Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to financially support individuals who are required to self-isolate as a result of the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has committed to an unprecedented package to support individuals through this difficult time. This includes the introduction of the Coronavirus Job Retention and Self-Employment Income Support Schemes, as well as injecting an additional £9 billion into the welfare system according to Office for Budget Responsibility estimates.
Individuals asked to isolate by the Test and Trace service will be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if they are unable to work from home. This is in addition to changes already made, which make SSP payable from day one rather than day four of absence from work. Employees will still be entitled to claim SSP from their employers even if they are asked to self-isolate several times. An SSP Rebate Scheme was announced at Budget to support SMEs which may face a financial strain due to staff absences caused by Covid-19.
Self-employed people are eligible for “new style” Contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if they are incapable of work due to COVID-19, including all those who are required to self-isolate according to Government guidance. The Government has made it easier for people to claim by removing the seven-day waiting period which means people can get support from day one.
The welfare system is best placed to provide support for those not eligible for SSP. This group will benefit from changes to the welfare system to support the most vulnerable. These changes include a £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element, and a nearly £1 billion increase in support for renters through increases to the Local Housing Allowance rates for UC and Housing Benefit claimants.
In addition, the Department for Health and Social Care recently launched a trial for a new payment for those self-isolating in the highest risk areas in England. Starting with a trial in Blackburn with Darwen, Pendle and Oldham, individuals will be eligible if they are unable to work from home while self-isolating. This payment is in addition to the welfare safety net and SSP, providing a further incentive to self-isolate.
It will be available to people currently receiving at least one of the following benefits: Universal Credit, Working Tax Credits, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit, or Housing Benefit.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support he plans to make available to people shielding and unable to work from home who were not furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme by 10 June 2020 cut-off date and who reside in an area under a local lockdown.
Answered by Jesse Norman
On 22 June, the Prime Minister announced that the Government will relax the current public health guidance for those identified as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) to shield at home. This means from 1 August they will be able to return to work if they are unable to work from home, provided their workplace is COVID-safe.
It is important that this group continue to take careful precautions, and employers should do all they can to enable them to work from home where this is possible, including moving them to other roles if required. Where this is not possible, those who have been shielding should be provided with the safest on-site roles that enable them to maintain social distancing from others.
If employers cannot provide a safe working environment, the CEV will continue to have access to an unprecedented package of financial support. This is not limited to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, but also includes changes to Statutory Sick Pay to make it payable from Day 1, the introduction of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and an increase in the generosity of welfare payments worth a further £8bn.
This support is also available for those who live in areas affected by local lockdowns.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Prime Minister of 10 June 2020, Official Report column 281, what steps he is taking to support people who are newly shielding after the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme cut-off date and unable to work from home.
Answered by Jesse Norman
On 22 June, the Prime Minister announced that the Government will relax the current public health guidance for those identified as Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV) to shield at home. This means from 1 August they will be able to return to work if they are unable to work from home, provided their workplace is COVID-safe.
It is important that this group continue to take careful precautions, and employers should do all they can to enable them to work from home where this is possible, including moving them to other roles if required. Where this is not possible, those who have been shielding should be provided with the safest on-site roles that enable them to maintain social distancing from others.
If employers cannot provide a safe working environment, the CEV will continue to have access to an unprecedented package of financial support. This is not limited to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, but also includes changes to Statutory Sick Pay to make it payable from Day 1, the introduction of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, and an increase in the generosity of welfare payments worth a further £8bn.
This support is also available for those who live in areas affected by local lockdowns.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans he has to cover in full the potential loss of earnings for people notified via the NHS Test and Trace service as needing to self-isolate due to the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Government has announced an unprecedented package to support individuals through this difficult time. This includes the introduction of the Coronavirus Job Retention and Self-Employment Income Support Schemes, as well as injecting an additional £8bn into the welfare system.
DWP has laid new regulations to ensure that people asked to isolate by the Test and Trace service will be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if they are unable to work from home. This is in addition to changes already made, which make SSP payable from day one rather than day four of absence from work. Employees will still be entitled to claim SSP from their employers even if they are asked to self-isolate several times. The SSP Rebate Scheme was announced at Budget to support SMEs which may face a financial strain due to staff absences caused by Covid-19.
Self-employed people are eligible for “new style” Contributory Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if they are incapable of work due to Covid-19, including all those who are required to self-isolate according to Government guidance. The Government has made it easier for people to claim by removing the seven-day waiting period which means people can get support from day one.
