Skip to main content
Somerset County Council logo
Menu
Close menu
  • Home
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  • Births, ceremonies and deaths
    • Births

      Includes registering a birth and ordering certificates

    • Marriages and ceremonies

      Includes ordering certificates and approved premises

    • Deaths

      Includes ordering certificates and tell us once service

  • Social care and health
    • Fostering and adoption

      Includes applying to adopt, becoming a foster carer and private fostering information

    • Carers

      Includes help, advice and support for carers

    • Adult social care

      Includes information for people who are 18 or over who have care and support needs

    • Help to live at home

      Includes equipment, care and support

    • Children’s social care

      Includes help for families and young people

    • Health and wellbeing

      Includes sexual health, preventing substance misuse and healthy workplaces

    • Public health

      Includes health checks, campaigns and mental health support

    • Safeguarding

      Includes protecting adults and children at risk

    • Housing options

      Includes care homes and sheltered housing

    • Specialist Public Health Nursing

      Includes information about health visitors, school nurses and public health nursing

  • Education and families
    • Adult learning

      Includes information about training courses across Somerset

    • Route1 advocacy

      Providing advice and support to children and young people

    • Choosing a school

      Includes information about catchment areas and admissions policies

    • School applications

      Includes information about applying to start school and moving to a different school

    • School life

      Includes term and holiday dates, exclusions and school activities

    • Childcare

      Includes entitlements, the support available and the latest childcare news

    • Fostering and adoption

      Includes applying to adopt, becoming a foster carer and private fostering information

    • Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

      Includes our Local Offer and the services available

    • School transport

      Includes information about different types of school transport and how to apply

    • Children

      Includes employing children, child protection and corporate parenting

  • Roads and transport
    • Problems on the road

      Includes how to report potholes, flooding and traffic lights

    • Signs and streetlights

      Includes speed limits, road signs and how to report faulty lights

    • Parking

      Includes paying or challenging a fine, blue badges and permits

    • Public and community transport

      Includes bus passes and park and ride information

    • School transport

      Includes information about different types of school transport and how to apply

    • Road projects

      We deliver Major Highway Schemes which have been identified through the Local Transport Plan (LTP) process

    • Rights of way

      Includes footpaths, bridleways and open access lands

    • Road works and road closures

      Includes information about plans for temporary and new works and closures

    • Road safety

      Includes how we work to make our roads safer

  • Libraries, community and leisure
    • Planning for Brexit

      What we are doing to plan for the UK leaving the European Union

    • Libraries

      Includes library membership, services and events

    • Volunteering

      Includes how to get involved in community activities and projects

    • Heritage

      Includes museums, records and archaeology

    • Safer communities

      Includes making your home safer and community safer

    • Community initiatives

      Includes community initiatives and community right to challenge

  • Waste, planning and land
    • Planning

      Includes applying for planning permission and reporting unauthorised developments

    • Waste

      Includes waste collections and recycling

    • Property

      Includes information about county farms and our land and building assets

    • Flooding and drainage

      Includes how we support flood prevention and planning

    • Rights of way

      Includes footpaths, bridleways and open access lands

    • Countryside

      Includes Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, walking and cycling

    • Emergencies

      Includes information about planning for emergencies

  • Business and economy
    • Do business with the Council

      Includes current business and contact opportunities

    • Supporting businesses

      Includes registering as a childminder and support and advice for businesses

    • Procurement

      Includes how we procure goods, services and works

    • Licences

      Includes approved premises licenses and permission for decorations on the road

  • Our information
    • Freedom of information

      Includes how to ask us questions about what we do

    • How we use your information

      Includes the information we hold about you and how we protect it

    • Accessing our information

      Includes Data Protection and the re-use of our information

    • Have your say

      Includes petitions and ongoing consultations

  • How the council works
    • Our plans

      Includes the County Plan and the Business Plan

    • Democracy

      Includes Councillors, meetings and elections

    • Our finances

      Includes our budgeting and spending information

    • Partnerships and Trusts

      Includes how we work with other organisations

    • Our performance

      Includes how we set and meet our goals and your feedback

    • One Somerset
  • Jobs and Careers

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

National lockdown: stay at home

  • You must stay at home. This is the single most important action we can all take to protect the NHS and save lives.
  • You must not leave your home unless necessary.
  • Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household or bubble.

