COVID-19 Information Hub
Welcome to the Scottish Rural Network COVID-19 Information Hub. This hub has been set up in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and will be updated regularly with the latest official guidance, helpful resources, funding support and news relevant to Scotland's rural communities.
If you are looking for more advice relating to agriculture and farming then please visit the COVID-19 page on ruralpayments.org
If you cannot find the answer you are looking for in the information below, then please get in touch with us via our online contact form.
Download the Protect Scotland app from NHS Scotland.
Click on the links below to jump to a section
- Coronavirus guidance from Scottish Government
- Rural Sector Guidance
- Other Sector Guidance
- Community Support and Funding
- Business Support and Funding
- Food & Drink Support
- Support for Young People
- Volunteering & Employment Opportunities
- Learning Opportunities
- Third Sector Funding
- Wellbeing & Mental Health Support
- Other Useful Links
Coronavirus guidance from Scottish Government
From Tuesday 5 January, mainland Scotland moved from Level 4 to a temporary Lockdown, with new guidance to stay at home except for essential purposes. Some islands will remain at Level 3. View the main Coronavirus page for all updates.
The same social distancing and health & safety guidelines apply to rural Scotland as they do in more built-up areas. To protect yourself and others, you must:
- wear a face covering
- avoid crowded places
- clean hands and surfaces regularly
- stay 2m away from other people
- self-isolate and book a test if you have COVID-19 symptoms (new continuous cough, fever or loss of, or change in, sense of smell or taste)
Rural Sector Guidance
- Guidance for farmers and crofters
- Advice for pet and livestock owners
- Social distancing guidance for Horticulture, Fruit & Vegetable Industry Sector
- Guidance for handling farm deliveries from NFUS
- Guidance for farmers, land managers and rural businesses from DEFRA
- Guidance for sheep shearing from the National Association of Agricultural Contractors
Other Sector Guidance
- Guidance for the Tourism and Hospitality Sector
- Guidance for small and micro-businesses
- Guidance for caravan sites and holiday parks
- Second homes guidance
- Events sector guidance
- Guidance for creative studios and shared workspaces
- Hospital visiting guidance
- Guidance for consumers
- Guidance on safer public spaces - urban centres and green spaces
- Travel and transport guidance
Community Support & Funding
- Community Response, Recovery & Resilience Fund
- Communities Recovery Fund
- Community and Third Sector Recovery Programme
- Scottish Government Supporting Communities Fund - this fund is issued through anchor organisations and is not available for applications. You can see a list of the organisations supported so far here.
- Connecting Scotland
- Resilience planning information from Ready Scotland
- ScotPHO COVID-19 Community Vulnerability Map
Business Support & Funding
For information on business support funding available through the Scottish Government, you can visit the FindBusinessSupport.gov.scot website. The main funding streams available include the below;
- Renfrewshire Coronavirus Business Support Fund
- Coronavirus Business Interruption loan Scheme (for SMEs)
Funding and support available through the UK Government;
- Bounceback Loan Scheme
- Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
- Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme
- Self-employment and Universal Credit
- Self-employment Income Support Scheme
- UK Government business support finder tool
Other funding and support available;
- Growbiz is an independent, community-based organisation with charitable status, providing support to anyone starting, running or growing a rural business. They are increasing their support during the COVID-19 crisis and are open to any small or micro-business in Perthshire or other parts of rural Scotland.
- Crowdfunder UK 'Pay it Forward' Scheme
- COVID-19 Self-Isolation Support Grant
Food & Drink Support
- Sea Fisheries Hardship Fund
- Scotland Food & Drink Coronavirus Information Hub
- Scotland Food & Drink 'Support Local' directory - a list of food and drink suppliers who can delivery locally during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Support and Information for Young People
- Support for young people from Young Scot
- Guidance from YouthLink Scotland
- Resources from Youth Scotland
- Scottish Youth Parliament 'Lockdown Lowdown' - view the survey report
- Guidance for teachers supporting students
Volunteering & Employment Opportunities
- Lantra Scotland Skills Matching Service (SMS)
- NFUS: Employment opportunities on farms
- Tourism & Hospitality Job Matching Service
- Skills Development Scotland: My World of Work
Learning Opportunities
- My World Of Work - Library of free online courses
- 'Future Learn' Online Courses
- OpenLearn - free online courses from The Open University
Third Sector Funding & Information
- Third Sector Resilience Fund - currently closed
- SCVO Coronavirus Third Sector Information Hub
- COVID-19 Resource centre for non-profit organisations
Wellbeing & Mental Health Support
- RSABI Helpline - 0300 111 4166
- Clear Your Head - practical tips on looking after your mental wellbeing
- Support in Mind Scotland
- National Rural Mental Health Forum
- Support for victims of Domestic Violence
Other useful links
- News from Scottish Government
- Coronavirus Information for stakeholders of European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF)
- Information and support for Parents
- Support for older people
- Information on the Forestry & Timber sector from CONFOR
- Age UK - for older people, their families and their carers