thank you, andy verity, there- we will _ or expect y. thank you, andy verity, there.xpect y. thank you, andy verity, there. we will talk later this - or expect y. thank you, andy verity, there. we will talk later this hour- there. we will talk later this hour to the director of policy at the association of independent professionals and self—employed about this story. more than 150 leading figures from the world of music have accused the government of "shamefully failing" the country's performers with its brexit deal. sir eltonjohn, liam gallagher and nicola benedetti are among the musicians who've signed a letter in the times. they say the lack of any special arrangement on free movement for musicians will make many tours unviable. the rate of inflation, as measured by the consumer prices index,rose to 0—point—6 per cent in december — up from 0—point—3 per cent the month before. the office for national statistics said higher clothing, travel and petrol costs were all factors. now it's time for a look at the weather with matt taylor a really busy weather forecast what

andy verity, bbc news. on top of that, we have some hills know in the forecast.ost of us, it'll be rain. that's because mild air has been setting in this evening and will continue to spread northwards during the course of this evening and overnight. never reaching central or northern scotland here through the night, it'll actually stay clear and temperatures will drop away to freezing or below. see the extent of the rain, but once that weather front moves northward, it snows across parts of highland scotland. early in the morning on thursday, it'll be around 10 celsius in plymouth. so the rain sweeps northwards and eastwards during the course of thursday. it stays damp and cloudy for most of the afternoon, plenty of mountain snow in scotland and the return of heavy rain to the northwest in the afternoon. hello, i'm ros atkins, this is outside source. president biden is testing a new course in the environment saying america must lead the world in responding to climate change. in america must lead the world in responding to climate change. in my view we have — resp

andy verity, bbc news.e but he had to abandon the idea after years it caused resentment and jealousy among the star. he explains why. we tried an the star. he explains why. - tried an experiment where we paid everyone the same and that didn't work but we lent some good lessons and things are done a certain way because that is just a good way to do things. there were five people and everyone was pretty much contributing the same, so we tried the experiment will be paid each of the same amount money, regardless of experience, regardless of role. you had just when he started to grow the team, some people who contributed more than others. you had some people who worked longer hours and the question started to arise, shouldn't this person get paid more than me? that caused conflict in the temma conversations about whether this experiment was right to continue. it was a disappointment when the experiment failed and i think we realise that we needed to pay attention to market forces, sometimes traditional practice

andy verity reports.ng in a cash flow crisis with too little money coming in to pay suppliers, landlords and creditors is a painful new normal. the bank of england's calculated this financial year firms have £180 billion less money flowing in than they need to pay bills. and that was before the new lockdown which will hit even harder. we've announced £4.6 billion of additional help. for the businesses in the most affected sectors who were asked to close they will receive up to £9,000 in a one—off cash grant. it is important to remember that comes on top of the existing monthly gra nts comes on top of the existing monthly grants of £3000 that those businesses receive and the extension of furlough, all the way through to april stop we remain committed to protecting jobs and supporting businesses. firms like this manchester gin distillery and bar are likely to get the grants and welcome any support they can get but after the christmas they have had, they are by no means sure it will be enough to get them thr

andy verity reports.ncellor's words ten months ago now have a hollow ring. you have not been forgotten. we will not let you behind. i felt a massive sense of relief that because i couldn't work, that my business would be looked after, which clearly it hasn't been, as i have been excluded from any government help. kim lost her husband david to cancer at the end of 2018 and used his pension money to redevelop her beauty business based in her back garden. work flowed in until the pandemic stopped it, but because david's pension money was more than half her income that year, she was told she'd get nothing under the self—employed income support scheme. i was absolutely blown away. i still cannot get my head around the fact that a dead person's income, money, is then seen as an income. there are clear unfairnesses here. just over half your income if you're self—employed and you get nothing, under and you get the maximum amount. that's clearly not fair. if you're income goes down from £55,000 to nothing, through

