica
Asthma UK - advice for people with Asthma. Their helplines are available Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm: 0300 222 5800
British Heart Foundation (BHF) - Advise for people with a heart or circulatory disease
British Lung Foundation - advice for people with lung conditions, such as COPD and pulmonary fibrosis. Their helplines are available Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm: 03000 030 555
Diabetes - specialist information and advice on all aspects of living with diabetes through our Diabetes UK Helpline. We can help with answers, support or just to talk to someone who knows about diabetes - on 0345 123 2399 or helpline@diabetes.org.uk. Our helpline is open Monday to Friday, from 9am to 6pm.
Kooth - free, safe and anonymous online well being service which offers a wide range of therapeutic tools including counselling for children and young people.
General Medical Council (GMC) - advice for patients, guidance for doctors and medical students
Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Trust (Mental Health)
Newly launched mental health crisis line is available 24/7 on 0800 953 0110. It is staffed by trained mental health professionals who are able to provide assessment and referrals to appropriate services – ring it if you need to access services or for advice about someone who needs treatment/support.
The mental health and wellbeing helpline, staffed by volunteers and those with lived experience, offers emotional support for people who want to chat about mental health or are lonely etc. It can be contacted on 0800 915 4640 or by texting ‘Hello’ to 07860 022846.
Mental Health Helpline (Lancashire) - Confidential, free listening service, out of hours phone numbers and text service for people in Lancashire.
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman - information about how NHS complaints will be dealt during Coronavirus
RCOG Advice for Pregnant Women - Health and occupational advice
Royal College of Nursing - advice for nurses returning to work or working extra hours
Banking
Co-op Bank - support for customers
Barclays - customers, Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme
HSBC - support for business and personal customers. Telephone contact centre (0345 740 4404) is open from 08:00 to 20:00. HSBC Business Interruption Loan Scheme.
Lloyds Banking - help and support for customers
NatWest - updates for customers
Santander - advice and help for customers
TSB - help or customers and businesses
Charities
National Emergencies Trust (NET) Coronavirus Appeal
FAQs and guidance for the Charity Sector
Action for Children - advice for parents
Age UK - Lancashire Contact details
Cancer Help - local charity in Preston, donate here.
Cats Protection
Macmillan Cancer Support - help and advice
Marie Curie - Check in and chat - support for people with a terminal illness
Money Advice Service - Money Navigator Tool - gives you action plans based on your own situation:
- the money issues you need to tackle first
- how to stay on top of bills and payments
- What extra help and support you’re entitled to
- Where you can get free advice for debt, housing or redundancy
Royal British Legion - The Legion’s contact centre remains fully operational to support the Armed Forces community and can be reached on 0808 802 8080 (8am-8pm, seven days a week) or at info@britishlegion.org.uk.
Councils
Preston City Council - Covid-19 advice
Lancashire County Council - Care homes, Libraries, archives and museums, Public transport, Marriage Registration service, Schools
Consumer Issues
Reporting Form to report unfair business practices to the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA)
OFGEM - Advice for Energy Consumers
Which? Consumer Rights Hub - information and advice on protecting your finances during Coronavirus outbreak
Covid rates
House of Commons Lockdown Restrictions Map (UK)
A helpful resource produced by the House of Commons library indicating local lockdowns & Covid19 restrictions across the country, including in Preston. The map is regularly updated and contains a summary of restrictions with links to further detail on government guidance.
Educational Resources
BT Skills for tomorrow - courses to help get online, use email, pay bills, do online shopping digital tools, set up and use social media etc
Cambridge University Press - all Academic higher education textbooks free to access online
Girlguiding - Adventures at Home
National Literacy Trust - Family Zone
Open University - Open Learn
Premier League Primary Stars - free educational resources
STEM Resources - Primary and Secondary age children
UNICEF - How to talk to your child about Coronavirus
Faiths
Crossgate Church, Preston - streaming live Sunday morning services at 10am
Humanist UK - information and advice including humanist funeral advice
Preston Muslim Burial Society - contacts and advice
BBC Live Sunday Worship - BBC local radio stations will be broadcasting worships led by different Christian denominations on their Sunday breakfast programmes. Features and programmes from other faith groups will also appear on air at other times.
Energy & Utilities Providers
Electricity North West -Live power cuts information, Priority Service Register Register (PSR)
E-on - information for customers
OFCOM - How broadband and mobile firms are serving customers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Scottish Power - information for customers, SP Energy information for vulnerable customers
Utilita - Phone number for Vulnerable Customers without internet or smartphone access
United Utilities - Update for customers
Foodbanks
Preston's Promise - Apply for a food parcel. Follow them Instagram, Facebook or donate to their cause.
Housing
Progress Housing - information for tenants
Shelter - help and advice for people facing eviction, rent problems, mortgage arrears and reposession
Transport
Avanti West Coast - travel information
National Rail Enquiries - travel advice
Transpennine Express - up to date information for passengers
Preston Bus - Timetable Changes
Stagecoach - temporary timetables
Travel
Work & Unions
Acas - Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service - public body. Helpline 0330 123 1100 can provide help and advice to employees and employers.
Usdaw - Advice for members and recruitment opportunities for all
Maternity Action - Rights and benefits during pregnancy and maternity leave
