If you still need to collect your possessions you can still book a time slot between Friday 10 July and Friday 31 July. If you are unable to make your time slot please re-book an alternative one. Information for students who are currently overseas or are shielding, but still need to collect possessions, can be found below.
 
We will have control measures in place to ensure that your visit to campus is as safe as possible. Please ensure that you arrive with enough time to allow you to pack and remove your possessions, sticking within your allocated time slot. We have included a set of guidelines below to ensure that your collection will be as safe and as smooth as possible.

Guidance and important advice regarding your collection

• Please remember to bring your College Card to gain access to your Hall, flat and room
• Please bring bags or containers to pack your belongings to carry them safely
• On arrival, please proceed to your Hall and park in a convenient and safe place. Please note, parking enforcement has been lifted during the collection period so you will not need to register your car registration beforehand
• Please ensure that you follow the current government guidelines and local signage to maintain appropriate social distancing when using the lifts, stairs and entering into your flat
• Please be aware that a number of students are still living in their Halls so social distancing and hand cleanliness will need to be carried out
• As per the government guidelines, you will not be able to socialise with your flatmates or use the facilities in the communal areas to make tea etc.
• To minimise the impact on the students still living in their Halls, we would request that you remove your possessions as quickly as possible within your allocated time slot
• Our Residential team will be coordinating the sanitisation of touch points at key times throughout the day and will be on hand to help with any access issues. Please ensure that you follow all distancing guidelines when you come into contact with members of the team
• Please remove all items from your room and your communal kitchen/pantry and leave the room totally free of all rubbish and personal possessions when you leave 
• If you have received a notification that you have a parcel to collect, please go to the George Eliot Post Room. Due to social distancing measures there may be a queue, so please wait patiently and adhere to displayed signage
• We would also advise that you maintain your own personal safety arrangements whilst on site by using appropriate protective gloves, sanitizer etc.

Please book your time slot using our online booking system. If you are unable to make your time slot please re-book an alternative one. The options for booking and collecting your possessions will be available until Friday 31 July 2020.

What to do if you are overseas or currently shielding

Further to our email on the 16 June - if you still require someone else to collect your possessions on your behalf through a third party we have extended the deadline for arranging a collection to the 31 July. 

In order to do this, you will need to arrange for a nominated person or book a third party company to carry out the packing and collection of your possessions and if necessary, the onward shipping. Once you have done this you will need to confirm to us the name of the individual or company who will act on your behalf along with the date of collection.
 
Please complete our form to enable us to provide access to your room and release your possessions.
 
Third party collections must be booked by 24 July and all collections must be carried out by 31 July at the latest. Collections can take place between 9am and 5pm daily Monday to Sunday.
 
If possessions are not collected by the 31 July we will need to arrange for a third party provider to pack and store your items and we will pass on all the associated costs for this requirement on to you. 

Please complete this form to enable collection by third party individuals or company.

Guidance and important advice for nominated collectors

• Collections need be registered in advance (we cannot give access or release items if this form is not completed in full) 
• Proof of identification will need to be shown by the nominated person company on the day of collection
• Contact points for collecting access card –
   - Main campus rooms go to Hub Reception. 
   - Rooms north of the A30 (George Eliot, Highfield and Penrose) go to George Eliot Reception.
   - Kingswood Rooms go to Kingswood Reception
• Parcels: if you have a parcel you must instruct your nominated collector to go to George Eliot Post Room to collect the item and remove it from site
• Persons attending on site must be kept to minimum
• Please comply with social distancing measures and keep apart from anyone who has not travelled with you
• Please follow on site safety instructions issued by our teams on site
• On arrival park in a designated parking space in a car park – enforcement has been suspended during the collection period
• Report to the relevant Hall Reception point to collect an access key
• Private individuals must bring photo ID and a copy of the instruction from our student
• Companies must bring their business ID and a copy of the instruction/booking from our student
• Bring sufficient containers/bags to pack the belongings
• No trollies are available on site – if you require one bring this with you
• Remember to remove the student’s items from the kitchen and to collect any post/parcels
• All waste must be removed from the rooms and placed in the external waste bins according to our waste streams
• Before you leave site return the access key or card to the Reception area for the Hall
• Commercial companies undertaking multiple collections must contact us for advice on amalgamating collections and to enable access cards to be prepared in advance. Contact: customerservices@royalholloway.ac.uk

 
Please contact us at customerservices@royalholloway.ac.uk if need help with identifying a packing company. 

