Covid-19 Supporting our residents

The NHS is offering vaccines first to those at highest risk of catching the infection and of suffering serious complications if they do. This includes older adults, frontline health and social care workers, care home residents and staff, and those with certain clinical conditions.

When more vaccine becomes available, the vaccines will be offered to other people at risk as soon as possible.

For more information please read the PHE COVID-19 vaccination guide and the why do I need to wait leaflet.

The North East Hampshire and Farnham Clinical Commissioning Group also has regular updates on the vaccination roll-out. and there is a list of useful vaccination FAQs.

The public can really help the NHS deliver the vaccine effectively to those who need it most by following the below guidance.

•    The NHS will contact you when it’s the right time to come forward, so please don’t contact the NHS to seek a vaccine before then
•    Please act on your invite when it comes, and make sure you attend your appointments when you arrange them
•    Please continue to abide by all the social distancing and hand hygiene guidance, which will still save lives.

Across Hampshire residents will be invited in one of three ways to have a vaccination:

Using a local GP service: GP practices are working together across the county to vaccinate as many people as possible. Residents may be contacted by a different surgery to the one they usually go to.

Local hospital services: Patients may be contacted to have the vaccination as an inpatient or outpatient.

At a vaccination centre: If a person lives within 30 to 45 minutes of a vaccination centre, and hasn’t already been vaccinated, they may have received a letter asking them to book an appointment online at www.nhs.uk/covid-vaccination. If they can’t access the NHS website they can call 119 free. If a person would prefer to be vaccinated by their local GP practice or vaccination centre, as explained in the letter, they can wait to be contacted by their GP or try the website again later as sites are being added as they become available.
 

Scam alert: There have been reports of a new scam where a person receives a text saying they need to book a vaccination appointment and it takes them to a fake NHS form which then asks for their bank details to prove their identity. Another scam tries to charge for the vaccine - the vaccine is completely free and the NHS will never ask for a person’s banking information.

A new Government scheme has been introduced to help people on low incomes who need to self-isolate and are unable to work from home.

The new grants scheme came into effect on 28 September and means that anyone told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace from that date onwards, and who meet the relevant eligibility criteria, can claim. Please visit the Covid-19 Track and Trace Isolation Grants page for more information or email testandtrace@hart.gov.uk.

What is it?

A helpline providing information and advice, as well as practical support to vulnerable Hampshire residents who do not have support from family, friends or their local community, and who need urgent assistance

How is it run?

Hart has joined forces with Hampshire County Council, alongside the county’s community and voluntary sector, to ensure a coordinated response towards volunteer assistance. 

Hart District Council, in partnership with Hart Voluntary Action, has created the Hart Response Hub—HRH. The Hampshire Coronavirus and Support Line matches those requiring assistance with the most appropriate support network, which may be a referral to the HRH. HRH staff will assess the referrals received from the Hampshire Coronavirus and Support Line before offering the relevant support, which may include allocating them to the respective town or parish volunteers.

How can I get help?

The helpline provides information and advice, as well as practical support to vulnerable Hampshire residents.

The Hampshire Coronavirus and Support Line can be contacted on 0333 370 4000.

For the duration of the national lockdown, these extended hours will continue as follows:

• Monday to Thursday: 9am - 5pm
• Friday: 9am - 4.30pm
• Weekends: 10am - 3pm

Outside of these hours you will get an answerphone message advising the following:

• For advice about support related to coronavirus visit www.connecttosupporthampshire.org.uk
• For details about symptoms or if feeling unwell, visit 111.nhs.uk
• For emergency social care need, contact Hampshire Adult Services out of hours on telephone number 0300 5551373

What sort of help will I get?

The Hampshire Coronavirus and Support Line help is for vulnerable people who need urgent assistance with essential food or household supplies, collection of medication, or who are at risk of loneliness and who have no other support available. Please discuss your requirements with our friendly advisors who will ensure you get the help you need.

If assessed as being required, we can provide an urgent food parcel, taking into consideration dietary requirements wherever possible.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic Hart District Council has launched a Local Welfare Provision Hardship service which is a financial assistance scheme to help people who are in a crisis or emergency situation and where low level financial assistance would help prevent the crisis or emergency from escalating.

