This is the first of a series of bulletins produced by ISE to update members on key data and policy on COVID-19. This covers the period 23/03/2020 – 29/03/2020.

 The week in COVID-19 

Key policies

• National movement restrictions have been tightened with most people now largely confined to their homes.
• The NHS are to establish a network of ‘nightingale’ temporary hospitals to deal with the crisis. 
• Parliament began a month-long recess.
• Boris Johnson, Matthew Handcock and other key members of the government have tested positive for COVID-19.

Education

• All schools and colleges have closed, except for the children of key workers and vulnerable children.
• GCSE and A levels have been cancelled. Ofqual will make details of alternative arrangements available by Easter.
• School performance tables are cancelled for the year.
• All universities have ceased face to face teaching.
• Universities are still developing alternative examination processes for this year.
• The government confirmed that apprenticeship funding would continue and published guidance for employers, providers and assessors.

Labour market

• The government has published guidance on the Coronavirus Job Retention scheme
• The government announced a new coronavirus compensation scheme for self-employed workers.
• Unemployment numbers have begun to rise and the number of job adverts has been in rapid decline.

Student recruitment

Student hiring

Insights from student employers

• Firms are investigating and investing in new technologies to help them to run their recruitment processes online.
• The shift to digital raises issues about those candidates who do not have access to good digital technologies or who have impairments that stop them using it.
• Internships and summer placements are being cancelled by most employers, but some are offering compensation (e.g. one weeks pay) and running online experiences (e.g. virtual mentoring).
• Most firms have not made final plans about their graduate and apprentice numbers for the autumn. Some are flagging risk that they may have to reduce numbers.