The NLS leagues from Step 3 down to Step 7 would end immediately, with all results being expunged from the record, with no promotion and no relegation. 

This decision also impacts the Women's game. The FA and the Leagues within Tiers 3 to 7 have reached a consensus to bring the season to an immediate end and all results will be expunged. This will mean no promotion or relegation of clubs between Tiers 3 to 7. Agreement has also been reached to end the Regional Talent Clubs season, which was due to conclude in April 2020. 

All grassroots football, adult & youth - both boys and girls, will be finished immediately, the decision on how the season is resolved lies with the leagues, meaning it is at their discretion how positions, promotion/relegation are decided, or if like the NLS and Women's pyramid they wish to expunge the results, with no promotion or relegation. 

The Board of Directors have taken the decision to cancel all unresolved County Cup finals. The outcome all League Cups will be decided by the respective league committees.

Yes, all affiliated football is currently suspended for the foreseeable future so that covers every format of the game.

Sport England have a £195 million package to help sport and physical activity through the coronavirus crisis.

The money will help clubs and community organisations cope with the short and long-term impact of the pandemic.

To view more information about the funding please follow:
https://www.sportengland.org/news/195-million-package-help-sport-and-physical-activity-through-coronavirus

The funding package, which is a combination of National Lottery and government funding, is made up of the following: 

• £20 million Community Emergency Fund, which will be opened immediately for clubs and community organisations to bid into. Grants between £300 and £10,000 are available
• £5 million pot for existing partners to bid into if they're facing specific financial difficulty
• An additional £55 million to support our sector during an ongoing period of restrictions, to fund new and innovative ways to keep people active and, when the period of restrictions is over, to help organisations get back to business and adjust to a different environment
• £115 million rollover of current funding into 2021/22 to give long term certainty to over 100 well established partners who play a vital role in the delivery of sport and physical activity in England.

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As things stand there is no football specific emergency funding available to support clubs. However, in line with the Chancellors response to COVID-19 there is support available.

The Chancellor has set out a support package targeted at supporting public services, people and businesses through this period of disruption caused by the spread of COVID-19.

This support includes a package of measures targeted at businesses, including:

• A statutory sick pay relief package for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
• A 12-month business rates holiday for all retail, hospitality and leisure businesses in England.
• Small business grant funding of £10,000 for all business in receipt of small business rate relief or rural rate relief.
• Grant funding of £25,000 for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses with property with a rateable value between £15,000 and £51,000.
• The coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme offering loans of up to £5 million for SMEs though the British Business Bank.
• A new lending facility from the Bank of England to help support liquidity among larger firms, helping them bridge coronavirus disruption to their cash flow through loans.
• The HMRC Time To Pay Scheme.

We encourage all our clubs to review any outstanding discipline payments and look to get these paid over the next few weeks. We have removed late fines from invoices generated 
from 11th March 2020 until 30th June 2020 to help ease the burden Our Football Services Team are still working and available to take any payments or field any of your questions.
Being proactive in this matter will prevent your club or team falling into suspension during this unprecedented pause in the season, meaning you can get right back to playing when the season recommences in whatever form it takes.

We also recommend that you update any online qualifications that may prevent a swift affiliation process when football re-commences next season.

All Annual Health Checks and New Charter Standard applications will be ‘awarded’ if there are sufficient action plans in place. 

Please contact Support@BedfordshireFA.com to ensure your club has an action plan in place.  Any actions will be picked up when football can safely resume.

All FA (County FA) affiliated referees should only be officiating in leagues, competitions and tournaments that are affiliated by The FA or the relevant County FA.

Officiating in any form of unaffiliated football could result in disciplinary action being taken by the County FA. The FA is strongly advising that no football should be played for the foreseeable future, therefore any affiliated referees are asked not to officiate in any environment at this time.

As the Government is currently advising social distancing, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 we have been told that all DBS verifications, both existing and new, have been put on hold.

We are continuing to receive new information from The FA and hope to have a further update for those who may be impacted by this.

As part of a clubs safeguarding responsibility all youth coaches must have an accepted DBS if they are continuing to work with young people under the age of 18. 

Please view the latest FA DBS Guidance Statement HERE

At this point in time we have had to postpone all Bedfordshire FA courses until further notice.  

This postponement effects every course we were running during this period, this does also include those such as Level 1 & 2 courses that were between sessions. 

We are working hard to arrange courses for the new season. In the meantime, we are actively monitoring the guidance of the Government and The FA. When we receive notification from FA Learning that courses can resume, we will make an announcement.

Level 1 bursaries will be put on hold for now and when Coaching Courses recommence, they will be reactivated. Please contact the Education Department if you have any questions relating to bursaries via Support@BedfordshireFA.com

You can still access this and would be good opportunity to get ready for next season by completing courses. Any problems contact our Designated Safeguarding Officer Sarah Da Costa via Safeguarding@BedfordshireFA.com

The normal processes still apply. If you have an immediate concern outside office hours, the Police or another agency should be notified. The Football Services department is functioning and can be reached via E-Mail or telephone. Even though football is currently suspended, we would stress that all normal reporting processes must continue, and that contact should be made immediately (or as soon as possible) to the department.

In-line with the current suspension of all grassroots football, our programme is also postponed until further notice. Once we have an idea of timescales for re-scheduling these courses, we will be in contact with all impacted learners in due course. If you have any immediate concerns, please contact our Safeguarding Team.

Yes, and Bedfordshire FA strongly encourage that all clubs take this time to go through Club Administration especially Player Registration, even if their League is not using the system this season.

Clubs can add players, detach and amend their players listed so that it shows the most up to date information. Any questions, please direct to Support@BedfordshireFA.com

Refunds for the current affiliation season will not be considered at this time. We continue to work on the affiliation process for next season.

Discipline charges and cases will not be expunged.

Players remain registered to their current clubs until 31st May. If you wish to approach a player from another club who play on the same day as your team before this date you would be required to submit a notice of approach to the player’s current club.

If you have a question that is not answered above, please e-mail Support@BedfordshireFA.com