A mate is in a quandary. He has a business repairing, servicing, building caravans and associated stuff. his workshop is on the same site as his dwelling house and is sixty paces away.
The question is, "can he go to work"? All of the written advice seems to be ambiguous. Thoughts from the panel please.
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I'd say yes he can. If it's one site he's working at home but if it was a couple of miles away then he could not reasonably work from home and he'd still be OK.
Does he work alone or with other people?
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An example. My van was booked for its annual service next week. The dealer has cancelled with these words.
Due to the current restrictions we are unable to honour the booking that you have with us, at this time.
We are currency running a very small team of fitters who are only servicing caravans that we have been able to collect from customers who are within a twenty mile radius of our centre, a stipulation laid down by the National Caravan Council.
So I would say yes he can continue.
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I'd say he was "working from home". A friend of mine in Oxford has a reasonably professional office in an outbuilding on his land about that distance from his dwelling and he's sure it's ok having sought clarification (I don't know who from).
I can't believe it's different because it is a workshop rather than an office..
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He can't work from home, so he can go to work. I don't see how in your friends circumstances it's an issue.
I know people travelling 50 miles each way to work every day.
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Thanks so far. I've passed it all on. He's concerned over the 'essential' bit, but I see that as more relating to retail. Is that a fair assumption?
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No factories or offices have been told they must shut up shop for the lockdown.
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It's voluntary.
My employer has banned everyone from the office until much later in the year unless it's not possible for the staff member to work from home for example no space or inadequate internet- that includes call centre staff. This does not extend to bank branches.
You need a board directors permission to work in the office - this is a high street bank so the chances of getting that is going to be slim unless really necessary.
It's the same for customer visits. I have been on 3 since last March. All emergencies, all with a colleague to reduce time on site.
The costs have been high, but I guess someone is now busy recalculating how much office space is really needed for future operations.
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"this is a high street bank so the chances of getting that is going to be slim unless really necessary"
My experience with Nat West last week was very good. Clearly someone who was working from home. All I wanted were some paying in envelopes for the cheques that arrive here for paying in at the village post-office. Envelopes arrived two days later. She said she shared her time with working from home and from the branch.
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I’m not sure what the ambiguity is, but everyone is allowed to work, unless you work in one of the sectors prohibited from opening - mainly non-essential retail, sports, entertainment and hospitality. You must also work from home, unless that’s not possible. So the service he provides is allowed, and he can provide it from its normal premises.
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I am not sure whether there will be others working at the same time.
If so I assume they would be doing work which could not be done at home, and therefore need to be at the workshop. In which case are they at work or visiting someones house?
If he is on his own I don't think it matters - he is either working from home or attending a workplace because he cannot work from home. Either is ok!
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Thanks all. He's not listening though Bit of a worry guts!!!
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Covid and working - Bromptonaut