 On Thursday 21 May, the UK government announced changes to their guidelines for students with belongings left in university Halls. Under these new guidelines, students who have possessions left in Halls are now able to travel back to their university to collect them. 

 
To enable you to come and collect your possessions in line with the current government guidelines and as safely as possible, please book a time slot between Tuesday 26 May and Friday 19 June. Information for students who are currently overseas or are shielding, but still need to collect possessions, can be found at the bottom of this email.
 
We will have control measures in place to ensure that your visit to campus is as safe as possible. Please ensure that you arrive with enough time to allow you to pack and remove your possessions, sticking within your allocated time slot. We have included a set of guidelines below to ensure that your collection will be as safe and as smooth as possible.

• Please remember to bring your College Card to gain access to your Hall, flat and room
• Please bring bags or containers to pack your belongings to carry them safely
• On arrival, please proceed to your Hall and park in a convenient and safe place. Please note, parking enforcement has been has been lifted during the collection period so you will not need to register your car registration beforehand
• Please ensure that you follow the current government guidelines and local signage to maintain appropriate social distancing when using the lifts, stairs and entering into your flat
• Please be aware that a number of students are still living in their Halls so social distancing and hand cleanliness will need to be carried out
• As per the government guidelines, you will not be able to socialise with your flatmates or use the facilities in the communal areas to make tea etc.
• To minimise the impact on the students still living in their Halls, we would request that you remove your possessions as quickly as possible within your allocated time slot
• Our Residential team will be coordinating the sanitisation of touch points at key times throughout the day and will be on hand to help with any access issues. Please ensure that you follow all distancing guidelines when you come into contact with members of the team
• Please remove all items from your room and your communal kitchen/pantry and leave the room totally free of all rubbish and personal possessions when you leave 
• If you have received a notification that you have a parcel to collect, please go to the George Eliot Post Room. Due to social distancing measures there may be a queue, so please wait patiently and adhere to displayed signage
• We would also advise that you maintain your own personal safety arrangements whilst on site by using appropriate protective gloves, sanitizer etc.

Please book your time slot using our online booking system. If you are unable to make your time slot please re-book an alternative one. The options for booking and collecting your possessions will be available until Friday 19 June 2020.
 

Students who are overseas or are currently shielding 

If you have left the UK and are unable to return, or you are currently shielding or living with someone who is shielding, you may be able to book a courier/packer (this could also be a member of your family or a friend), to come and collect your possessions at a later date once restrictions are further revised. If you will require someone else to come and collect your belongings, please let us know by completing this form, and we will be in touch over the coming weeks with further details and suggested courier companies. Until you are able to arrange collection we will continue to store your belongings, which may require us to pack your room.
 
We will try to respond to any emails sent to customerservices@royalholloway.ac.uk as quickly as possible, but please appreciate that due to the current circumstances and increased email queries, there may be a delay in responding.
 
Thank you for your patience during these unusual times. Please do not hesitate to contact customerservices@royalholloway.ac.uk should you require any assistance during your collection slot.
 
Best wishes,
 
Residential Services

You can read the last coronavirus newsletter here.

Coronavirus is a type of virus. As a group, coronaviruses are common across the world.

Generally, coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms in older people and vulnerable people. Information on who meets there criteria can be found here.