andy verity, thank ou.s, and he's warned americans that the worst is still to come. the new president is introducing stricter rules around face coverings and is expanding testing and vaccinations, saying that the us death toll will pass the half a million mark next month. here's our north america correspondent peter bowes. the day started with a prayer, a moment of reflection before the new president got down to work. with a stack of executive orders to be signed, joe biden wasted no time in putting pen to paper. a signature is all it takes to reverse some of donald trump's key policies, and to reinvigorate a coronavirus effort that mr biden said had been a dismalfailure. the death toll will likely top 500,000 next month. the cases will continue to mount. we didn't get into this mess overnight, and it's going to take months for us to turn things around. but let me be equally clear — we will get through this. the plan is ambitious — according to mr biden, one of the greatest operational challenges america ha

andy verity reports., a make—up artist and mum of two from southsea near portsmouth, the chancellor's words ten months ago now have hollow ring. i felt a massive sense of relief that because i couldn't work that my business would be looked after, which clearly it hasn't been as i have been excluded from any government help. kim lost her husband david to cancer at the end of 2018 and used his pension money to redevelop her beauty business based in her back garden. work flowed in until the pandemic stopped it. but because david's pension money was more than half her income that year she was told she'd get nothing under the self employed income support scheme. i was absolutely blown away. i still cannot get my head around the fact that a dead person's income — money — is then seen as an income. how can it be an income? it is a deceased pension. there are clear unfairness is here. just over half your income and you're in self—employment and you get nothing, and it'sjust under and you get the maximum amount. t

andy verity reports.to shut, being in a cash flow crisis with too little money coming in to pay suppliers, landlords and creditors is a painful new normal. the bank of england's calculated this financial year firms have £180 billion less money flowing in than they need to pay bills. and that was before the new lockdown which will hit even harder. we've announced £4.6 billion of additional help. for the businesses in the most affected sectors who were asked to close they will receive up to £9,000 in a one—off cash grant. it is important to remember that comes on top of the existing monthly grants of £3000 that those businesses receive and the extension of furlough, all the way through to april. we remain committed to protecting jobs and supporting businesses. firms like this manchester gin distillery and bar are likely to get the grants and welcome any support they can get but after the christmas they have had, they are by no means sure it will be enough to get them through months more in lockdown. we were

andy verity, bbc news.lockdown, adding that the uk remained in a "perilous situation". let's speak now to lynn knapp — headteacher of windmill primary school. very good to speak to you. what is your assessment? very good to speak to you. what is yourassessment? is very good to speak to you. what is your assessment? is the 8th of march something that you're hyping schools will start to open up a bit more? schools are open for the children of key workers, we must stress. obviously we want the children back. having school open, having children learning with a teacher is the best way to have our school running. but i'm also concerned that we don't rush into it too fast. it would be even worse to have children return and then potentially go off again unto another lockdown. yes, i want our children back but i appreciate the prime minister is level of caution in organising when that date will actually be. haifa caution in organising when that date will actually be.— will actually be. how confident are ou when will

some analysts fear the uk is heading for another recession as our economics correspondent andy verityby the country's biggest gym chain trying to lower members back in the autumn when it looked like the worst of the pandemic was behind us after all the effort it made to make its business safe it was ordered to shut again for the lockdown in november. left once again with no income it was among thousands of businesses struggling to pay their bills on the renewed restrictions.— renewed restrictions. these individuals _ renewed restrictions. these individuals have _ renewed restrictions. these individuals have taken - renewed restrictions. these - individuals have taken mortgages on their own homes, who put their life savings into as this is, theyjust cannot access the type of funding that we have. this constant cycle of lockdown is starving these businesses of income and if the government does not step in with targeted support then i really fear over 6—12 months we will see more and more businesses close and jobs lost. and more businesses close and “obs lost. ., , �* , and more business

