Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak is getting ready to unveil a rescue package on Tuesday for businesses hit by the coronavirus outbreak, a day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced unprecedented measures for everyone to refrain from social contact and unnecessary travel.
The near-lockdown in place to tackle the spread of COVID-19, which has claimed 55 lives in the UK, has threatened the closure of large numbers of businesses in the country, including pubs, bars and restaurants.
The package being finalised by the Indian-origin finance minister will build on the 12 billion pound he had set out in his first Budget last week, when he suspended business rates for many firms in England, put in an emergency temporary loan facility in place, extended statutory sick pay for workers, set up a "hardship fund" for local authorities and boosted NHS funding.
He is chairing a committee on Tuesday to address the escalating economic repercussions of the pandemic and will discuss further potential measures with Johnson to be unveiled later.