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Coronavirus Board

Threads from the Coronavirus support boards. Support, help, travel, and positivity

Wise words about coping with working from home with children off school
This was posted on my Facebook timeline by a former colleague, still teaching in KS1. I think they are wise words. I've also posted this on Family board to ensure as many people as possible get some reassurance from it. March 19 at 9:03 PMThis post below was made by a primary school principal on a fb group that I am a…
Secret Escapes
Secret Escapes have said the UK hotel we booked through them is closing due to Covid 19 and that the booking is non refundable for cancellations so advised us we can try to re-book via them for future dates but no guarantee of acceptance by the hotel. I thought the non refundable reference related to the customer…
Ryanair Charge Back
I have a Ryanair flight booked to Spain at end of July 2022, nearly £300 return, by chance I've gone on to the booking to find an additional charge of £59 due to a charge back in March 2020 when I had to return from Spain urgently at the Covid lockdown and claimed via my bank card. Ryanair take your booking and payment and…
Covid testing for entering USA ends midnight 12 June.
Full details here: the need to test before travel to the USA ends midnight Sunday 12 June ie between Sunday and Monday.
Registered for Homes for Ukraine - But how to Make Contact?
Afternoon all. Have registered, got the registration details and an email on 'what to do if you know a Ukrainian'. We do not know anyone under that heading but we are keen to participate. We can help and have resources & space to be able to. How do we make contact in a credible and proper way? What charities are…
Greece has withdrawn the use of PLF
As we get a few questions here about countries that have easier access for travellers it is worth noting that Greece has now withdrawn the requirement to do a PLF, although worth checking for other requirements especially if unvaccinated. https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece/entry-requirements
CEV Is it just me? I'm still petrified!
I'm CEV, I feel like Boris has closed his eyes to Covid as he has to focus on Russia. I'm confused as all of a sudden there's no risk, no mask required etc. I'm still anxious being around people. I know some of that is social. But my anxiety is made worse by my feeling that the Government not taking it seriously means…
Ukraine conflict: how you can help - blog discussion
In light of the terrible situation in Ukraine, we've rounded up ways you can help. Read the full blog:Ukraine conflict: how you can help
Taking Expedia to the small claims court
I booked a £500 flight to New York via Expedia and wanted to change the surname on the booking to my maiden name. Over 2 months, 10 phonecalls and countless emails, Expedia said they'd process my change but didn't. Come the day of the flight they still didn't and I ended up having to buy another ticket for over £1000.…
Randox - Refunds
Has anyone actually managed to achieve a refund from Randox? I cancelled some tests over a month ago and no one replies to emails or answers phone. It's not a massive amount, but they sent terms and conditions with confirmation, which I followed exactly. They are either very disorganised or are intentionally ignoring. Not…
Random acts of kindness.
Love hearing about these. I love to get food for those in doorways. On our return from abroad we gave our entire larder, fridge, and freezer contents to a local hard-up family. Just makes you feel good to do something good for someone. I'd love to be super-rich and go around handing out money to those in tricky situations.…
Childcare voucher refunds
I currently have unused childcare vouchers, I knew I had a surplus and calculated how much I needed to cover childcare until my child finished primary school in 2021. As a result I cancelled my vouchers from summer 2019. Covid has meant that I did not use child care as either my son was home schooling or I was at home. I…
EU shortly to refuse to accept vaccination certificates after 9-months
Hopefully everyone that qualifies is taking the opportunity now to receive a covid booster jab. This news from the EU might spur some along more. The EU has announced that, from 1st February 2022, a coronavirus vaccination certificate will not be valid if it is more than nine months (270 days) since the second dose and no…
Booster / 3rd Jab - Now showing on NHS app
As title really, booster jab now showing on NHS app. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59345184
Part of the Wolverhampton Mess Up - What Now?
So at the end of last month I felt unwell so did a lateral flow test. I got the dreaded two stripes so followed the advice to get a PCR. I booked myself in at my local drive through and got tested. A day later I received the text to say everything was negative. Then I saw last week on the news that a testing branch out of…
I'm taking Ryanair through the small claims court
Posting this in case any MSE Forum members also find themselves in Court action with Ryanair. My case was due to be heard in Manchester County Court today, but a Court !!!!!!-up meant that it wasn't. I now have to wait for a new date. Anyway.... In June 2020 I booked flights for 4 to Tenerife (to fly on Dec 23 2020), at a…
Testing after Covid
If you’ve had Covid and recovered they tell you not to test again for 90 days (if not experiencing symptoms) as you could have a positive test without actually having Covid. How will this work for testing for return to the UK? I’ve tried searching the internet for an answer without any luck. Does anybody know? Jak x
Covid tests for children when returning to England after a holiday
I have a query regarding getting children tested for Covid when returning to England after a holiday. The following page on Gov.uk shows the rules for taking tests before arriving back in England. It states "Children aged under 11 do not need to take a…
Lateral Flow covid testing centres are empty.
I went for a lateral flow test yesterday, arriving at midday we were the first people using the centre that day! The centres are there for people without symptoms, apparently 1/3 of infected people show no symptoms but can carry the virus and infect others. There were about 10 people working there, at £10? per hour each,…
Why has the Furlough Scheme been updated?
Before lockdown 2.0 the furlough scheme was updated to cover people who had been employed up to 30th October. I started a new job in December after lockdown 2.0 and my employer has said they cannot claim furlough for me because the rules haven’t been updated .... I was confident that maybe this was just something that…

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
If you're a Lloyds, Halifax or Bank of Scotland current account holder, the interest rate you're charged for using your overdraft could change soon as part of a fees shake-up. The Lloyds Banking Group, which owns all three brands, says millions of its customers will pay less after the changes – but a "few" will pay more.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more low-income households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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