Good morning. Welcome to breakfast, with Charlie Stayt and mega munchetty. Our headlines today applause the nation comes together in an emotional thank you to nhs and care workers battling coronavirus. And this is an absolute nightmare, so its time that were alljust having to stand together, shoulder to shoulder, and show our appreciation. The chancellors multibillion pound bailout for self employed workers, but many wont receive payments for months. The United States passes china and italy to record the highest number of coronavirus cases anywhere in the world. If youre moving house, dont. The government warns house buyers and sellers to put off completion until after the outbreak, as home sales are forecast to slump 60 . Dont go out National Parks remind potential visitors they are are not open for business ahead of the weekend. And in weather, with the exception of scotland, plenty of sunshine around today. But it changes this weekend. More cloud, and it is going to feel significantly colder. I will have the details here on breakfast. Its friday 27 march. Our top story millions of people across the uk have taken part in a co ordinated tribute to nhs staff and care workers working on the front line of the coronavirus outbreak. The clap for carers salute saw people showing their thanks by applauding from their doorsteps, windows and balconies. We will be getting the reaction to that tribute from care workers throughout the programme this morning. And, after Financial Measures to support self employed workers were announced by the government, we will be asking the business secretary, alok sharma, if they go far enough. First, lets get the latest from our correspondent charlotte rose. A moment of togetherness, because of the virus which has forced us apart. Last night, thousands of people across the country came out on their doorsteps to applaud the efforts of nhs workers on the front line. In towns and cities, and even palaces, people paid tribute. Earlier, chancellor rishi sunak announced a multibillion pound package of support for self employed workers. Musicians and sound engineers, plumbers and electricians, taxi drivers and driving instructors, hairdressers and childminders, and many others, through no fault of their own, risk losing their livelihood. To you, i say this. You have not been forgotten. Those who earn less than £50,000 a year can apply for 00 03 58,1000 00 04 00,743 a grant of up to 80 of their average monthly profits, up to a maximum of £2,500. But, with payouts not coming untiljune, and some workers being exempt, many are still worried. So youre going to give us money injune, did they say . So what youre saying is, you you are presuming that everybody thats self employed has enough money to survive until then, and thats not the case. I unfortunately probably wont qualify, because my business has only been running for two years. My husband will be able to claim, so that means that as a family we will be able to have money from the government to tide us over. Whilst the government is firefighting on the economy, firefighters will be brought in to help the nhs. They will help drive ambulances, deliver food and medicine to vulnerable people, and if there are mass casualties from the virus, to transport the dead. The police, too, have a role to play, enforcing social distancing measures. Officers can now issue £60 on the spot fines if they find people are out and about for non essential reasons. Fines can be increased for repeat offenders. Derbyshire Police Say People should not be driving to the place they want to take their daily exercise, but its not clear whether this is actually against the rules. Loudspeaker the government has a lockdown in force. Forces are concerned that, with some fine weather expected this weekend, people will be tempted to go against the advice to stay at home. They hope these new powers will make people think twice. Charlotte rose, bbc news. Self employed workers will be able to apply for government grants to help them cope with the Financial Impact of coronavirus, under new measures announced by the chancellor. Rishi sunak told the self employed, you have not been forgotten. Ben has the details. For about a week or so, since the last budget, the self employed have been screaming for this, havent they . And at last something has come out. You are right, and this follows that package of measures that were announced for employed people last week, where they would get support of up to 80 of their income. Now, what the chancellor has had to contend with this just how difficult it is to determine how much money self employed people actually make, because we know that it can be quite volatile, up and down, and many people may have just designated themselves as self employed more recently, so they are not able to show consistent income over a long period of time. So thats been the difficulty here. But what we do know, the package of measures announced by the chancellor yesterday mean that people will be eligible for up to 80 of their profits, and that is quite an important distinction. Not their revenue or their income, but their profits. Now, they will get up to about £2500 a month. That is the cap on this. But as you said, and you heard there in that report, quite crucially, it will not be paid until june at the earliest. So now there isa june at the earliest. So now there is a huge difficulty for many of these people who have seen their incomejust end these people who have seen their income just end overnight. These people who have seen their incomejust end overnight. They these people who have seen their income just end overnight. They have now got to wait untiljune for that cash lump sum. The chancellor says this goes towards helping them, 3. 