The symptoms of coronavirus are:

• a new continuous cough
• a fever (hot to the touch on your chest or back)
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste

If you develop any of these symptoms you must stay at home. Information on how to do this can be found here.

Further information from the UK Government can be found here.

For students:

If you are worried about coronavirus, please email our Wellbeing team at  supportingyou@royalholloway.ac.uk

For staff:

If you are worried about coronavirus and it's having an impact on your wellbeing, please let your line manager know and or you can contact our Employee Wellbeing Programme provider,  Confidencial Care (CiC). 

If you are a colleague with additional questions that haven't been answered, please email  intranet@royalholloway.ac.uk.

As we move out of lockdown the advice of the UK government continues to develop. The general advice is outlined below and more information can be found here.

Stay alert

We can all help control the virus if we all stay alert. This means you must:

• stay at home as much as possible
• work from home if you can
• limit contact with other people
• keep your distance if you go out (two metres apart where possible)
• wash your hands regularly

Do not leave home if you or anyone in your household has symptoms.

From 15 June, it is compulsory to wear a face covering whilst using public transport in England. From 24 July, it is compulsory to wear a face covering in shops and supermarkets in England. A face covering is a covering of any type which covers your nose and mouth.

It is also recommended to wear a face covering in other enclosed spaces where it is difficult to maintain social distancing. 

Anyone with symptoms should ask for a test online or call to arrange a test by calling 119 or clicking here. If the test comes back negative, everyone in your household can return to normal. But if the test comes back positive, the NHS Test and Trace team will get in touch via text, email or phone call to discuss whom you have come into close contact with.

Coronavirus (Covid-19) is a variation of the influenza (flu) virus and some colleagues will be at higher risk from the virus due to their medical history or personal circumstances.

Guidance in relation to coronavirus can be found on the government website.

There is also now guidance on shielding and protecting people who are extremely vulnerable. This applies to the categories below. If you meet any of these please look at the additional guidance here.

1. Solid organ transplant recipients
2. People with specific cancers:

• people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radical radiotherapy for lung cancer
• people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
• people having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
• people having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors
• people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs

3. People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD.
4. People with rare diseases and inborn errors of metabolism that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as SCID, homozygous sickle cell).
5. People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection.
6. Women who are pregnant with significant heart disease, congenital or acquired.

For students:

If you consider yourself to be high risk or you are a primary carer for someone who is high risk, or if you have a close relative in palliative care, please contact supportingyou@royalholloway.ac.uk, as soon as possible. You don’t need to provide any specific details within the email, we just need to know if you are within this category.

For staff:

If you consider yourself to be high risk or you are a primary carer for someone who is high risk, or if you have a close relative in palliative care, please contact douglas.searle@royalholloway.ac.uk, as soon as possible. You must not provide any specific details within the email, we just need to know if you are within this category.

As of 17 March we have asked those who are at higher risk to work from home where possible. You will also need to discuss working arrangements with your line manager as soon as possible.

The same would apply for both students and staff who have a condition or conditions that make them more vulnerable to coronavirus. See previous answer.  

If students or colleagues are victim of, or witness to, racial harassment, abuse or violence we encourage you to contact your line manager, Security or Surrey Police. More information about hate crime and how the Police and Crown Prosecution Service will act on such behaviour is available  here.

If any of our students are victim of or witness to racial harassment, abuse or violence we encourage them to contact our Student Advisory and Wellbeing team, Security, Students’ Union Advice Centre or Surrey Police. 

As we move out of lockdown the advice of the UK government continues to develop. The general advice on social distancing is outlined below and more information can be found here.