Find out what you can and cannot do

You can find full coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance and support on the GOV.UK website

Latest information and advice
  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy notices and cookies

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

For information and advice, read our pages on coronavirus or call our dedicated helpline

We are experiencing issues with our card payment system. We are working to resolve this as soon as possible.

Home Coronavirus (COVID-19) Coronavirus – Useful national and local links
BETA

We're changing these pages to make them easier to read, help us improve our content.

Coronavirus – Useful national and local links

National and local information, advice and guidance

  • Latest information

  • COVID-19 Winter Plans

  • National advice and information

  • Protect yourself and others

  • Health and wellbeing

  • Work, financial support and working safely

  • Businesses and self-employed people

  • Schools, education and childcare

  • Healthcare workers, carers and care

  • Transport and travel

  • Support if someone dies

  • Local advice and guidance

  • Contact

Latest information

National lockdown: Stay at home

The most important we can all take to protect the NHS and save lives.

Find out what you can and cannot do

 

 

If you need help, you can call our coronavirus helpline on 0300 790 6275

COVID-19 Winter Plans

COVID-19 Winter Plan – The government’s plan for managing COVID-19 through the end of 2020 and into the start of 2021.

Adult Social Care: coronavirus (COVID-19) winter plan 2020 to 2021 – The government’s ambitions for the sector and the challenges facing adult social care this winter.

Staying mentally well: winter plan 2020 to 2021 – The government’s plans to support people’s wellbeing and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic this winter.

National advice and information

You can find all the latest national Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance and support on GOV.UK

Protect yourself and others

Guidance on protecting yourself if you’re clinically extremely vulnerable

Accessing food and essential supplies – How to get food and other essential supplies during the coronavirus pandemic.

Making a support bubble with another household – How you can safely expand the group of people you have close contact with during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Meeting with others safely (social distancing)– Social distancing is essential to stop the spread of the virus, as it is more likely to spread when people are close together.

Advice on accessing green spaces safely and protecting yourself and others from coronavirus

Face coverings: when to wear one, exemptions and how to make your own. And there’s a helpful video explaining how to use face coverings properly.

Optional badges/lanyards to promote ongoing social distancing– Optional badges that can be used to show the carrier may have difficulties or concerns in maintaining social distancing.

Health and wellbeing

GOV.UK advice

Get a free NHS test to check if you have coronavirus

Find out about coronavirus testing – There are 2 different coronavirus tests. One tells you if you have coronavirus now, the other tells you if you’ve had it before.

NHS test and trace: how it works– An overview of NHS Test and Trace, including what happens if you test positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) or have had close contact with someone who has tested positive.

Guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection– Stay at home guidance.

Guidance for contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection who do not live with the person

Guidance on looking after your mental health and wellbeing

Guidance on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing

Domestic abuse: get help during the coronavirus outbreak– Find out how to get help if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse.

How to help safely– Guidance on how to stay safe as a volunteer.

NHS advice

Get all the latest NHS information and advice about coronavirus

NHS: Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine – Find out about the vaccination, including who will get the vaccine first and information about vaccine safety

You can find out more on the roll out of the NHS vaccination programme in Somerset on the NHS Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group website

Health at home – How to access NHS services online

NHS Live Well – Advice, tips and tools to help you make the best choices about your health and wellbeing.

Better Health, Every Mind Matters – Looking after your mental health

Work, financial support and working safely

Getting financial help and staying safe at work – Get coronavirus (COVID-19) support if you are working less or not working – and find out how to stay safe at work. All work and financial support information on GOV.UK

Find out what support you can get if you’re affected by coronavirus– Use this service to find out what help and advice you can get from the government and other organisations. You can use it for yourself or someone else.

Check if your employer can use the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – Find out if you’re eligible, and how much your employer can claim if they put you on temporary leave (‘furlough’) because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Coronavirus (COVID-19): what to do if you’re employed and cannot work

Coronavirus (COVID-19): what to do if you were employed and have lost your job

How to return to work safely if you cannot work from home

Enabling safe and effective volunteering during coronavirus (COVID-19) – This guidance aims to help organisations and groups understand how to safely and effectively involve volunteers during the pandemic.

