Coronavirus (Covid-19) Support
Surrey FA 2020-21 County Cups Update
Following a period of detailed feasibility analysis and consultation with stakeholders including leagues local authorities and partners, Surrey FA and our Board have made the difficult decision to curtail all County Cup competitions for the 2020/21 season.
You can read the full statement here.
Getting the latest Government health advice
Read the latest information about the situation in the UK, along with guidance for what to do if you think you’re at risk.
Go to NHSUK/coronavirus for information about the virus and how to protect yourself. Use the 111 online coronavirus service to check if you need medical help.
Sport England Guidance
Sport England's comprehensive information page is a great starting point, with plenty of key information and helpful resources.
You can access their page here.
Legal Implications
Please see legal guidance in the PDF below, which has been produced in partnership with Muckle LLP around the following topics;
- Membership Subscriptions
- Contractual Rights and Obligations in relation to Suppliers
- Overseas Tours
- Club Operations
- Facilities Hire
- Employment
- Financial Assistance
- Directors’ Duties
- Data Protection
These topics have been selected as risks/concerns that our clubs and leagues may be facing now or in the future, during Covid-19.
As a reminder clubs who are FA Charter Standard, NLS clubs and grassroots leagues are eligible for 30 minutes free of advice, per matter. You can contact Muckle using the below details;
- Call 0191 211 7799; or email CSLegalHelp@TheFA.com
- Click here for more information
Legal Implications FAQs For Charter Standard Clubs
Insurance
Leading providers of insurance are considering the effects of Coronavirus and to understand how the crisis may affect your policy, they should be contacted directly.
We have liaised with Sportsguard and Bluefin regarding their cover and refunds and they have advised the following:
Sportsguard Insurance
Sportsguard's Personal Accident and Public Liability policies remain in force until 30 June 2020, so as long as you adhere to The FA guidance with regards to training and footballing activities, the policies will respond in accordance with policy terms and conditions.
For cover beyond 30 June 2020 you will need to go through the affiliation process with Surrey FA
An update on insurance cover:
Surrey FA affiliated clubs will remain covered by the Sportsguard insurance policy.
Our advice to all is follow the guidelines set by the FA and Government, to remain not only within the law but also within our affiliation terms. To break with this would be to break the terms of membership to Surrey FA and therefore invalidate both this and the insurance associated insurance cover.
Claim for your employee’s wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is a temporary scheme open to all UK employers starting from 1 March 2020. It is designed to support employers whose operations have been severely affected by coronavirus (COVID-19).
Employers can use a portal to claim for 80% of furloughed employees’ (employees on a leave of absence) usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month, plus the associated Employer National Insurance contributions and minimum automatic enrolment employer pension contributions on that wage. Employers can use this scheme anytime during this period.
The scheme is open to all UK employers that had created and started a PAYE payroll scheme on 28 February 2020.
Find out about the scheme, including eligibility and how to apply via the button below
Job retention scheme information
Self-employed? Claim a grant through the coronavirus (COVID-19) Self-employment Income Support Scheme
The fourth Covid-19 Self-employment Income Support Scheme grant will be set at 80% of 3 months’ average trading profits, paid out in a single instalment, capped at £7,500.
The fourth grant will take into account 2019 to 2020 tax returns and will be open to those who became self-employed in tax year 2019 to 2020. The rest of the eligibility criteria remain unchanged. To allow HMRC to process recently submitted 2019 to 2020 Self-Assessment tax returns, the online claims service for the fourth grant will be available from late April 2021 until 31 May 2021.
The UK government has also announced that there will be a fifth and final grant covering May to September. You will be able to claim from late July if you are eligible for the fifth grant. The amount of the fifth grant will be determined by how much your turnover has been reduced in the year April 2020 to April 2021.
The fifth grant will be worth:
- 80% of 3 months’ average trading profits, capped at £7,500, for those with a turnover reduction of 30% or more
- 30% of 3 months’ average trading profits, capped at £2,850, for those with a turnover reduction of less than 30%
Further details will be provided on the fifth grant in due course.