At this stage of the recovery strategy:

• You can spend time outdoors, including private gardens and other outdoor spaces, in groups of up to six people from different households, following social distancing guidelines
• You should go to work if you cannot work from home and your business has not been required to close by law
• Children in early years (age 0-5), reception, year 1 and year 6 can return to childcare or school in line with the arrangements made by their school
• You can be tested as part of the test and trace programme, which will enable us to return to normal life as soon as possible, by helping to control transmission risks

From 13 June, you will now also be able to:

• Form a ‘support bubble’ with one other household if you live alone or are a single parent with dependent children - in other words, you are in a household where there is only one adult
• Attend a place of worship for individual prayer

From 15 June:

• You will be able to visit more shops and additional outdoor attractions - drive-in cinemas and animal attractions like zoos, farms and safari parks
• Year 10 and 12 pupils in secondary schools and further education colleges will begin to receive some face to face support.
• You will have to wear a face covering on public transport

If, after lifting restrictions, the government sees a concerning rise in the infection rate, then it may have to re-impose some restrictions in as targeted a way as possible.

That is why you should stay alert and follow social distancing guidelines. You must not:

• gather outdoors in groups of more than six people with people you do not live with (except for limited circumstances) or, from 13 June, people that are not in your support bubble (if applicable)
• visit friends or family inside their home or any other indoor place, except for the limited set of circumstances set out in law or from 13 June if they are in your support bubble
• stay away from your home or your support bubble household overnight - including holidays - except for in a limited set of circumstances, such as for work purposes

During these uncertain times we must all play our part in following government advice to practice social distancing. Social distancing means trying to avoid contact with other people and spending less time in public places, where a lot of people are around. This includes avoiding large gatherings with friends and instead keeping in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media.

As we move out of lockdown the advice of the UK government continues to develop. The general advice on social distancing is outlined below and more information can be found here.

At this stage of the recovery strategy:

• You can spend time outdoors, including private gardens and other outdoor spaces, in groups of up to six people from different households, following social distancing guidelines
• You should go to work if you cannot work from home and your business has not been required to close by law
• Children in early years (age 0-5), reception, year 1 and year 6 can return to childcare or school in line with the arrangements made by their school
• You can be tested as part of the test and trace programme, which will enable us to return to normal life as soon as possible, by helping to control transmission risks

From 13 June, you will now also be able to:

• Form a ‘support bubble’ with one other household if you live alone or are a single parent with dependent children - in other words, you are in a household where there is only one adult
• Attend a place of worship for individual prayer

From 15 June:

• You will be able to visit more shops and additional outdoor attractions - drive-in cinemas and animal attractions like zoos, farms and safari parks
• Year 10 and 12 pupils in secondary schools and further education colleges will begin to receive some face to face support.
• You will have to wear a face covering on public transport

If, after lifting restrictions, the government sees a concerning rise in the infection rate, then it may have to re-impose some restrictions in as targeted a way as possible.

That is why you should stay alert and follow social distancing guidelines. You must not:

• gather outdoors in groups of more than six people with people you do not live with (except for limited circumstances) or, from 13 June, people that are not in your support bubble (if applicable)
• visit friends or family inside their home or any other indoor place, except for the limited set of circumstances set out in law or from 13 June if they are in your support bubble

stay away from your home or your support bubble household overnight - including holidays - except for in a limited set of circumstances, such as for work purposes

The College is moving back towards re-opening for start of term in September. The majority if staff will continue to work from home unless contacted by their Line Manager.

Ensuring the safety of everyone in our community is our top priority and this takes time. Control measures are being implemented and tested.

You cannot return to work unless contacted by you Line Manager.

There may be limited opportunities for students who are unable to study at home to access study space on campus. If you are unable to study elsewhere, you should contact supportingyou@royalholloway.ac.uk to discuss your study circumstances.

Shop and cafes on campus will remain closed.

The Students’ Union will continue to offer its ‘take away’ services established over the past six weeks

We will be re-opening some specific scientific research laboratories, but only for research staff and students with prior approval.

If you need to come to campus to collect items a request can be submitted to HT Operations, who will review the request and provide a time and date.

If you require IT equipment please follow the process here. 

As we move out of lockdown this is no longer required as you are permitted to travel to work if required.