8 million of the 5 Million People who are classed as self employed should be supported by this. Because remember, it only applies if you earn less than £50,000 a year. And what they have done is ask the banks to help people tied them over with bank loans, for example, up until that time that that payment is made. But it has proved very difficult to come up with this plan, very difficult to implement, and i think it could be quite interesting how this gets paid now over the next couple of months, because many people saying, look, we need the money now. Our businesses closed overnight, please do more to help us. Overnight, please do more to help us. The federation of Small Businesses for example welcoming this move, but nonetheless many people will still find it difficult. Indeed, and also we are hearing that the Housing Market, buying and selling, effectively suspended. Yes, and this is a warning from the government yesterday, and they have advised all people delay the completion on any home purchased. And quite understandable, of course, because moving house involves meeting a lot of people, whether it is the sellers, the movers, anyone who is going to help you move house. And what they have advised is that you can try and delay that as much as possible. Mortgage providers have said they will extend any mortgage offers for three months to try and get people through this virus outbreak. But nonetheless, i think it is very difficult. Because if you have big purchases hanging in the balance like this, theres been a lot of work behind the scenes to get you to this day, you might have exchanged contracts, and therefore you are committed to a certain completion date, that is when you actually hand over the keys on the property is either sold or becomes your own. So there is still a lot of doubt about how that will work. Legally, where do you stand . What the government is asking for is for buyers and sellers to agree a mutually agreeable day, one that they are both happy with. But nonetheless it is very difficult, so what the government has said is why we are advising you to delay your house purchase, it will not be illegal. So the police will not be called in to stop you moving house. But nonetheless, they have said just be cautious, be careful, and if you can move the date, then do. What we are learning on bbc breakfast is whenever these financial announcements come about, the best source of how they are received is from the audience, and we welcome those thoughts this morning. Inevitably, it has always been the case so far, with what the chancellor said last week and this week now, there are people who do fall through the net. And already it has been suggested that 95 of self employed people will be helped by this. But your evidence, how it is affecting you, is hugely important today. So please keep your thoughts coming in. We do have lots of questions, which probably you will be able to relate to as well. And well be speaking to the business secretary, alok sharma at 7 30am. John mcdonnell, the shadow chancellor, with us a little later this hour as well. And a lot of questions on the virus itself which we are dealing with throughout the programme as well. The United States now has more confirmed cases of the coronavirus than any other country in the world, with more than 82,000 patients in total. The country has also seen an unprecedented surge in the number of people claiming unemployment benefits, as peter bowes reports. Now the global epicentre more positive tests for covid i9 than any other country. In some communities, the number of cases is doubling every three days. More than a quarter are in new york city, where the Emergency Services say they are overwhelmed by people calling for help. Its worse, they say, than after 9 11. And were not even started yet. So, if were doing 6,000 today, its going to be 8,000 tomorrow. More and more people are going to call. Its a sustained impact like this, weve never dealt with. At his latest briefing in the white house covid i9 task force, President Trump was generally upbeat. Its a beautiful day. He responded to the surge of cases. Its a tribute to the amount of testing were doing. Were doing tremendous testing, and im sure youre not able to tell what china is testing or not testing. As more and more people fall sick, and with much of the country at a standstill, the virus has had a catastrophic impact on americas workforce. Social isolation orders and shuttered businesses have led to a huge spike in the latest jobless figures. 3. 3 Million People laid off because of covid i9. Never before in us history has there been such a dramatic rise in unemployment. They have to go back to work. Our country has to go back. Our country is based on that. And i think its going to happen pretty quickly. Mr trump said robust testing protocols may allow some counties in the country to lift their safeguards against the coronavirus. He said the white house was working on a plan to be revealed next week, although it wouldnt mean an end to social distancing. In the meantime, soldiers are setting up this Field Hospital in new york, and a i,000 bed Naval Hospital ship is being deployed to manhattan. Another is heading to los angeles, where local officials fear there will be a critical shortage of beds in the coming days and weeks. Peter bowes, bbc news. And we will keep you up to date with the numbers in the us, the uk, and any other developments. The family of a man who died after getting coronavirus are warning that more lives will be lost unless we all obey the new rules on social isolation. Leonard gibson, who was 78, had been living with the lung condition copd. His grandchildren say they fear that more families will suffer similar tragedies unless the public take urgent action. 