andy verity reports. anti—virus measures to shut, being in a cash flow crisis with too little money coming in to pay suppliers, landlords and creditors is a painful new normal. the bank of england's calculated this financial year firms have £180 billion less money flowing in than they need to pay bills. and that was before the new lockdown, which will hit them even harder. we've announced £4.6 billion of additional help. for businesses in the most affected sectors who were asked to close they will receive up to £9,000 in a one—off cash grant. it is important to remember that comes on top of the existing monthly grants of £3000 that those businesses receive and the extension of furlough, all the way through to april. we remain committed to protecting jobs and supporting businesses. firms like this manchester gin distillery and bar are likely to get the grants and welcome any support they can get. but after the christmas they have had, they are by no means sure it will be enough to get them through months m

their bbc�*s andy verity there.. let's return to our poltical correspondent leila nathoo. what are you expecting the theme to be at the briefing today? i’m what are you expecting the theme to be at the briefing today?— be at the briefing today? i'm sure the prime minister _ be at the briefing today? i'm sure the prime minister will _ be at the briefing today? i'm sure the prime minister will be - be at the briefing today? i'm sure the prime minister will be keen i be at the briefing today? i'm sure | the prime minister will be keen to talk about the successes of the vaccination scheme, giving an update of how it is rolling out across the country. there had been a number of questions which i am sure will be addressed about regional variation in the rates of people getting the vaccine. whether supplies are being consistent across the country and some data that has come out of israel, potentially showing some questions about the gap between the two doses of the pfizer vaccine, questions around that. i'm sure the chief

some analysts fear the uk is heading for another recession as our economics correspondent andy veritye country's biggest gin chain trying to lure members back in the autumn, when it looked like the worst of the pandemic was behind us. then, after all the effort it had made to make its business safe, it was ordered to shut again after the renewed lockdown of november. left once again with no income, it was among thousands of businesses struggling to pay their bills under renewed restrictions. these are individuals who have taken mortgages out of their own hands, they are individuals who have put their life savings into individual businesses. they just cannot access the type of funding we have. this constant cycle of lockdown is starving these businesses of income. if the government does not step in with targeted support, i really fear over six to 12 months, we will see more and more businesses close and jobs loss. november's lockdown across all four nations saw economic activity shrank by 2.6%, one of the sharpest drops on record, but still only a seventh as big as the lockdown last ap

andy verity reports. we have had emotional days. my mental health has gone really low.hday parties, care homes and schools, the chancellor word ten months ago have not proved true. you have not months ago have not proved true. ym. have not been forgotten. months ago have not proved true. you have not been forgotten. her- months ago have not proved true. youj have not been forgotten. her company were set to make _ have not been forgotten. her company were set to make £100,000 _ have not been forgotten. her company were set to make £100,000 in - have not been forgotten. her company were set to make £100,000 in 2020, | were set to make £100,000 in 2020, enough to pay a dividend to support herfamily. government rules enough to pay a dividend to support her family. government rules stopped her family. government rules stopped her earning, and won't be able to replace the dividends, and she cannot afford the rent. if replace the dividends, and she cannot afford the rent.- replace the dividends, and she cannot afford the rent. if we had to close, cannot afford the rent. if we

earlier i spoke to our economics correspondent andy verity who explained who's not getting any help orho have been excluded as the press groups would say from the financial support available to other people. one of the biggest groups is 1.1 million people who were excluded from the furlough scheme because the data was not available to validate their employers' claims. one has to remember that these schemes which have supported a lot ofjobs, 12 million plus in the case of furlough, and many supported by the self—employed income support scheme, were implemented at speed at the beginning of the pandemic. but what mps have been calling for since june last year is for the government to close these gaps that have arisen. some of the gaps are understandable, when you have to implement a scheme at speed, there are certain corners that have to be cut, if you like. for example, hmrc was concerned about fraud that for example, people might claim for dividend income when they were investors rather than taking their dividend income as managers of a company. distinguishing between those two is very