It is important to note that our Local Welfare Provision Hardship grants are limited to the funding that we receive from the Government. There is no statutory right to a grant and all awards are discretionary. We consider each application based on the circumstances of each applicant.

If people need help with food, we may be able to provide a voucher for a food parcel from a local foodbank. It is unlikely cash awards will be given direct to applicants and payments will be in the form of electronic gift vouchers or payments direct to suppliers.

Who can apply?

To apply for Local Welfare Provision a resident must be at least 18 years old and

• Be a current resident of Hart District, or have been housed out of the area by Hart’s Housing Services team within the past six months

• Not have savings that can be relied upon to meet your needs

• Not be excluded from applying for public funds on the basis of immigration status

• Not have received a Local Welfare Provision award in the past three weeks, unless they can demonstrate significant exceptional need

• Not have been refused a Local Welfare Provision award for the same need in the past two weeks, unless they can demonstrate exceptional circumstances

• Be without sufficient resources which would in turn cause serious risk to your own, or your family’s health or safety or well-being

• Not be eligible to receive or have received assistance for the requested funding or support from other public funds

or

• They need essential help with an emergency  - e.g. illness/emergency travel costs

Residents may need to provide documents to support their application. This would include items such as identification, proof of address, proof of savings, income and any benefits received. We are likely to need this information for all the adults within the household.

How to apply

Applications should be by email at hardship@hart.gov.uk or if this isn’t possible then by phone on 01252 774238. The email address and phone line are monitored five days a week, excluding Public Holidays, between 9am and 4.30pm. Outside of these hours a message can be left and a response will be given next working day.

This grants programme has been launched by Hart District Council, in partnership with Hart Voluntary Action. 

Aim of the fund 

The pandemic and associated social restrictions have led to an increase in social isolation and loneliness.  

People within the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable or Clinically Vulnerable groups* (both adults and children), have been particularly impacted. We are inviting voluntary and community organisations, and parish and town councils, to submit ideas for projects which enable Hart residents in these groups to: 

• connect with others and rebuild or create new community connections 
• regain their confidence and independence 
• improve their physical or mental wellbeing 

Projects must include some element of connecting people together. We recognise that there is ongoing uncertainty around the duration and extent of social restrictions due to COVID-19 and that this will affect what support and projects can be put in place. We therefore welcome ideas for projects which: 

• Can be delivered in the short-term while people are living under lockdown or strict social restrictions. For example, a virtual group. 

 and/or 

• Involve in-person connection meaning the project can only be delivered once restrictions are sufficiently lifted and it is considered safe to proceed. For example, a walking buddy scheme to build people’s confidence to get out and about. 

Projects must benefit Hart residents. A project could cover a wider area but you will need to tell us how many Hart residents you expect to benefit and the amount you apply for should reflect this as a proportion of the total project cost. 

Funding and support available 

• Practical support to develop your idea such as promotion, networking with local organisations, help identifying venues if in-person delivery is part of the project, support to identify match funding. 
• Maximum grant of £2,500. 
• Please tell us the least amount of funding you need in order to help us make funds go as far as possible. 
• Each application will be considered on an individual basis and in light of what funding is available at the point of receipt. 
• Applications will be invited for as long as there is funding available. 

Who can apply to the fund? 

Voluntary and community sector organisations and parish and town Councils. We cannot fund applications from individuals.  

We CAN fund: 

• Initiatives which are already established, so long as these were set up in response to the COVID-19 situation or are not yet available in Hart and funding would enable expansion into Hart district
• New initiatives which respond to emerging need 
• Project running costs including salaries but only those that relate to direct delivery of the project
• Small capital costs providing the capital item will address the priorities of the fund (please note that receipts will be required for capital items that have been purchased). 

We CANNOT fund: 

• Projects which relate solely to religious purposes; 
• Activities that are part of the usual support provided by the organisation (unless set up due to COVID-19 or the activity is not currently offered in Hart and the funding would enable expansion into Hart);
• Loss of income;
• We cannot provide retrospective funding for projects which have already been delivered
• Large capital items
• Applications from individuals
• Political activities or lobby groups
• Organisations applying on behalf of a third party
• Organisations which have already received grant funding from Hart District Council for the same project, in the same financial year 
• Support delivered by a national charity where there is no local branch. 

