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Over the past several months, there have been some pretty drastic changes all around the world, thanks to the global pandemic, COVID-19. People are still confined in their homes in many parts of the world, and there are active quarantines to minimise the spread of the contagious disease. This pandemic has changed a lot of things, and have prepared people for the worst. Among other things, people have now started to realise the importance of insurance. There have been thousands of deaths all around the world just because they were unable to afford the medical fees. Other than this, there have been losses suffered as tourists had no insurance and were affected by many issues in foreign countries. So, in order to prepare yourself better for the unexpected, like this pandemic, here is what you can do to manage the risks!

As we can now socialise with up to 6 family members and friends in outdoor spaces, including back gardens, a BBQ is a great way to have some fun with your favourite people whilst staying safe. However, there is now a bit more to think about with increased hygiene standards and social distancing crucial in preventing a second wave of the coronavirus. With the summer months well underway, we share how you can host a perfect BBQ. 1. Planning your space Planning your garden space and how people will move around your garden will help everyone to maintain social distancing. For example, you could create a one way system so that people can collect their food and navigate back to their seats with ease. Setting out a seating plan will also help to minimise movement and touching around your garden. 2. Hygiene Whilst this is already a must, ensuring that you wash your hands prior to preparing or handling food and utensils is crucial to reduce the risk of germs spreading. If you have hand sanitizer at home, have this available outdoors for your guests so that they can regularly keep their hands clean during their visit too. You could ask your guests to bring their own condiments and cutlery where possible too. 3. Food preparation Stick to having one person in charge of food preparation and BBQ'ing. Although there is minimal risk of any transmission from food or food packaging, this will ensure that touching is kept to a minimum. Making food preparations prior to guests arriving will allow you to prepare food calmly with no distractions. It will also ensure that you can spend as much of your valuable time catching up with your guests instead of in the kitchen. 4. Plating food Often at BBQs you may be used to having food in the middle of the table where people can help themselves. To reduce physical contact it is better for people to plate all of the food they would like onto their individual plate once food is ready so that there is less touching of surfaces and utensils. You could create a queuing system where people can use their own utensils to serve themselves, or you could plate the food up for them. This is especially important for foods such as dips and nibbles where you would usually share the packet. 5. Watch the booze! A couple of drinks at a BBQ is part of the fun for many. But after a few drinks people can tend to become lazy and forgetful; making social distancing more difficult to manage. Watch the drinks so that you can continue to be aware of the government guidelines. 6. Facilities People are aloud to enter your home to use the toilet as long as they thoroughly wash their hands. You should keep some disposable paper towels in the bathroom instead of having everybody use one of your towels to dry their hands. Wipes should be used to wipe any surfaces as required.

With businesses around the world impacted by COVID-19, returning to work is one of the main priorities for many. Ensuring that you can create the safest environment in which your staff can operate without risk of infection is key, as it’s absolutely vital to maintain optimum well being throughout your team. There are several different steps that you can take to make sure your business can safely open its doors once more, so you don’t need to stress trying to figure out how to restart operations amidst the current pandemic. You should aim to abide by social distancing guidelines within your workspace, requesting that staff members always keep at least 2 metres away from each other. It’s a good idea to invest in some kind of disposable protection that your team can utilise daily, including face masks that cover their nose and mouth as well as gloves too. Advise your staff to provide their own meals and eat outside to avoid potentially spreading the virus through communal food, and regularly remind your team to wash their hands with an antibacterial soap for at least 20 seconds. It’s important that you can seek out the necessary health insurance required to protect both yourself and your employees whilst on the job, as they are potentially risking their wellbeing each time they attend a shift. Insurance can provide both healthcare cover for ill or injured workers as well as ultimate peace of mind for your team to know that their employer has their back no matter what may happen.