COVID-19 Test and Trace Payment Scheme – Who can claim and how to apply

NHS Test and Trace service in the workplace – Guidance on the NHS Test and Trace service for employers, businesses and workers

Advice for pregnant employees risk assessments in the workplace and occupational health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Citizens Advice: advice if you’re worried about working

Businesses and self-employed people

All coronavirus business support information on GOV.UK  – Getting financial help and keeping your business safe. Get coronavirus (COVID-19) support for your business or if you’re self-employed, and find out how to keep your business and your employees safe.

Working safely during coronavirus– Find out how to make your workplace COVID-secure.

Reporting outbreaks of coronavirus (COVID-19)– Guidance for businesses and organisations on how to recognise, contain and report incidents of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Closing certain businesses and venues – This guidance sets out restrictions on certain businesses and venues in England under the different local COVID alert levels.

Check if your business is eligible for a coronavirus grant due to national restrictions (for closed businesses)

NHS Test and Trace service in the workplace – Guidance on the NHS Test and Trace service for employers, businesses and workers

Guidance for voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations

Information for farmers, landowners and rural businesses – The latest information for farmers, landowners and rural businesses during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Advice for pet owners and livestock keepers – Information on looking after the welfare of animals during COVID-19.

Providing apprenticeships during coronavirus – Find out how apprenticeships will continue during the coronavirus (COVD-19) outbreak.

Schools, education and childcare

All coronavirus education and childcare information on GOV.UK  – Guidance for teachers, school leaders, carers, parents and students. Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for parents, schools, colleges and universities: closures, exams, learning, health and wellbeing.

Critical workers and vulnerable children who can access schools or educational settings

What parents and carers need to know about schools and other education settings during the coronavirus outbreak – Information for parents and carers about going back to schools, nurseries and colleges in January 2021.

Advice and support for students in higher education

Making a childcare bubble with another household – How you can get informal childcare for children aged 13 or under from friends and family you do not live with.

Face coverings in education – Guidance on the use of face coverings for schools and other education institutions that teach people in years 7 and above in England.

Safe working in education, childcare and children’s social care – Preventing and controlling infection, including the use of PPE, in education, childcare and children’s social care settings during the coronavirus outbreak.

Guidance for parents and carers of children attending out-of-school settings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

Schools, parents and young people helpline – The Department for Education (DfE) has set up a dedicated helpline for schools, parents or young people. Available Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm, phone 0800 046 8687 or email DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk

Healthcare workers, carers and care

NHS – Guidance for people working in healthcare

Guidance for people working in Adult Social Care

Visiting arrangements in care homes – Sets out how care homes can support families and visitors to visit residents from 2 December.

Guidance for Children’s Social Care Services

Providing home care – Information for those providing personal care to people living in their own home during the coronavirus outbreak.

Guidance for unpaid carers– Information for people who are caring, unpaid, for friends or family during the coronavirus outbreak.

Providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults

Supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults

Young carers and young adult carers: providing care during coronavirus – Guidance and information for people under the age of 25 who are providing care for someone during the coronavirus outbreak.

Supporting people outside of their home – For people who need support when outside their home and people who provide this support during Coronavirus

Guidance for people receiving direct payments– Advice for people who buy care and support through a direct payment, as well as local authorities, clinical commissioning groups and those who provide care and support.

Transport and travel

Follow the national lockdown travel rules

Transport and travel guidance – Information for people using transport or working in the transport sector during the coronavirus outbreak.

Safer travel guidance for passengers – Walking, cycling, and travelling in vehicles or on public transport during the coronavirus outbreak.

Overseas travel

Travel advice – Guidance for British people travelling overseas during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, if they are legally permitted to travel internationally.

Entering or returning to the UK

Coronavirus (COVID-19): testing for people travelling to England – You must have proof of a negative COVID-19 test to travel to England from abroad.

Travel corridors – List of countries and territories from where you can travel to England and may not have to self-isolate.

Foreign travel insurance – Wherever you’re travelling, it’s important to take out appropriate travel insurance before you go.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer air travel for passengers – How to travel safely in airports and on aircraft during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Support if someone dies

What to do if someone dies – Check what to do after a death – how to register the death, notify government departments and manage financial issues.

