Summary of the latest Covid-19 guidance - Charity Retail Association

Updated: 19 April 2022. This document aims to provide a concise summary of the latest Covid-19 regulations that relate to charity retail. Given the frequency of Government policy changes it will be regularly updated so please check back regularly to check that you are using the most recent version. The information included on this page should be considered in conjunction Government guidelines for business:England
Scotland (including a retail checklist )
Wales (including action card on reasonable measures)
Northern Ireland

	England	Scotland	Wales	Northern Ireland
Can charity shops open?	Yes.	Yes.	Yes.	Yes.
Are homeware stores able to open?	Yes.	Yes.	Yes.	Yes.
Risk assessments	The requirement for every employer to explicitly consider Covid-19 in their health and safety risk assessment has been removed.	A COVID-19 risk assessment must be completed and kept up to date.	The requirement for every employer to explicitly consider Covid-19 in their health and safety risk assessment has been removed.	A COVID-19 risk assessment must be completed and kept up to date.
Is click and collect allowed?	Yes.	Yes.	Yes.	Yes.
Can donations be accepted?	Yes.	Yes.	Yes.	Yes.
Social distancing/ other mitigation measures	Social distancing guidance no longer applies.	The requirement for “enhanced mitigations” has been removed.	All reasonable measures must be taken to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. Details on “reasonable measures” can be found by following the link to the action card on reasonable measures at the top of this page.	Shops in Northern Ireland should take reasonable measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and consideration should be given to social distancing (2 metres), one-way systems, screens, barriers and capacity management. “
Face coverings	Face coverings are no longer mandatory in shops.	Face coverings are no longer mandatory in shops.	Face coverings are no longer mandatory in shops.	Face coverings are no longer mandatory in shops. However, their continued use is recommended.
Face visors/ shields	No longer required.	The law excludes face shields and visors from the definition of a face covering.	Guidance clearly states that a visor or face shield is not a face covering and so cannot be worn as an alternative.	No longer required.
Exemptions	No longer required.	Children under 5 are not required to wear face coverings. Exemptions include a health condition or disability which means wearing a face covering would cause difficulty, pain or severe distress or anxiety.	Children under 11 are not required to wear face coverings. Exemptions include cases where a physical or mental illness, disability or impairment mean people are not able to put on or to wear a face covering.	No longer required.
Enforcement of face coverings	No longer required.	Retailers should take reasonable steps to encourage compliance.	Retailers are required to provide information about the legal requirement to wear face coverings to those intending to enter their premises. This could be via information on a website or notices in shops (in Welsh and English).	No longer required.
Isolation of stock	No longer required.	No longer required.	No longer required.	No longer required.
Shielding for the clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV)	Shielding is currently paused. People who are on the CEV list should follow the same advice as the rest of the population, but are also advised to take extra precautions to keep themselves safe.	People on the Highest Risk List are advised to continue to follow the same advice as the rest of the population, unless advised otherwise by your clinician or GP.	Shielding is currently paused. People who are on the CEV list should follow the same advice as the rest of the population, but are also advised to take extra precautions to keep themselves safe.	Those who are CEV should continue to work from home where this is possible. If it is not possible, they can attend their workplace, provided the employer has taken proper measures to ensure social distancing, and they can travel to work in a way which allows for social distancing.
Capturing contact details	No longer a requirement.	It would be advisable to retain details of working times and contact details for all staff and volunteers for 21 days.	Customers in retail are not required to provide contact details. The following details should be collected for staff and volunteers: names, phone number, dates and times they were at work or volunteering. This information should be kept for 21 days.	It would be advisable to retain details of working times and contact details for all staff and volunteers for 21 days.