It is assumed that humanity will take over during a pandemic, yet there are more scammers than ever. The National Cyber Security Centre (NSCS) warned the public of criminals using the Covid-19 pandemic to scam people. The UK cybersecurity agency launched a service to allow people to report suspicious emails. There was also a campaign urging people to be more vigilant online. The NCSC campaign has a range of interesting and informative advice. This will empower the UK Internet users with the knowledge to help protect themselves. With the increased amount of people working from home, on a work computer. An increased risk in the breach and hacking of sensitive data is being observed. The advice also includes how to make sure that your Zoom calls are as secure as possible. As there have been many safety concerns about the use of this app. Jeremy Fleming, the director of government Communications headquarters, who oversees the NCSC, said: “Crisis is changing the world very fast, and the scale of activity among opportunistic cybercriminals seeking to profit from the virus at all.” The NSCS has said it will build on its existing takedown services. This service has removed more than 2000 scams related to the coronavirus in the last month alone. This actually includes over 455 online shops selling fraudulent PPE. A survey by TSB suggested that as many as 42% of people believe that they have been a victim of a bogus email. There is a range of insurance scams, including travel insurance and staged accidents. And while many insurance companies have made exceptions and allowances. If you receive a call or email out of the blue, delete or hang up. In some cases, where you have the correct insurance, you can make a claim and get some of your money back. You can head to NSCS.gov.uk to read more about this information and report anything suspicious. Click here to read the full ITV news story

Check your gutters After the cold winter months with freezing temperatures, gutters are at risk of leaks and especially following the recent spell of rainy weather which can move debris into gutters, summer is the ideal time to check their health. Leaky and unsecure guttering can lead to bigger problems of water damage to your property, as well as being a fall hazard. Whilst you’re checking your gutters, go ahead and check your drainage system at the same time to ensure that there aren’t any blockages there, too. Doors and windows Similar to your guttering, doors and windows have been through a rough period by the time summer is in full swing. With the cold months of winter potentially cracking door and window seals, followed by spring showers causing further damage, it is imperative to check your doors and windows. Of course, if you have double glazing this is less of an issue, but checking that your seals are in order is certainly a good use of half an hour during the summer to stop any problems later on in the year. Central heating When the weather heats up, the temptation is simply to turn off the central heating, give the radiators a holiday and then start everything back up once temperatures inevitably plummet. Keeping the heating on a low-level through the colder summer days will keep the central heating system ticking over and also prevent any damp issues. During the summer, bleeding your radiators will also ensure that they remain efficient – if you’re unsure of how to do this then a quick search online will direct you to some intuitive videos. If you go on holiday during the summer, the same applies; keeping the heating on a low level may save you larger problems in the long run. Sound the alarms Whilst a check of your smoke and CO2 alarms may not seem like a particularly summery activity to be carrying out, you should be checking these units several times a year. By building these checks into your summer list of tasks, you are keeping yourself and others safe. Insulation throughout the seasons Updating your insulation may intuitively seem like a winter task, but part of keeping your home cool and comfortable in the summer is good insulation as this will stop heat penetrating the building. Of course, when it comes to the winter months you will also reap the benefits of insulation as it will keep the heat from escaping, ensuring a cosy property when the temperatures begin to plummet.

Each business is different and will require different adaptations to their operating procedures to facilitate a safe environment, but the same guiding principles will apply. That is to safeguard the health and wellbeing of staff members and customers. Eight separate guides have been published by the government to support different types of businesses - these guides can be found here. We have summarised the 5 key points applicable to businesses returning to work below: 1. Work from home if you can The message continues to be to work from home where at all possible. However, it is acknowledged that not all businesses are able to operate from home. Businesses that have not been told to close by government are now able to go back to work. Employers should discuss operating procedures with their staff. People should try to avoid public transport in their work commute. However, where this is not possible, the people are asked to wear face masks where possible. 2. Covid-19 risk assessment All employers need to carry out a Covid-19 risk assessment. This is in line with current health and safety employment and equalities legislation. The risk assessments should be undertaken in consultation with their workers or trade unions, to establish what guidelines to put in place. If possible, employers should publish the results of their risk assessments (all businesses with over 50 employees are expected to do so). 3. Maintain social distancing Workspaces should be redesigned to respect the 2-metre social distancing guidelines. This can be achieved with staggered start times, one-way walking systems, and changing seating layouts. Designating specific entrances and exits can also minimise close contact. 4. Risk management where social distancing is not possible It is acknowledged that not all workplaces will find it easy to manage social distancing at 2 metres apart. In this instance, employers should look into putting barriers in shared spaces, creating workplace shift patterns or fixed teams minimising the number of people in contact with one another, or ensuring colleagues are facing away from each other. 5. Reinforcing cleaning processes Workspaces should be cleaned more often with extra attention to objects with high contact, such as door handles, and office equipment. Hand washing facilities and sanitising stations should be provided at entrances and exits. For further information please head to the following website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/working-safely-during-coronavirus-covid-19

