Tradespeople On The Road: Locked Down, But Not Out

Essential Work For Tradespeople Or A Risk?

Demand for tradespeople has surged since the first lockdown ended.

British van drivers – many of you are still out on the road, despite lockdown.

Why?

But now, a debate has sparked: should the government allow this during a national lockdown?

SAGE Calls For Limits On Tradespeople Work

SAGE, the government advisory group, has a strong opinion.

They’ve urged officials to restrict to only “critical” work.

Or work that can’t be delayed due to health and safety.

Currently, most trades are still running – with a few changes.

Workers wear masks indoors and maintain social distance.

But, they face no limits on the type of jobs they take on.

The Unfairness Factor: Who’s Really Left Out?

And here’s a twist:

The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed, an industry group, is speaking up.

Their message?

Stopping tradespeople would be unfair.

Did you know?

Approximately 1.5 million tradespeople, however, were excluded from financial support.

Some, for instance, were short-term contractors.

Others, meanwhile, worked on zero or low-hours contracts with limited companies.

In their situation, every job truly matters, and every pound absolutely counts.

Why Restrictions Could Be Devastating For Tradespeople

Imagine the government tells you that you can’t work, yet you still don’t qualify for support.

That’s the reality for many. And restrictions on trades could be disastrous.

Unlike office jobs, they can’t “work from home.” Their work is hands-on.

And let’s be honest:

The rules, however, feel confusing and inconsistent.

For instance, nurseries and churches allow large gatherings.

Yet, at the same time, tradespeople – who perform critical services – face restrictions.

Where’s the consistency?

Hope Ahead: Vaccines And Lower COVID Cases

Many trades include essential work, like heating, plumbing, or other vital services.

They’re often called to fix things that simply can’t wait.

And here’s to hoping:

With the rapid vaccination rollout, we might see an end in sight.

COVID cases are dropping. We’re moving forward.

For the tradespeople of the UK, let’s hope work can continue.

Maybe not “as usual,” but enough to keep their families fed and secure.

Vanarama Now Offer Van Insurance

You’ve no doubt heard that advert theme song on the TV, “Van-a-rama,” but did you know they now offer van insurance? Yes they do.

Vanarama Insurance Services is their name, and giving you multi-year policies is their game. Basically, what they are doing is allowing small business customers to combine lease and insurance costs.

Does this work out cheaper though if you are currently leasing a van or looking to lease a van? It all depends really, because at the end of the day if you only get one quote from Vanarama then you have nothing to compare it against.

The moral of the story here is to get a quote from Vanarama, but also, compare van insurance from as many companies as possible. You can do this right here by filling in a simple form that takes about 3 minutes.

Once you have as many quotes a s possible, then you will know for sure what the best option is. It might be Vanarama or it might be another company.

Something that did impress me when reading about this new van insurance service being offered by Vanarama is the fact they offer a guarantee on the cost of your policy, which means it won’t become more expensive.

I think a lot of other van insurance companies should take note of this…it’s called rewarding customers for their loyalty, something that we don’t hear much of these days.

However, this guarantee is only offered when you take out out a lease on a van for at least 3 years and then buy insurance at the same time. Make sure you read the small print and don’t sign anything until you are fully aware what you are agreeing to.

There are many people out there who are eager to start their own business and see leasing a van as a viable option. Sometimes it can be, but in a lot of situations it might be a better solution to wait until you have a bit of money saved up and then buy a second hand van.

The problem with leasing a van for people who are just starting out in business is that those monthly payments can be difficult to make when you are getting your first few customers.

Many people then take out loans to make these payments, but then find they can’t make the loan payments. In no time at all their business is no longer profitable and they go find a job instead.

I’m not trying to put anyone off starting a business or leasing a van here, all I am saying is that be realistic about your finances and don’t sign anything unless you can comfortably afford to make repayments.

Maybe Vanarama is the right choice for you, just make sure you compare van insurance first so you get as many quotes as possible.

Step 1

Complete your quick and easy quote

Step 2

Reveal your van insurance policies

Step 3

Pick your favourite and get instant cover