Good morning members. Today’s story is about ‘the excluded’ — the people who haven’t been eligible for the government’s financial support schemes during the pandemic.

Ahead of next week’s Budget, we attended an online rally held by Andy Burnham and other campaigners who want the government to fix the rules.

Mini-briefing

• Covid update: The Greater Manchester rate is down to 179.7 but only fell 4.3% from the week before. “We're not going down fast enough,” says GM’s lead for health Sir Richard Leese. England’s rate is 116.4, down 13.1%. The number of Covid patients in critical beds is down from 160 two weeks ago to 140. See the graphic below for all the hospital numbers.

• Transport for the North will have its core budget cut by 40%, it’s been confirmed. “There is a real worry that this signals a diminishing ambition for the North, rather than pump-priming the region’s economic recovery,” the group’s finance director said. Read more.

• Listen in: Tchaikovsky's beautiful The Voyevoda isn’t pe…