0ur correspondent jeremy cooke reports. This might be the most difficult video i have ever had to or ever will have to make, but it also might well be the most important one. I wa nt well be the most important one. I want people to act. Leonard gibson was 78. He died last week, a devastating blow for the whole family. For his granddaughter, tahlia. My grandpa put his family above everything. Tahlias brother, just say, was at her side, remembering leonard, who had lived for yea rs remembering leonard, who had lived for years in sheffield. He always had a joke or a smile to crack, even sort of regardless of his health. He always had such a positive outlook on life, which in many ways defied his own personal circumstances. Leonard tested positive for coronavirus in hospital. He had lived with a chronic lung condition for years. Copd makes you very, very vulnerable to coronavirus. We did kind of expect the worst. Leonards death was devastating, but there is high praise for nhs staff. |j death was devastating, but there is high praise for nhs staff. I dont have words to offer, i dont have the right words to offer for the praise that i want to give. Even as they mourn their grandpa, while they are in self isolation, the focus is on preventing other families suffering, whatever the economic cost. The economy can be rebuilt. Once somebody is dead, you know, its not a trade off that can be made. It shouldnt come into discussion. If more people dont ta ke discussion. If more people dont take it seriously, were going to see more tragedies like this, more families that will be put in this position, and i dont want that to happen to anyone. He will be missed, wont he . More than i can say. And one last plea. Stay safe. Its a difficult time for everyone, but most importantly, stay kind. Every time you see films like that and a big thank you for the families sharing that, it absolutely resonates in a way that possibly some of the messages that come from government sources. It does resonate. And we are grateful to you telling us your stories. We know the weather has been quite good this week and have been talking about people trying to get out there this morning and throughout the week and what measures are in place. This is the day in store for you if you live in the capital in london. Sunrise coming up, rather beautiful, would you say . What is the picture, good morning. Good morning, for the vast majority, sunshine a head once again. Dry for the vast majority with the exception of scotla nd the vast majority with the exception of scotland with cloud and splashes of scotland with cloud and splashes of rain having an impact on the temperatures as well. Well above freezing for the most. Across england and wales, widespread frost. Temperatures not as slow as in recent days . The up further west. Brightening up across the northern half of scotland where the winds are lighter. More of a breeze further south. Cooler in eastern coasts. Further west, western parts of wales could get to 16 celsius. By and large temperatures are starting to drop compared to earlier in the week. Tonight, Northern England, Northern Ireland north wales and Northern England, not as cold compared to the nightjust gone. Greater chance of frost in scotland. Big changes for the weekend. An area of cloud pushing southwards opening the doorfor this of cloud pushing southwards opening the door for this High Pressure from the door for this High Pressure from the arctic and it will feel substantially cooler. Bear in mind we have 19 degrees in one or two spots but nowhere near that on the weekend. Some cloud building through the day producing the odd shower especially across northern and eastern areas. Sunnier towards the south. The temperature started to ta ke south. The temperature started to take a bit of a knock. More of a chill particular North Eastern scotla nd chill particular North Eastern scotland and north east england. It will pick up even more as we go into sunday. That will bring much more cloud. Rest of the sunshine across western coasts on sunday butjust about anywhere will see some cloud breaks. Galeforce went possible in the south east corner and that will have a big impact on the temperatures. This is what it will feel like, closer to freezing. This began, if you are getting your daily exercise in your local area, put on an extra layer because it will feel substantially chillier but the drive feel will continue into next week for many. We are born. It will get nippy. Later yes, that is the trick. Lets take a look at todays papers the daily mirror has dedicated its front page to clap for our carers. Theres a photograph of staff from the Royal Liverpool hospital reacting to the show of support and participants from across the uk, including the duke and duchess of cambridges children. The times claims that the Housing Market has been plunged into chaos after the government called on people to delay moving home. Ben will talk to us about that a little more throughout the morning. Theres also a photo from last nights nhs tribute. 93 year old bubbly had a bell, making sure she was heard, barbara lee. The guardian leads with a story about nurses being sent to london to face a tsunami of coronavirus patients within days. The papers claims doctors will be asked to sleep on site for six weeks at the new makeshift Nightingale Hospital in east londons excel centre. Just showing where the concentration of nhs staff is going to be putjust for the moment. And finally, something a bit different this morning. This is the nhs heroes tracker. It was set up by a number of local papers and allows people to a drop a heart on the map wherever in the uk they live, to create what they call a living map of gratitude. I had not heard of that. It could be a very small thing. The number, i am assuming, is the number of people that have dropped heart in the uk to express their gratitude and affection and appreciation for those caring and working in the nhs. All Little Things that are making a big difference at the moment. 0n Little Things that are making a big difference at the moment. On that theme, anyone out maybe getting their walk or getting out, this suggestion is, look at the trees. In difficult times, you can get some sustenance. Cherry blossoming. Yes, a beautiful time of year. Notwithstanding all the problems, it is encouraging people. A lot of the parks are shut so some of the places you might actually go but there are trees on the street so try and take a moment. Also, with going up walking these days, i am hearing a lot of people meeting other people in their community and it is often in their community and it is often in the front gardens. If you ever seen the big magnolia trees, very stunning. Enjoy it if you get to go out today. These are challenging times for everyone but none m