Boris Johnson has ordered pubs and restaurants across the country to close as the Government announced unprecedented measures to cover the wages of workers who would otherwise lose their jobs due to the coronavirus outbreak.
He said the Government is telling pubs, cafes, nightclubs, bars, restaurants, theatres, leisure centres and gyms to close from tonight to fight coronavirus.
The Prime Minister said the more effectively people follow the advice to stay at home and avoid unnecessary social contact, the quicker the economy and health system can recover.
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Addressing the nation, the Prime Minister said: “The speed of our eventual recovery depends entirely on our collective ability to get on top of the virus now and that means we have to take the next steps on scientific advice.
“And following our plan we are strengthening the measures announced on Monday.
“We need now to push down further on that curve of transmission between us.
“And so following agreement with all the … devolved administrations, we are collectively telling cafes, pubs, bars and restaurants to close tonight as soon as they reasonably can and not to open tomorrow.
“Though, to be clear, they can continue to provide take out services.
“We’re also telling nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres to close on the same timescale.”
The UK Government will pay 80% of wages for employees not working, up to £2,500 a month, Chancellor Rishi Sunak said.
The Chancellor said the Government will pick up “most of” the wages of workers.
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He said: “I have a responsibility to make sure that we protect, as far as possible, people’s jobs and incomes.
“Today I can announce that in the first time of our history, the Government is going to step in and help pay people’s wages.
“We’re setting up a new coronavirus job retention scheme. Any employer in the country small or large, charitable or non-profit, will be eligible for the scheme."
The Government is pumping almost £7 billion into the welfare system to protect people's incomes during the coronavirus pandemic, the Chancellor also said.
The Universal Credit standard allowance will be increased by £1,000 a year for the next 12 months, Rishi Sunak said, while the working tax credit basic element will be boosted by the same amount.
The measures to strengthen the welfare system will benefit more than four million of the most vulnerable households, he said on Friday.
Self-employed workers will be able to access Universal Credit payments in full, at a rate equivalent to statutory sick pay eligible to employees.
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