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What does the COVID-19 tier system mean for our clients?

On 17 October 2020, the Government introduced a three tier system of restrictions in England: tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3.

London currently falls within tier 2. This means that participating in ‘banned gatherings’ is a criminal offence with penalties starting at £200 for a first offence. There are exceptions to the ban on gatherings including an allowance for work purposes on “reasonably necessary” grounds. The relief on gatherings for work purposes will be allowed within all three tiers with no limit on size, and organised gatherings on business premises (including people participating alone or in groups that do not ‘mingle’) are also exempt.

As a business, Grant Saw are adhering to Government guidance to protect our staff, clients and visitors. We are requesting all meetings to take place via video conferencing facilities where possible unless a face-to-face meeting is necessary. We continue to ask all visitors to our offices in Greenwich and Blackheath to wear a face covering throughout their visit unless they have a medical exemption. Hand sanitiser is available upon arrival and a digital non-contact thermometer will be used upon entry. Social distancing will remain in place to stop the spread of the virus with a 2 metre distance in place.

Grant Saw staff will continue to work from home wherever possible and we will retain a core central team working in the office ensuring COVID-secure procedures remain in place. The safety of our staff is at the forefront of our planning. We are ensuring staff have the equipment they need to work from home and we are constantly checking in to make sure staff are OK. As you may have seen from my update a few weeks back, mental health is very important to us, particularly during this pandemic. If staff cannot work from home, they are more than welcome to work from the office. You can more in the Government’s ‘working safely during COVID-19’ guidance, which is available here.

The three tier system applies to England and different rules apply to other parts of the UK. Those who live in one tier and travel to work in another tier will need to take particular care to comply with the guidelines relevant to where they both live and work.

To discuss the changes, please feel free to contact me via email or call me directly on 020 8305 4224.