Following the Prime Minister's announcement on Monday evening of a new national lockdown, London Councils Chair Cllr Georgia Gould said: “It is heartbreaking that once again we are facing a national lockdown, but it is absolutely the right decision. Covid-19 cases are increasing at a dangerous rate and the NHS is in crisis.

“This will be devastating news for all Londoners and will hit disadvantaged families, children, clinically vulnerable people and local businesses hardest of all.

“Boroughs are digging deep to protect and support all our communities across the capital, drawing strength from the resilience they have shown over the past year.

“However we will also be clear with national government and others that more resources will be needed to deliver vital local services and support businesses struggling to survive.

“Despite the fatigue we all feel, we must all continue to follow public health advice - hands, face and space - if we are to bring down the number of coronavirus cases and hospital admissions in our city.

“By working together over the next few months we have the best possible chance of keeping ourselves, our loved ones and our community safe as the vaccine rollout continues."

Detailed guidance on the national lockdown is available on the government website here.

Businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors are to receive a one-off top up worth up to £9,000 per property to help them through to the spring, under a new £4.6 billion package of emergency funding announced by the Chancellor yesterday.

The new funding followed the Prime Minister's announcement that such business will need to close until at least February half-term to help control the virus.

In additional to the one-off grants for businesses closed as a result of lockdown, the Chancellor also revealed:

• A £594 million discretionary fund to support other impacted businesses
• £1.1 billion further discretionary grant funding for Local Authorities, Local Restriction Support Grants worth up to £3,000 a month and an extension of furlough scheme.

The emergency support for businesses comes at a critical time, with one in three (34.1 per cent) of small businesses in London already reporting they have either zero or less than three months of cash reserves left.

While the emergency funding is welcome, London Councils has called on government to provide a clearer plan for businesses that looks ahead to when we emerge from the pandemic, including a targeted extension to the business rates holiday and a reverse in the policy to end VAT-free shopping.  

The London Fire Brigade is reminding Londoners to recycle their Christmas trees and not to burn them. The LFB said that, with an increase in real Christmas tree sales this year, they were concerned at a potential spike in call outs. Recycling Christmas trees is both a safer and a greener way to dispose of them. Londoners should check their council website for local recycling arrangements.