The College will be allowing people to return to work, but in a controlled fashion. This will start with specific laboratory based research projects. The majority of campus will remain closed.

Self-isolate if:

• you have any symptoms of coronavirus (a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste)
• you're waiting for a coronavirus test result
• you've tested positive for coronavirus – this means you have coronavirus
• you live with someone who has symptoms, is waiting for a test result or has tested positive
• someone in your support bubble has symptoms, is waiting for a test result or has tested positive

Anyone with symptoms should ask for a test online or call to arrange a test by calling 119. If the test comes back negative, everyone in your household can return to normal. But if the test comes back positive, the NHS Test and Trace team will get in touch via text, email or phone call to discuss whom you have come into close contact with.

If you are contacted by NHS track and trace then you need to follow the advice they give you.

If you begin suffering from symptoms then you should ask for a test online or call to arrange a test by calling 119 or clicking here. If the test comes back negative, everyone in your household can return to normal. But if the test comes back positive, the NHS Test and Trace team will get in touch via text, email or phone call to discuss whom you have come into close contact with.

If you are contacted by NHS track and trace then you need to follow the advice they give you.

If you begin suffering from symptoms then you should ask for a test online or call to arrange a test by calling 119 or clicking here. If the test comes back negative, everyone in your household can return to normal. But if the test comes back positive, the NHS Test and Trace team will get in touch via text, email or phone call to discuss whom you have come into close contact with.

Information about assessments and results as well as the support available to you studying online can be found on our assessments and results hub on the student intranet. 

For students:

If you are worried about coronavirus and it's having an impact on your wellbeing, please get in touch with our Wellbeing team at  supportingyou@royalholloway.ac.uk

It is important to keep in touch, especially if you are not on campus. Please keep checking your College emails for updates. If you need information or want to contact a specific team, you may find the contact details in  this document useful. 

For staff:

As a colleague, if you are worried about coronavirus and it's having an impact on your wellbeing, you can contact our Employee Wellbeing Programme provider, Confidential Care (CiC).  Find out more.  

Following government advice, the Library and the Davison building are now closed. The Union Shop will remain open, but tighter social distancing rules will be in place.

Information on library services for students is available on the student intranet. 

You can find out more specific information for postgraduate research students on the Doctoral School intranet pages. 

If you have had to purchase additional IT equipment to support you in completing your assessments this term, you can now request reimbursement of up to £500 for the recent purchase of equipment improving your digital access. Please note that terms and conditions apply and the deadline for submitting your application is Friday 12 June.

The conditions of this grant are as follows:

(i) only necessary computer equipment to assist with the completion of assessments will be considered

(ii) all applications must be submitted by Friday 12 June 2020

(iii) only equipment that you can provide recent proof of purchase for will be refunded. 

You will need to submit proof of purchase, such as emails confirming purchase, receipts or bank statements for contactless payments along with a short application form.  Please contact the Financial Wellbeing team to discuss the conditions and eligibility and guidance on the process. You can find the application form and more information here.

If you are unable to travel home before the end of your accommodation contract due to circumstances surrounding coronavirus e.g. travel restrictions or shielding, you will be able to continue living in Halls. Even if you are a final year student, you will be able to continue living in Halls if circumstances mean you are unable to travel. Accommodation fees will still apply if you extend your stay with us, which will be at a rate of £8.65 per night. Unfortunately, you will not be able to stay in your current flat but will be moved to a room in George Eliot. If you believe you won’t be able to move out of your accommodation before the end of your contract, please let us know by emailing customerservives@royalholloway.ac.uk and write ‘Summer Vacation Accommodation’ in the subject line. We will send you a ‘Vacation Reservation form’ that will need to be completed by yourself by 9 June. For more information, please email our customer services team.

If you are living on campus and have been told to stay at home please do so, following the advice here.

If you require support, please contact our Wellbeing team at  supportingyou@royalholloway.ac.uk. 

