You're ahead of me, I don't pay any attention to the Mail. But ignoring the fact it's the Mail, they have a point - isolation for a number of weeks/months will be bad enough for all of us, but for the elderly who may already suffer from loneliness and other issues, it's going to be terrible.

From my conversation with my 75 year-old mum yesterday, stubbornness will be the death of most of them. She's quite active but suffers from loneliness since my dad passed away and she has severe heart and other conditions. Getting her to accept the inevitable has been a nightmare, even with all the support we can muster from afar. I've subsequently seen and heard many similar comments - the OAPs contacting the Jeremy Vine show this morning just as pig-headed.

"It's discrimination against the elderly" "I have a right to leave my home" "Age has nothing to do with this" "They want to kill us all off" Of course you have a right to leave your home. But you could spread it, you could take up a bed that otherwise might have been available for others, and you could well die.

Another comment I heard yesterday from a female friend..."I have a sore throat and a bit of a cough but no symptoms of the virus", while her husband in the same house has a raging fever, sore throat and cough.

She sent her kids into school and went round the local shops today with the supermarkets being empty. They're all now under quarantine for 14 days.

Full lockdown within a week? I reckon.

My wife has been self isolating since Friday. Now the new guidelines have been issued, my little girl will be staying at home and I'll be working from home, so we're all in isolation. I spoke to my mum and dad earlier (mum nearly 70, dad 75) and explained the situation. My mum's reply? "You'll all have to come round one day if you're off work, I'll cook a dinner". Honestly!!!

aaawww bless don't you just love em

, hope you all stay well

They are promising money for business but in loan form which will have to be paid back. I note that Johnson did not answer the questions on loan repayments.

Good luck to them hope they get through this disaster.

To be honest I think the wall of debt will be too much. Talking to someone at the weekend, a relatively sound company turnover 90 thousand per month. Now dropped to 5 thousand a month. I asked him how long he could sustain that drop in turnover. Not ******* long was the reply.

what has he been doing with the 85K a month?

People seem to forget that "The Government" is you and me when it comes to money, IF he has been making even 20% profit and not saving or investing, why do I bail him out?

I am not suggesting the government should bail him out. Should imagine his profit margin is based on 90 thousand per month. I know he runs several vans so his overheads Will be virtually the same. So huge drop in turnover whilst fixed overheads are the same is obviously a recipe for disaster.

With regards the Business loans is the government not just falling in line with the French announcement or are the French giving the money away. I am more concerned that that these loans will attract interest. It will also be interesting to know if the banks that are offering mortgage holidays will they also expect interest on those months I would hope not. I am sure that the grants announced will be warmly welcomed, however, it seems still nothing for the self employed ??

Do you understand anything about basic economics ?
A 90k/month TURNOVER business, suddenly dropping to 5k, without any change to their cost structure isn't going to last very long, especially if this happens overnight.
Unless the business is cash rich and has huge reserves in the bank, which would be very unusual, they are instantly on the brink.
Also, having seen a 90% drop in turnover in one month, what do you think happens next month ?

You actually scare me with your absolute lack of knowledge.

Stick to the ill informed quips and try not to embarrass yourself any further

laughable, even for a complete hard of thinking individual like you. I understand TURNOVER, and 90K TURNOVER should yield a PROFIT. Stick to your sanatogen and werthers diet, you petrify me with your closed mind idealist view, ignoring how the world [ireally[/i works. I hope envy and hate of all things progressive and profitable keeps you warm at night.

Are you stupid or what - so they have business that makes 10% net profit which is pretty good - let's say material costs are 30% that still leaves costs of 54k so in 4 weeks you have costs >£200k which will need to be paid - the equivalent of 24 weeks profits. Its not a difficult calculation to understand