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Declutter The first and hardest step in the entire process. It’s vital you take a brutal stance when it comes to decluttering your home. If you don’t like a decoration or if you have an outfit that you haven’t worn since 2010, just throw them away or donate them. Don’t just focus on one room – ensure you search every part of your house, especially in rooms like the kitchen and bedrooms where clutter can quickly get out of hand. The problem with clutter is it quickly manages to grow again! You might wish to consider setting up a bag, box or bin that you can designate as a “donation bin”. In the future, you will be able to sort clutter as you come across it, and then donate it all to charity as soon as you fill up the bin. The bedroom Your wardrobe is a key area you should focus on when having a de-clutter, however, unlike other areas of your home, there is potential money to be made when clearing this area! If you have a hardly worn item of clothing, consider putting it on a Facebook sale page or eBay to generate a little extra pocket money. There are also some areas of the bedroom(s) that will most likely be in need of a little TLC. Make sure you clean underneath all the beds, dust the curtain rails and even consider flipping the mattress. The kitchen It’s more important than ever now that our surfaces are kept clean using disinfectant. Did you know that you should leave disinfectant untouched on a surface for around 30 seconds before you wipe the area? This is so it has time to work and kill harmful viral bacteria. You should clean your work surfaces more frequently as well, to keep the germs at bay. After the surfaces, there are a few areas of the kitchen that can prove to be a big job on their own. After you have finished de-cluttering your cupboards of old pots and spices you only used that one time, you should then turn your attention to the appliances. The fridge is a good place to start. Clear out all the old produce and table sauces, give it a really good clean to get rid of all the odours and then try to stay on top of its organisation, which will save you a job in the future. Have you been avoiding cleaning the microwave for the past few months? Luckily, there is a quick and easy way to clean your grease spattered appliance. Simply place a combination of vinegar and water in the microwave, heat it up for ten minutes until the solution is steaming, then simply wipe away the grease. The bathroom The bathroom is another time-consuming job. The tiles, floors, toilet, bath and sink may be ready for a deep clean. This requires a full gutting of all the beauty and hygiene products, and a good deal of manual labour to remove any troublesome stains like limescale or mould that might have built up over the winter. There are thousands of home remedies available on the internet so if you’re short on cleaning products, you will likely have the right substitutes at hand. So, roll up your sleeves, snap on the yellow gloves and give it a bit of elbow grease. Our little secret… Want to add the perfect touch to your spring clean? Take a leaf out of our book and put a cup of vanilla extract in the oven for an hour. Your home will smell like a bakery in no time!

1) Joe Wicks PE lessons – Joe Wicks, known as “The Body Coach” is streaming thirty minute PE lessons for kids every morning at 9am from Monday to Friday. You can either follow the workout live or catch it on his YouTube channel here . 2) Carol Vorderman’s maths resources – since the Government chose to close schools for the masses, Carol Vorderman’s online maths resources have been made free for all to use. You can visit the site at https://www.themathsfactor.com/ and there are plenty of resources to keep your children busy, all of which have different levels of difficulty attached. 3) TES.com – You may never have heard of https://www.tes.com/ but if you are a teacher or work in education then it is a goldmine of resources. You can sign up free and then in the “Resources” section you will find literally thousands of lesson plans, activities and ideas that teachers upload to the site and often form the basis of their own lessons. With TES you can search for a specific topic and there will often be multiple resources – if you are looking to keep up your child’s scholastic habits during the school closures, this will be a real lifesaver. 4) Audio books – David Walliams’ children’s books have proved to be extremely popular and for the next month a new audio story will be released each day totally free of charge. Just head to bit.ly/AudioElevenses each day for the latest story. 5) Twinkl – Twinkl provides professional educational resources from early years upwards and often puts together some of the most imaginative learning resources around. During the Coronavirus period, they have made many resources free of charge and are offering free guides to help you with your child’s education https://www.twinkl.co.uk/resources/covid19-school-closures 6) Teach them to cook – If you are looking to teach something extra-curricular then why not start in the kitchen? Teaching your children a few basic recipes will eat up the time, as well as teaching them valuable life skills. You can start with baking basic recipes that require few ingredients, to them helping you with dinner for the evening. 7) Learn a new skill – With the internet, there is no excuse for avoiding new skills and has there ever been a better time to do so? With your child, you could learn how to knit – order the tools online – and could watch videos together, whilst helping one another with the intricacies of the craft. Other popular crafts to learn include crochet, needlepoint and cardmaking. 8) Practise yoga – In the current climate, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with world events, and children are extremely sensitive to our own behaviours. One activity that you can do together and is mutually beneficial is yoga – there are plenty of apps or YouTube channels which you can use to guide you through the process, and it should help with your whole family’s wellbeing.