Guidance for arranging or attending a funeral during coronavirus

NHS bereavement advice and support during coronavirus

Local advice and guidance

Local Outbreak Management Plan Summary – a summary of the plan for managing COVID-19 outbreaks to protect residents

Local Outbreak Management Plan for Somerset – a plan for managing COVID-19 outbreaks to protect residents


COVID-19 Dashboard – The latest statistics and trends for Covid-19 cases in Somerset

COVID-19 Process for use of Local Powers for Events

COVID-19 Isolation graphic – what happens if someone in your household gets COVID-19


Latest Coronavirus updates – You can find our latest updates to services here

Our affected services – Includes s summary of our services affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

Somerset Newsroom – You can find our latest press releases here


Adult Social Care – Includes information for people who are 18 or over who have care and support needs

Age UK Somerset – Support for older people, their families and carers

Somerset Community Connect – Information on care, health and wellbeing for adults.

Somerset Safeguarding Adults Board – Guidance for safeguarding adults in Somerset

Somerset Armed Forces Covenant Partnership – A partnership between councils, colleges, health services, charities, the military and reservists


Somerset Survivors – Domestic abuse help and advice


Children Social Care – Includes advice and support for families and young people

Food support for families

Coronavirus – Updates for Early Years Providers

Somerset’s Local Offer – Information and advice for parents, carers and families including children and young people with special educational needs.

Somerset SENDIAS – provides information, advice and support about Special Educational Needs and Disability for parent carers, children and young people (up to the age of 25).

The Somerset Parent Carer Forum are keeping their Facebook pages and website as up to date as possible for parents and carers.

The Somerset Carers Service is keeping their website up to date with key info and have their advice lines available for carers.

Somerset Safeguarding Children’s Board – Guidance for safeguarding children in Somerset


Mind in Somerset – You can phone the Mindline Somerset Coronavirus support helpline on 01823 276892 (Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week)


Somerset Bereavement Support Service – The service is here if you’ve been bereaved and need emotional support or someone to talk to. Phone 0800 304 7412 9am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday.


Healthy Somerset – Health and wellbeing in Somerset

The NHS Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group has issued an open letter to everyone in Somerset, jointly signed by the County Council, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and Yeovil District Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. The letter offers all Somerset residents information and reassurance as we enter this second national lockdown. The message is “Health and care services in Somerset are open and here to help you.”

Essential COVID-19 symptomatic advice and care resources for healthcare professionals and care providers are available through St Margaret’s Hospice.


Spark Somerset – Supporting Somerset volunteer communities to respond to COVID-19, sharing the latest information, best practice guidance for groups and useful resources.

Corona Helpers – Register your COVID-19 volunteer group, find more people to help and offer help.

Somerset Prepared is a multi-agency partnership working closely with communities to deliver advice, support and training to help enhance local resilience to emergencies.


COVID-19 Response for Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities in Somerset


Travel Somerset has the latest updates transport and travel updates.

Face coverings on First Bus service – If you, or someone you care for have a face covering exemption and you are unable to wear a face covering please be prepared to inform the bus driver and show an Extra help to Travel card (Journey assistance card). You can download the card here.


Somerset Waste Partnership – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Advice and service updates


Somerset Activity and Sport Partnership (SASP) has set up a Be Active at Home web page which is divided into sections to show activities for all.


Devon and Somerset Trading Standards – Provides advice and support to businesses, works to protect consumers and the economy by ensuring legal and honest trading. They also support the agriculture industry to ensure good animal health and welfare.


Links to District Council information and advice

Mendip District Council
Sedgemoor District Council
South Somerset District Council
Somerset West and Taunton

If you can’t find the help you need, or your need is more urgent, please phone the
Somerset Coronavirus Helpline

Feedback - was this information helpful?

    We will use your feedback to improve this website. Please tell us if we have got something wrong, if there is something missing or if something isn't working.

    You can tell us about this on the complaints, comments and compliments page.



    scc logo

    Built by the SCC Digital Service

    • v1.11
    • Contact us
    • Accessibility
    • Privacy notices and cookies

    We use cookies to improve your browsing experience on our website and to analyse our traffic. By clicking accept, you consent to this. If you do not click accept you can continue to use our website without cookies. If you wish to remove your consent at any time, please clear your local storage.