How to apply

This grant programme is jointly administered by Hart District Council and Hart Voluntary Action. 

Ensure that your project idea meets the aims and criteria of the scheme 

Get in touch to tell us about your idea covid19help@hartvolaction.org.uk. Please provide the following information: 

• The name of your group or organisation
• A brief overview of your project idea
• Whether this would be a new project, or a continuation or expansion of an existing project.  
• If it is a new initiative, please provide an estimate of when the project would be established by
• Amount being sought and estimate of numbers the project would support. 

A member of the team will contact you to discuss your project further including what support you are looking for. 

If the team feels the project would meet the aims and remit of the programme, it will invite you to submit an application form. 

*Note: Definition of Clinically Vulnerable and Clinically Extremely Vulnerable

In response to the latest lockdown and in partnership with Hart Voluntary Action, the Council has re-opened its grant scheme for groups providing emergency community support during the coronavirus pandemic.  

Existing voluntary groups, informal groups established in response to the pandemic, and parish and town councils can all apply for a grant of up to £300.

Please email with details before submitting your application to ensure you meet the criteria.

Eligibility criteria

Who can apply?

Response groups providing practical support to Hart residents such as shopping for food and essentials, and prescription collection:

• Voluntary groups/not-for-profit organisations/incorporated clubs and societies
• Informal groups established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (we can help you to find a third party to receive the payment)
• Parish or town council

What can I apply for?

• Maximum grant of £300
• Funding is intended to help groups/organisations support members of the community experiencing practical difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 virus outbreak. This may include but not be limited to those shielding, older people, and those who are having to self-isolate.
• Grants can be used for practical support such as purchasing IT or other equipment, transport, printing, volunteer and travel expenses etc. The grant can be used to support the local provision of emergency supplies to the community but should not be used to provide goods or services for a specific individual.

What conditions must be satisfied?

• Discuss any application for funding with the Grant Administration team prior to completing the form. Please email covid19help@hartvolaction.org.uk and someone will get back to you.
• The grant is solely for work involved in supporting the community through the COVID-19 outbreak not furthering the work of an organisation.
• You must retain all receipts - we will follow up with all grant award holders to understand how the grant has been spent and the impact.

What information must be provided?

• A fully completed, signed and dated application form.

• Each county councillor has a total of £10,000 for use in their division, and grants are available from £100. Funding can be applied for to help local groups and projects through the Coronavirus outbreak. Further information can be found on the Hampshire County Council website.

  The Grants Online webpage lists national, regional and county level funding programmes to assist local organisations in responding to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.

In response to changing behaviours and routines, Hampshire domestic abuse support services have adapted the way they deliver support so they are as accessible as possible through telephone, direct messaging and email. As well as the Hampshire Domestic Abuse Advice line extending the hours when calls are answered, Aurora New Dawn have set up a 24/7 helpline for victims across Hampshire.

Some face-to-face work is still done where this is essential, for example facilitating access to a refuge. There is capacity within the refuges and the Government have made it clear that people can leave their homes to enable them to travel to a refuge. 

Safer North Hampshire has many helpful tips, including those on safety planning - thinking through different scenarios for how a domestic incident may begin, so that those involved can be prepared and able to react in the best way. 

We would like to draw attention to the range of online key information, help and advice below.  

Local support services: 

 National domestic abuse helplines and websites: 

Further guidance on COVID-19 and domestic abuse can be found on the Government website. 

Please be aware that across the Country recently there has been a new trend in fraud related to Coronavirus, or COVID-19. 

Scams include online shopping through selling bogus goods or services & phishing emails attempting to trick people into opening malicious attachments to gain personal information. The advice is simple, if you need support please contact the Council in the first instance and we can direct you.

If you think you have been the victim of a scam, then speak to your bank immediately and report any fraud to Action Fraud (www.actionfraud.police.uk) on 0300 123 2040.

You can get further information on dealing with scams and fraud by contacting the Citizens Advice Consumer helpline via 0808 223 1133,

If you witness scammers in your area, or have any concerns, you should contact Hampshire County Council’s trading standards department