1) The right grounding Before you purchase new flowers and shrubs to zhoosh up your garden, it is important to have an idea of the soil that you will be planting in. Different plants will thrive in different environments, and the consistency of your soil will be a key player in this; is your soil light and sandy or heavier with elements of clay? This, as well as the amount of light which the new plants will receive, should be kept in mind before you go and make any expensive purchases. Spring is also a great time to feed your soil to freshen it up ready for your plants. 2) Put the ‘plan’ in ‘plant’ That old adage of “fail to plan and plan to fail” exists for a reason; it rings true amongst many of us. The same is applicable for when you are upgrading your garden – planning on how you are going to use the space will mean that you maximise your outdoor area. Decide what you are going to use the space for and segment it appropriately; eating areas, planting areas and water features all make a garden more pleasant; however, if there is not enough room between each then the space becomes overcrowded and less appealing. Pay attention to your bulbs too. Remove any faded flowers and replant any that need to be spaced further apart (with around 60 – 75mm gap between them). 3) The perfect lawn Now is the time to dig the lawn mower out and give your grass a well needed cut for the start of the season. When we think of a quintessential British garden, we immediately think of a lush and healthy grassy area. To achieve this, it is important that your lawnmower blades are sharp. This will create less bruising on the grass, so it appears healthier. However, when mowing your lawn, don’t over mow it, as this will make it easier for weeds to come through. 4) Sitting areas One of the easiest ways to spend a little more time in your garden is to create an outdoor seating space; from simply installing a table and chairs, to installing a full decking area this can transform your outdoor space. If you already have a suitable surface such as paving or decking, then getting a set of table and chairs will be an inexpensive way to create outdoor living space. Stones or pebbles laid onto some tarpaulin is also a very cost-effective manner to provide a nice zone for seating. 5) A shed load of storage! If you’re looking to make the most of your garden this spring and summer, then a shed might seem like it should be the last item on your list of priorities. However, a shed can offer valuable storage and organisation to your garden that will encourage you to make the most of the space; having your gardening tools easy to access and your outdoor supplies organised will make your outdoor living much easier. In addition to this, a shed can be a beautiful piece of garden architecture; go bold on the colour and choose pastels such as blue or pink for that country cottage kind of chic that looks wonderful in all types of garden. In addition, adding some stylish bunting to the shed will enhance the overall aesthetic, and can be extended to other parts of your garden to create a more cohesive look.