Information has been emailed to those living in Halls by the College. Please continue to check your College email address for further updates.

If you still have possessions left in your room and need to collect them, please contact customerservices@rhul.ac.uk.

If you are unable to collect them yourself and will require a third party to collect them on your behalf, please read this message here. 

If you terminate your accommodation contract for term three, and for those of you on 50-week contracts (e.g. postgraduates), term four also, by Monday 27 April the corresponding accommodation invoices will be cancelled and you will receive a refund to the original payee for any overpaid accommodation fees. If you terminate your contract after this date, giving the minimum one month notice, you must continue to pay termly accommodation fees by the payment due dates. On termination of your contract, you will receive a refund for any overpaid accommodation fees.
 
If you are due a refund, we will begin processing this after 27 April (see below information for instances where this could be delayed further). You will receive a refund to the original payee. You can expect to receive the refund within four weeks, however this may take longer due to the current situation. The process may also take longer if the original payment method was an international bank transfer.

 
If you are not terminating your accommodation contract with us, the accommodation fees for term three are due by Friday 1 May. If you would like to discuss options to pay in instalments, you can contact the Student Fees team at Student-Fees@royalholloway.ac.uk. 

This will depend on the terms of your contract with your landlord. The Students' Union Advice Centre will able to advise - https://www.su.rhul.ac.uk/advice/.

 If you lose your card you must contact Security who will arrange for a replacement accommodation access card to be produced and delivered to the Security Control Centre on Founder's East for your collection. This card will enable you to access your flat and room and will be programmed to allow continuous access for the duration of your remaining contract period. Access to the main entrance of your block will revert to pin code, this will be printed on the envelope when you receive your replacement room card.  

You will have recently received a statement (week commencing 30 March) from student fees which shows your current account status, including outstanding debt for tuition fees and accommodation fees.

This is a statement of your account not an invoice.

If you have emailed Customer Services to request the termination of your accommodation contract from term three, your account will be updated in due course. If you have any further questions regarding your current account statement e.g. relating to tuition fees, you can email Student-Fees@royalholloway.ac.uk

If you are unable to travel home before the end of your accommodation contract due to circumstances surrounding coronavirus e.g. travel restrictions or shielding, you will be able to continue living in Halls. Even if you are a final year student, you will be able to continue living in Halls if circumstances mean you are unable to travel. Accommodation fees will still apply if you extend your stay with us, which will be at a rate of £8.65 per night. Unfortunately, you will not be able to stay in your current flat but will be moved to a room in George Eliot. If you believe you won’t be able to move out of your accommodation before the end of your contract, please let us know by emailing customerservives@royalholloway.ac.uk and write ‘Summer Vacation Accommodation’ in the subject line. We will send you a ‘Vacation Reservation form’ that will need to be completed by yourself by 9 June. For more information, please email our customer services team.

Most of the information in this FAQ is relevant to all our students. Here is also a useful link to additional information from UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs). If your questions are not answered here, please contact internationaladvice@royalholloway.ac.uk

The Home Office has published advice for people with visas which expire between 24 January 2020 and 31 May 2020 and stresses that no visa holder will be penalised for circumstances outside of their control. Visas will be extended until 31 May 2020 for those who cannot leave the country due to the coronavirus. There are also new measures in place to allow people to apply for long-term visas from the UK until 31 May 2020.

The College has decided that, with immediate effect, staff and students should not travel internationally on College related business until further notice.

Only essential travel within the UK on College related business will be permitted.

With immediate effect the College is postponing all public facing events held on campus and at Bedford Square until further notice. This includes, but is not limited to, concerts, inaugural lectures and non-academic performances. Exhibitions and the Picture Gallery will also be closed to the public. The Chapel will continue to be open for services but concerts held there will be postponed until further notice.

The Conferencing and Catering team are in discussion with individual organisations which have booked College facilities for their conference or event. If you have booked an event through the Conferencing and Catering team please contact them to discuss your booking.

