Due to current circumstances with coronavirus, my constituency office will be operating differently until further notice in line with UK and Welsh government advice.
To ensure the safety of both constituents and my office staff, my constituency office will be closed from Friday 25th March. I will not be holding any advice surgeries or face to face appointments for the foreseeable future.
However, I will still be able to help supporting you in any way that I can during this difficult time. My constituency office number (02920256255) will be re directed to a temporary number for the time being. If we miss your call, please leave a voicemail and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
You will still be able to email me at jenny.rathbone@assembly.wales.
Make sure you follow me on my official social media channels to keep up to date with any information that may be of use, such as support with business queries you may have.
Casework:
All my staff have access to email and telephones, so they will be able to continue with urgent casework where possible. However, please be aware that due to the pressure placed under many organisations by the Coronavirus outbreak, there may be delays with your case.
Coronavirus-specific advice:
There are several organisations who will be able to help during this time, including:
- Cardiff Council (for Coronavirus advice): www.cardiff.gov.uk
- Public Health Wales: https://phw.nhs.wales
- Citizens Advice Cymru: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/wales/
- Coronavirus financial advice service: moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/coronavirus-what-it-means-for-you
- Transport for Wales Coronavirus travel advice https://tfwrail.wales/covid-19
- Foreign Office travel advice: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
- Advice for people who have booked tickets to travel abroad: https://www.abta.com/news/coronavirus-outbreak
- Welsh Government schools and education advice: https://gov.wales/education-coronavirus
- Welsh Government advice on social distancing: https://gov.wales/how-reduce-risk-catching-or-spreading-coronavirus
- Welsh Government social and community care advice: https://gov.wales/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-social-or-community-care-and-residential-settings
- UK Government Universal Credit advice: understandinguniversalcredit.gov.uk/coronavirus
Business Advice:
I have published a document outlining current support for businesses during this time, and will endeavour to update it as more information is made available.
Also available are:
- UK Government Business Advice see the page here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19
- HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a dedicated helpline for businesses concerned about being able to pay tax due to COVID-19: 0800 0159 559.
- Acas provides workplace advice for employers and employees. It has a page on Coronavirus that is being updated daily: https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus and provides a helpline: 0300 123 1100.
- Wales TUC: the Wales TUC are supporting their members as are individual unions https://www.tuc.org.uk/covid-19-coronavirus-wales
For example, the public services union:UNISON: https://www.unison.org.uk/coronavirus-rights-work/
Other useful contacts:
- Cardiff Council will continue to be functioning as normal, but there will be some changes to their services. Please visit their website for further information
- Cardiff Foodbank: https://cardiff.foodbank.org.uk
- Wales and West Housing: 0800 052 2526
- Out of Hours GP Service: 0300 1235 060
- Police (non-emergency): 101
- Live Fear Free: 0808 801 0800
- Dan 24/7 (Drugs and Alcohol): 0808 808 2234
- Friends Against Scams:https://www.friendsagainstscams.org.uk/article/505/beware_of_covid_19_scams
Utilities:
Gas Leak: 0800 11 999
Power Cut: 0800 678 3105
Welsh Water: 0800 085 3968
Consult with your energy provider directly to see what they are offering for customers during this time.
Mental Health:
Please ensure that you seek support if you need it with any mental health difficulty you may be experiencing during this time. A few places that can help are:
Samaritans: 116 123
BBC tips on looking after your mental health: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-51873799
Mind’s advice on protecting your mental health: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/
Useful mental health helpline contact numbers:
- Mind: 0300 123 3393
- Shout CRISIS Text Line: Text Shout to 85258
- Rethink Mental Illness: 0300 5000 927 (Monday to Friday between 10am-2pm)
- CALL Helpline Wales: 0800 132 737
- Hafal: 01792 816 600
- Bipolar UK: 0333 3233 880
Please note:
This is a situation that is changing day-by-day at the moment, so make sure you stay regularly informed with the latest advice and follow the advice of the UK and Welsh governments to help each other as much as we can.
Jenny