We’ve gained advice from those who regularly work from home so that we can share some top tips for the coming weeks ahead. Continue below for our top tips on how you can get the best out of home working: 1. Get ready for the day Get up and ready for work as you normally would. Getting dressed out of your pyjamas and fresh for the day helps you to maintain a routine and get ready for a day of work. Doing this will signal to your brain that you are going to work and create a good mindset. 2. Have a routine Working from home can get lonely, so a routine will prevent the day blurring into a mix of work and relaxation time. Creating a morning routine that will guide you into your work chair each day so that you can signal the separation between home and work. Start and finish work at your usual times so that you do not become overworked. 3. Create an office space If you have a separate office space to work in, then that’s great. But even if you don’t, it is still important to create an area in your home that you can designate and associate with work. Whether that be at a desk, or if it has to be your dining room table, this will support you to keep a routine. At the end of the day, shut down your equipment and put it away. This will signal the end of your working day and the start of your own time. 4. Keep to your regular hours of a working day With all your work equipment at home, it can be tempting to try and get ahead by setting yourself mammoth tasks that take you all evening to complete. Set yourself achievable goals (as you would when you go into work) so that you maintain your usual work hours and maintain your positivity and optimism. This will also allow you to keep a work life balance. 5. Have regular breaks When you are in the office, you naturally take short breaks throughout the day. Whether that be to go and make a drink or go and discuss something with a colleague. These breaks away from the computer are crucial for your productivity and health. Breaks away from the computer screen help to break bad posture habits, help with concentration and productivity, and prevent fatigue. This should be no different at home. You can call a colleague for a chat, go and make a drink, or spend some time in a different room for a few moments. 6. Get some exercise Living and working in the same space can be challenging at times so you may find it important to get a change of scenery. Stepping outside for a walk not only allows you to “leave the office” but also allows you to get valuable exercise (providing this is in line with Government guidelines). Some fresh air and natural light will do you the world of good. With people rarely leaving the house, a short walk could be all the exercise you get in a day so place importance on this. Alternatively, you may want to do a short home workout. There are tons of guides online to help you do this. Let’s not forget about those all-important endorphins. 7. Take your lunch break You are still entitled to your full lunchbreak and it is important to take this. Ensure you continue to eat well and take time away from your workspace to break up the day. Using this time to get some exercise (as advised in step 7) is a great idea too. 8. Get on the phone Communication is so important during this time. Working from home can be isolating (especially if you live alone). To overcome this, ensure to keep up with regular team meeting via group calls. Check in with your colleagues throughout the day – even for a general chat not related to work. This is what you would usually do in the office and it is important to maintain this to make the day more enjoyable. Call people instead of email so that you can have proper conversations during the day which is so much more personal that email communication. You could even use Facetime for a more personal touch.

It’s difficult not to get swept up by the myriad of tasks that Christmas brings every December. Presents to buy, decorations to put up, various family members to appease…it’s a lot to keep track of even before you add a festive holiday into the equation. Travel insurance might not be high on the list of your priorities, but a small action could invalidate your policy. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of tips to make sure you stay covered and protected when you go on your travels this Christmas! Timing is essential Starting the policy at the right time is a crucial component of travel insurance, so if you’re looking at buying single-trip cover, make sure you do so when you’re booking the holiday itself. It’s important to fulfil policy criteria in the event of an accident or an illness that stops you from taking your trip; purchasing travel insurance at the right time is a big part of that. Declare all of your medical conditions It’s important to make sure you detail any relevant pre-existing conditions when choosing your policy, even if you aren’t experiencing any health issues at the time of purchase. The reason behind this is that you won’t be covered in the event of issues during your trip should you fail to disclose any important historical or current ailments. Don’t leave important possessions unattended When it comes to taking care of your important possessions on holiday, it’s always better to be as safe as possible than sorry. That’s why we recommend putting anything highly valuable into a locked safe when you aren’t carrying it with you or it’s not in sight, as your insurer will view anything stolen as unattended property should it not fulfil the above criteria. Make sure your documents are up to date It can be a pain keeping on top of your travel documentation, and if your passport has a few months to go before it expires then it might be tempting to try your luck and use it before your trip. Unsurprisingly, we don’t recommend that! It’s a well-established fact that a large proportion of countries around the globe will require your passport to have at least six months validity on your passport before they will allow you entry and should border patrol refuse you entry on your arrival, your insurer won’t offer any cover. The same approach should be taken with visas; make sure you get the correct one to save yourself any bother. Get inoculated For those of us planning a trip to a more exotic location during this festive season, it’s essential that you book an appointment with your GP to talk about any inoculations or vaccinations that you may require. Again, it’s simply not worth the risk of contracting an illness that will invalidate your travel insurance, so make sure to plan ahead accordingly.