With a few hot days under our belts and now more to come, can I encourage everyone to look out for each other, just as we did at the height of the pandemic. I am sure you are aware that the Met Office has issued a Red extreme heat warning for Monday and Tuesday. The NHS has put out some useful advice: drink plenty of water, stay indoors or in the shade, close your curtains during the day to help keep your rooms cool, use sun cream and never leave animals in vehicles. As school holidays are about to start, I do hope the good weather, perhaps slightly cooler, continues for a few more weeks!
Whilst the weather is so glorious, its hard to think about the Autumn! However, on Friday the plans for the Autumn COVID-19 and Flu vaccination programmes were announced. For COVID-19, boosters will be offered to residents and staff in older adult care homes, frontline health and social care workers, people aged 50 and over, people aged 5-49 in a clinical risk group, household members of those who are immunosuppressed, and unpaid carers aged 16-49. For the Flu jab, those who are eligible are everyone aged 50 and over, primary school children and students in years 7,8 and 9, clinical risk groups and unpaid carers. The NHS will call people forward based on risk, as has been so successful throughout the COVID-19 vaccination programme over the last 18 months.
Probably the most important issue at the moment, and the issue most people are talking to me about is the cost of living. One in four families will be receiving the first government Cost of Living Payment as from last week, this is in addition to the £150 council tax rebate and the energy bill grants that many people across Erewash qualify for. It is estimated that 11,600 families will receive the means-tested Cost of Living Payments and 9700 individuals are eligible for the disability Cost of Living Payment. Many pensioner households will also qualify for and extra £300 as Winter Fuel Payments later this year. In total, the government’s package of support amounts to £37 billion. This comes so soon after the £407 billion package of support for businesses and individuals, including the furlough scheme which was so necessary to support everyone through the peak of the pandemic.
It is always pleasing to meet young people getting on well in their careers, and meeting the Screwfix Trade Apprentice for 2022, Alex Avis was no exception. Alex is a young man who, during the lockdown, realised his passion for construction when he built a garden shed with his brother. Changing careers from marketing to working for a small building company has changed his life. During my visit to Screwfix I also met Miriam and Chris who have successfully undertaken trade-up apprenticeships and are now moving on through the business with their careers. I’m a great advocate of apprenticeships where young people can earn and learn and ,at the same time, develop a great career.
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Keep cool and keep safe!
Maggie Throup MP
Member of Parliament for Erewash
P.S. My community office is open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, however we are operating an appointment system. Should you need to visit my office, please phone 0115 930 0521 to book an appointment. Should you have an issue I can help you with, please either phone my office or email me at [email protected].
Promoted by Ian F. Gutteridge, on behalf of Maggie Throup MP, both of Unit 2 The Old Co-Op, South Street,
Ilkeston, Derbyshire DE7 5SG.