The College has decided that, with immediate effect, staff and students should not travel internationally on College related business.

We would also recommend that non-essential College related travel in the UK is also cancelled. If you believe that your planned UK travel is essential, please discuss this with your manager.

If you are attending or speaking at a conference, you may wish to contact the event organiser to establish if you can participate remotely. 

The College never closed as we continued to provide to the students who remained resident on campus.

Some of our research laboratories have now re-opened for specific research and campus will be ready to re-open in September for the start of term.

Ensuring the safety of everyone in our community is our top priority and this takes time. Control measures are being implemented and tested.

All but Key Workers will work from home full time until we are given further guidance by the government.

Many IT services are available from personal devices over the internet and we would recommend that you spend some time getting used to these systems from home. We have provided some advice on remote working, with links to all the support documentation here. Further information can be found on the intranet . 

We will re-open some specific scientific research laboratories. Colleagues involved will be communicated with directly to discuss details. Colleagues cannot visit research laboratories without prior agreement   

The campus will not be fully closing and students who remain on campus will be fully supported. 

The campus will not be fully closing and security will remain in place. 

Anyone with symptoms should ask for a test online or call to arrange a test by calling 119. If the test comes back negative, everyone in your household can return to normal. But if the test comes back positive, the NHS Test and Trace team will get in touch via text, email or phone call to discuss whom you have come into close contact with.

You should still take your annual leave as planned, unless your line manager asks you to cancel your leave in order for the College to respond to the impact of coronavirus (Covid-19). While government restrictions may mean that you have to stay at home during your time off, it is important that you take leave to rest and recuperate.

The annual leave policy allows outstanding leave to be carried over from one holiday year to the next in exceptional circumstances and with the permission of the Head of Department / line manager. Ordinarily leave of up to five days (pro-rata) may be carried over to the next year.

To recognise the impact Covid-19 has had on annual leave plans this will be extended to eight days for this leave year however, wherever possible you should try to take your annual leave entitlement for 2019/20 before the end of July 2020.

This announcement is about protecting workers who cannot take annual leave because they are critical to managing the response to Covid-19. It applies to employees who have not taken all of their statutory annual leave entitlement due to Covid-19, statutory leave being 20 days and eight days bank holiday.

In most cases it is expected that the majority of colleagues will be able to take their annual leave before the end of July and therefore this new ruling is unlikely to apply to anyone working for the College.

We will be encouraging people to take annual leave where possible and will only as a last resort ask people to cancel or not take their annual leave. In the exceptional cases that you have been asked to cancel leave, and so have been unable to take it before the end of July, managers will have discretion to allow up to 15 days of leave in total to be carried over and taken over a two year period.

There will be no provision to “buy back” annual leave that is not taken for the current academic year.

If you have children at home or have other caring responsibilities and are working from home, you may struggle to work your normal hours, or commit to a full day of work. In these circumstances it is understood that flexibility is required and that, rather than take annual leave, you should work on the basis of your best effort in difficult circumstances, this might include, for example, agreeing together with more information on.

Coronavirus (Covid-19) is a variation of the influenza (flu) virus and some colleagues will be at higher risk from the virus due to their medical history or personal circumstances.

Guidance in relation to coronavirus can be found on the government website.

There is also now guidance on shielding and protecting people who are extremely vulnerable. This applies to the categories below. If you meet any of these please look at the additional guidance here.

1. Solid organ transplant recipients
2. People with specific cancers:

• people with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radical radiotherapy for lung cancer
• people with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma who are at any stage of treatment
• people having immunotherapy or other continuing antibody treatments for cancer
• people having other targeted cancer treatments which can affect the immune system, such as protein kinase inhibitors or PARP inhibitors
• people who have had bone marrow or stem cell transplants in the last 6 months, or who are still taking immunosuppression drugs

3. People with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD.
4. People with rare diseases and inborn errors of metabolism that significantly increase the risk of infections (such as SCID, homozygous sickle cell).
5. People on immunosuppression therapies sufficient to significantly increase risk of infection.
6. Women who are pregnant with significant heart disease, congenital or acquired.

