The Covid-19 outbreak is a national crisis that affects each of us, our families, our friends, and our neighbours in different ways.

My team and I are doing everything we can to help people living in Ealing North in accessing whatever support there is, and I’m pushing the Government to go further.

We’ve put together some information below where you can find advice or support for some of the most common questions people have been asking. If you’d like to get in touch with me, please click the ‘Contact’ link at the top of this page.

Scroll down for advice on:

1. Staying at home and social distancing
2. Keeping safe if you may have COVID-19
3. Self-isolating if you are vulnerable
4. Help if you have lost your job or income
5. Help if you run a local business or are self-employed
6. Looking after your children
7. Support if you are suffering domestic abuse

If you are experiencing symptoms of coronavirus please visit NHS 111 online coronavirus service.

Please follow the latest health advice. Stay at home with the exception of:

• Shopping for basic necessities: food and medicine
• One form of exercise a day
• Any medical need: to donate blood, avoid injury or harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person
• Travelling for work, but only where you cannot work from home

For more detailed government guidelines on what you should be doing click here.

If you are feeling distressed, please call the Samaritans on 116123.

If you are showing symptoms of coronavirus, you will need to self-isolate. The two main symptoms are a high temperature or a new, continuous cough.

Please visit the NHS 111 online coronavirus service for more information and to find out what to do. Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

Read the guidance on self-isolation, especially if you live with a vulnerable person or someone in your household has symptoms.

For how to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus, click here for NHS advice.

If you cannot work from home and you need to self-isolate, please follow the guidance on how to manage this with your employer and what support you are entitled to.

If you need a self-isolation note for your employer, click here.

If you need shopping, prescription medicines or anything else, or know someone who does, contact your local council.

• If you have a medical condition which makes you vulnerable to coronavirus, register here for support with food, deliveries and care from the government.

If you, or someone you know is without support visit www.ealingtogether.org.

There are a number of local groups of volunteers to help those self-isolating. They are providing incredible work for our local community and we are extremely grateful. But, please note that volunteers might not have had safeguarding checks.

• Ealing Together  is helping vulnerable people with shopping delivery, buying food and crisis payment to pay for food. To apply complete the form at the bottom of their Help for Residents page
• There is an Ealing Covid-19 Mutual Aid Facebook group. To request support fill out the form here.

For the elderly, Age UK are offering a range of services including advice, help with deliveries and internet shopping and friendly phone calls if you are or know someone who is feeling lonely.

• For information and advice, call Age UK Advice on 0800 169 65 65.
• For a friendly phone call, day or night, call Age UK Silver Line on 0800 470 80 90

If you or a relative has dementia, for advice and support contact the Alzheimer’s Society support line on 0333 150 3456.

If you think you have been visited by doorstep scammers, report them to Citizens Advice by calling 0808 223 113.

If you have lost a job or income as a result of coronavirus, or your job is at risk, please read this guidance which explains the benefits you are entitled to and how to claim them.

You could be entitled to financial support from your local council.

Click here for Ealing Council’s Financial help page.

There are a number of food banks and food distribution services available in the London Borough Ealing. For more information click here.

Salma Food Bank (West London)

• Tel: 07767 164 246 (Mon-Fri, 10 am to 12 pm).
• Visit this link for more information.

Ealing Food Bank

• A referral is needed via your job centre worker, social worker, local welfare assistance team or a professional you are working with. Contact the Ealing Family Information Service 020 8825 5588/children@ealing.gov.uk , who can make a referral on your behalf.
• Tel: 020 8840 9428 or 07769 759756
• Address: St Mellitus Hall, 1 Church Road, Hanwell, W7 3BB.

Ealing Soup Kitchen

• Address Saturday and Sunday 3:30-5pm: St Johns Church, Mattock Lane, Ealing, W13 9LA
• Mondays 7-8:30pm: The Salvation Army, 8 Leeland Road, Ealing, W13 9HH.
• Tel: 020 8566 3507
• Email: ealingsoupkitchen@gmail.com

Free School Meals

• If your child receives Free School Meals normally, they will be offered vouchers, food or meals to make sure they continue receiving this support, even if they are no longer attending school. Please contact your child’s school of you wish to continue receiving access to Free School Meals. For further information contact Pupil Support Service at pupilsupport@ealing.gov.uk or call 0208 825 5566.

If you are struggling with rent payments or worried about eviction, the Government has announced some measures to help including a three-month suspension of evictions which you can read about here. If you need help:

• The housing charity Shelter have some advice here. You can also call their helpline 0808 800 4444.
• If you are struggling to pay bills, visit the Citizens advice page for advice.
• Citizen’s Advice have a page of advice if you are struggling with paying the bills.
• Ofgem has a useful FAQ page for energy issues.

If you are worried about paying tax, call HMRC’s helpline on 0800 0159 559 or click here.

The Department for Communities, Local Government and Housing can give you advice on housing issues on 030 3444 0000 or fill out this form.

Turn2us provides information for those facing financial crises, including advise on benefits and grants. Their helpline is 0808 802 2000 (Mon-Fri 9am-5:30pm).

Guidance on how to manage a financial crises can be found on Money Saving Expert and the StepChange Debt Charity.

The Government’s guidance for employers and businesses has advice on how to run your business and manage staff during this time.

• For charities, visit here.

Read here for the measures the Government has introduced to support businesses.

For free advice on how to support your business call the Business Support Helpline on 0300 456 3565 (Monday – Friday, 9am – 6pm).

If you are worried about paying tax, call HMRC’s helpline on 0800 0159 559.

For more guidance for small businesses and self-employed, visit The Federation of Small Businesses.

If you are self-employed:

• You are entitled to universal credit.
• There will be a Self-Employment Income Support Scheme available from June.

Visit School Closures Coronavirus Helpline or call 0800 046 8687

Spaces are available in schools for children of key workers and vulnerable children.

• Ealing’s Family Information Service will be supporting these parents. For help, please email children@ealing.gov.uk. If you need to speak to someone please call 020 8825 5588 (Mon-Fri, 9am to 5pm).
• Government guidance on who is a critical worker can be found here.

• If your child receives Free School Meals normally, they will be offered vouchers, food or meals to make sure they continue receiving this support, even if they are no longer attending school. Please contact your child’s school of you wish to continue receiving access to Free School Meals. For further information contact Pupil Support Service at pupilsupport@ealing.gov.uk or call 0208 825 5566.

To help home-school:

• A full list of useful resources for parents/carers, children and young people can be found here.
• The Literacy Trust have lots of resources to help reading, writing and language.
• Joe Wicks, the Body Coach is doing daily PE sessions at 9am on his YouTube channel.

With government instructions to stay at home we understand it will be a difficult time for families, especially those facing abuse from people in their household.

Please call 999 and ask for the police if you are in immediate danger. If you are in danger but unable to speak on the phone, dial 999 and press 55.

If you are a woman experiencing domestic abuse you can contact the National Domestic Violence helpline on 0808 2000 247 for confidential support and advice.

If you are a man experiencing domestic abuse you can contact the Men’s Advice Line on 0808 801 0357

If you are in a same-sex relationship you can call the National LGBT Domestic Violence Helpline on 0800 999 5428.

If you have concerns about the safety of a child/ young person please contact Ealing Children’s Integrated Response service on 020 8825 8000 (option 1) or email ECIRS@ealing.gov.uk

If you are feeling distressed, please call the Samaritans on 116123.