Self-Employment Income Support Scheme Information
Facility Maintenance
We have collated a selection of resources below to support those managing and maintaining facilities during this period.
- Sport England building maintenance guidance.
- Sport England building maintenance checklist.
- Grounds Management Association guidance for natural turf maintenance.
- Sport and Play Construction Association guidance for artificial surface maintenance.
- The Health & Safety Executive's guidance for preventing the spread of Legionnaire's disease.
Additional Resources
The Sport and Recreation Alliance have provided and updated a helpful summary of government business support measures here.
Grants online have produced a useful page of funding streams for those in the third sector affected by Coronavirus, broken down by area here.
Community Foundation for Surrey Coronavirus Response Fund has launched to support local charities and voluntary organisations that are assisting some of Surrey’s most vulnerable people.
Contacting Surrey FA
All Surrey FA staff are now working from home and will be available via email and direct dial as this will be forwarded to the relevant member of staff. Please use this method when calling all staff instead of going through the main office switchboard. You can also email all members of staff using the email addresses found alongside contact numbers on the Board & Staff page of our website.
Coronavirus and Mental Health
The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting all our lives. Many of us are struggling with how it's affecting ourselves and our loved ones. Those of us already living with mental health problems are facing extra challenges too.
Here you'll find reliable information and tips to help you cope during this time.
FAQS
Can one-to-one coaching take place during the current lockdown measures?
Surrey FA can confirm that one-to-one coaching CAN continue between ADULTS, provided that all Government guidance is followed to ensure safe involvement for both participants.
Please note - one-to-one coaching CAN NOT be conducted by coaching with any players aged 18 and under.
Can I still have my FA DBS verified?
Under the current lockdown restrictions, no DBS check appointments will be made by the Surrey FA team. From Monday 29th March Surrey FA staff members will be able to conduct DBS checks once again. To make an appointment, please content Safeguarding@SurreyFA.com.
We also ask that new grassroots club DBS checks are not submitted where grassroots football activity remains suspended.
Does everyone whose DBS check is now 3 years old have to re-do their check?
No, all individuals whose DBS checks are due to expire between 1 March 2020 and 1 October 2020 will not be required to renew their DBS checks until 1 year after the scheduled date of expiry.
The FA currently requires DBS checks to be renewed every 3 years in accordance with industry standards and best practice. However, we have made an informed decision to extend that to 4 years, in these limited circumstances, brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, and the associated difficulties this therefore creates for carrying out the in-person requirements to check ID verification documents. It should be noted that all the individuals this extension relates to, already hold a DBS check which has been previously accepted by The FA.
For more information click here.
When will Coach Education courses resume?
All courses are postponed for the foreseeable future. When the current Government advice changes and we receive confirmation from FA Learning that courses can resume in full, with scope for new bookings, we will make an announcement.
For all the up to date information regarding Surrey FA and FA courses, head to our FAQs page here.
TO EXPRESS YOUR INTEREST IN ATTENDING A FUTURE COURSE CLICK THE BUTTON BELOW.
Club Affiliations
On Friday 1st May, Surrey FA announced that affiliation fees will be waived for the 2020/21.
On Monday 1st June, Surrey FA opened the affiliation window for the 2020/21 season. To find out more on how to get started, click here.
When will my current insurance cover end?
You should check this with your insurance provider. However, if you are covered by Sportsguard, the Personal Accident and Public Liability policies remained in force until 30 June 2020, so as long as you adhere to The FA guidance with regards to training and footballing activities, the policies will respond in accordance with policy terms and conditions.
For insurance cover beyond 30 June 2020, clubs will need to go through the affiliation process with Surrey FA, whereby you shall be covered by Sportsguard’s the Personal Accident and Public Liability policies so long as all safety protocols have been followed, in line with The FA’s guidelines.