38 Degrees Coronavirus response

Coronavirus has spread quickly around the world. We’re all worried about our loved ones, each other, our communities and ourselves. But it hasn’t stopped hundreds and thousands of us from coming together to support each other.

In the past couple of weeks we’ve been working hard to push the government to bring in measures that will properly protect renters during the coronavirus pandemic. After 15,000 of us in Scotland got involved, we managed to force the government to introduce a 6 month ban on evictions for private renters. Now 87,000 of us are calling on the UK government to do the same and make sure rent freezes are available for those out of work due to the coronavirus.

115,000 of us have come together to demand better support for self-employed workers, so that everyone has access to enough money to live during this crisis. We’ve taken on Wilko after they slashed sick leave pay as the virus spread, a decision that would have left workers penniless as a result of contracting coronavirus, and we won. And more than 280,000 of us have come together to ask the government to consider introducing a universal basic income during this period.

We’re also working out new ways all of us can tap into the 38 Degrees community. We’re hoping to host all sorts. From one to one phone calls and informal chats, through to online events, like pub quizzes and talks from experts. We want to offer a space where we can come together to share our experiences and support other 38 Degrees-ers during this period.

38 Degrees has a history of coming together in the face of crisis and supporting one another. Right now, it’s never been more important for us to look after each other (from a safe and responsible distance).

Thanks for everything you do – particularly all the key workers reading.

Stay safe,

Molly and the 38 Degrees team.