For students:

If you consider yourself to be high risk or you are a primary carer for someone who is high risk, or if you have a close relative in palliative care, please contact supportingyou@royalholloway.ac.uk, as soon as possible. You don’t need to provide any specific details within the email, we just need to know if you are within this category.

For staff:

If you consider yourself to be high risk or you are a primary carer for someone who is high risk, or if you have a close relative in palliative care, please contact douglas.searle@royalholloway.ac.uk, as soon as possible. You must not provide any specific details within the email, we just need to know if you are within this category.

As of 17 March we have asked those who are at higher risk to work from home where possible. You will also need to discuss working arrangements with your line manager as soon as possible.

The same would apply for both students and staff who have a condition or conditions that make them more vulnerable to coronavirus. See previous answer 

All but Key Workers will work from home full time until we are given further guidance by the government.

Many IT services are available from personal devices over the internet and we would recommend that you spend some time getting used to these systems from home. We have provided some advice on remote working, with links to all the support documentation here. Further information can be found on the intranet . 

The College has decided that, with immediate effect, staff and students should not travel internationally on College related business.

Occupational sick pay is normally paid to members of staff in accordance with their contracts.

If you are a member of staff or a worker who is paid through timesheets and who has a sustained and regular pattern of work, for example you are a visiting lecturer, barista or server in one of our outlets or are a Student Ambassador, but you are off sick with coronavirus, or are unable to work as the need for the work no longer exists due to coronavirus you will be paid for the hours you would normally have worked. You should inform your line manager where you are sick in accordance with normal procedure.

The hours that you would normally have worked will be defined by your line manager or normal timesheet authoriser based on the hours already allocated or, where this had not yet occurred, your average weekly hours over the previous two months.  The hours will be input by your manager.  

You should discuss this with your line manager as they will know your working pattern and can review the previous period.

If you are a member of staff or worker who is paid through timesheets and you have a sustained and regular pattern of work, for example, you are a visiting lecturer, barista or server in one of our outlets or are a Student Ambassador, and the work you do isn’t required as a direct result of coronavirus, you will continue to be paid for the hours you would normally have worked.  We will review this position at the end of April.

The hours that you would normally have worked will be defined by your line manager or normal timesheet authoriser based on the hours already allocated or, where this had not yet occurred, your average weekly hours over the previous two months.

You should discuss the work you would normally have done with your line manager to identify if there is another way to complete the work, for example if you are a visiting lecturer and the lecture can be delivered online, or if there is alternative work you can undertake instead, for example if you regularly work on one outlet you may be asked to work in another outlet.

If it is not possible for you to work even although you are available to work, your manager/the normal authoriser of your timesheet should submit a timesheet for the hours you would have worked and this will be paid in the normal manner. Your manager must ensure they complete a revised timesheet which have been put in place for this period and which reflects hours that would have been worked rather than hours that have actually been worked 

At this time you will not be paid for the hours you would have worked as you do not have a pattern of regular hours. 

If you are worried about coronavirus and it's having an impact on your wellbeing, you can contact our Employee Wellbeing Programme provider, Confidential Care (CiC).  Find out more.   

If you are worried about coronavirus and it's having an impact on your wellbeing, you can contact our Wellbeing team at  supportingyou@royalholloway.ac.uk. 

It is important to keep in touch, especially if you are not on campus. Please keep checking your College emails for updates. If you need information or want to contact a specific team, you may find the contact details in this document useful. 

If you are worried about coronavirus and it's having an impact on your wellbeing, please speak to your line manager or contact our Employee Wellbeing Programme provider, Confidential Care (CiC).  Find out more.