Update from Young & Co on our response to Coronavirus

These are testing times for everyone. In order to play our part, we have developed and put into place some new working practices and procedures to cope with the current situation. These are explained below. We ask that all clients and contacts work with us to make these effective.

Our two key objectives are:

1. To protect our staff, clients and the wider community, especially those who are vulnerable.
2. To continue to provide our usual level of service to clients as far as is possible.

We have identified colleagues who are vulnerable or who live with vulnerable people. In line with Government guidance, they are now working from home for as long as is necessary. We will be able to keep in contact with them using a video conferencing sdk. Our ongoing investment in up to date technology allows them to do this with minimum levels of disruption. You can still contact them by email or on their mobile numbers (please call the office on 01432 263282 if you need their contact details).

All other staff are working in the office, but they are isolated in separate rooms.

Please note that we will not be holding face to face meetings for the foreseeable future. Meetings will be carried out over the phone or by video conference.

We have new procedures for visitors to the office. If you need to drop off or collect records or documents, you will now need to telephone when you arrive outside the office. The number will be shown on the front door, but it is just our usual office number 01432 263282. If you can’t get through there is a doorbell. Someone will then open the door and you can drop off or collect your items in the hallway. We ask for your cooperation in maintaining ‘social distancing’.

We would prefer you to send us information by email or through online cloud storage whereever possible.

Post will be operating as usual, although our homeworkers will probably try and send more information out electronically.

There may be other changes as things develop in the weeks ahead. We will let you know of any other changes that affect you. At the moment we are working normally, and we fully expect to be able to maintain all essential services through the weeks and months ahead. However, in the worst-case scenario, if we have multiple colleagues off sick and self-isolating, we may need to postpone some non-urgent work on a temporary basis.

We are already starting to receive questions about what support is available for businesses and individuals. Obviously, this is changing on a daily basis. There is a section on the government’s website at https://www.gov.uk/government/topical-events/coronavirus-covid-19-uk-government-response that is being constantly updated with the latest information. There is also a news feed on our website at www.youngand.co.uk which is being updated daily with summaries of the latest changes. If you have any specific questions, please speak to your usual contact at Young & Co and we will do our best to help.

If you have any questions, please get in touch.