The Government is committed to helping the lowest paid through the coronavirus outbreak, and the welfare system is best placed to provide this support.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on ensuring that the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme is reaching all those businesses that will benefit from that scheme.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government has set out an unprecedented package of support for all businesses affected by this crisis, including the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS).
As of 12 May, 36,000 facilities, with a value of over £6 billion, had been approved for SMEs through CBILS. The Government continues to monitor closely the impact of its policies and keeps all policies under review.
The Government has taken further action by launching the Bounce Back Loan Scheme to ensure that the smallest SMEs, who may have struggled to see their finance applications approved as quickly as they need, can access finance. Businesses can apply for a loan from £2,000 up to £50,000, capped at 25% of a firm’s turnover. The Government will provide lenders with a 100% guarantee on each loan, to give lenders the confidence they need to support the smallest businesses in the country. The Government will cover the first 12 months of interest payments and fees charged to the business by the lender. The interest rate after the first 12-month period has been agreed between the Government and lenders at 2.5%. No early repayment fees will be charged to a borrower.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's news story, Chancellor sets out extra £750 million coronavirus funding for frontline charities, published on 8 April 2020, when his Department plans to publish guidance on who is eligible to apply for that funding.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Government knows that some charities are providing critical services and wider support to vulnerable people and communities during the pandemic. The new package of support will enable such organisations to continue providing essential services to those most in need.
This funding package will help charities providing essential services to continue their operations and to weather the storm until we return to more normal times. Funding for charities will be made available in the coming weeks and further information will be announced on Gov.uk. The Government’s aim is to get funding to those in greatest need as soon as possible.
Many charities and social enterprises will also benefit from the existing measures announced to support employers and businesses. Under these measures, like other businesses, charities can defer their VAT bills and pay no business rates for their shops next year. All charities are eligible for the job retention scheme and the right answer for many charities will be to furlough their employees with the government paying 80% of wages.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's news story, Chancellor sets out extra £750 million coronavirus funding for frontline charities, published on 8 April 2020, how his Department plans to decide which charities will be eligible for that funding; and who will make that decision.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The Government knows that some charities are providing critical services and wider support to vulnerable people and communities during the pandemic. The new package of support will enable such organisations to continue providing essential services to those most in need.
This funding package will help charities providing essential services to continue their operations and to weather the storm until we return to more normal times. Funding for charities will be made available in the coming weeks and further information will be announced on Gov.uk. The Government’s aim is to get funding to those in greatest need as soon as possible.
Many charities and social enterprises will also benefit from the existing measures announced to support employers and businesses. Under these measures, like other businesses, charities can defer their VAT bills and pay no business rates for their shops next year. All charities are eligible for the job retention scheme and the right answer for many charities will be to furlough their employees with the government paying 80% of wages.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's news story, Chancellor sets out extra £750 million coronavirus funding for frontline charities, published on 8 April 2020, how children's cancer charities such as CLIC Sargent will be able to access that funding.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The package of support announced by the Chancellor on 8 April will enable charitable organisations to continue providing essential services to those most in need.
Funding for charities will be made available in the coming weeks and further information will be announced on Gov.uk. The Government’s aim is to get funding to those in greatest need as soon as possible.
Many charities and social enterprises will also benefit from the existing measures announced to support employers and businesses. Under these measures, like other businesses, charities can defer their VAT bills and pay no business rates for their shops next year. All charities are eligible for the job retention scheme and the right answer for many charities will be to furlough their employees with the government paying 80% of wages.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to his Department's news story, Chancellor sets out extra £750 million coronavirus funding for frontline charities, published on 8 April 2020, whether charities that operate UK-wide will be able to access funding earmarked for devolved nations as well as the fund for frontline services and vulnerable people.
Answered by Kemi Badenoch - President of the Board of Trade
The package of support announced by the Chancellor on 8 April will enable charitable organisations to continue providing essential services to those most in need.
Funding for charities will be made available in the coming weeks and further information will be announced on Gov.uk. The Government’s aim is to get funding to those in greatest need as soon as possible.
Many charities and social enterprises will also benefit from the existing measures announced to support employers and businesses. Under these measures, like other businesses, charities can defer their VAT bills and pay no business rates for their shops next year. All charities are eligible for the job retention scheme and the right answer for many charities will be to furlough their employees with the government paying 80% of wages.
Asked by: Robert Halfon (Conservative - Harlow)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide support businesses to encourage their employees to move towards part-time shift working during the outbreak of covid-19 through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Answered by Jesse Norman
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme does not subsidise part-time work. It is designed to support individuals who would otherwise have been made redundant and it also protects public health by minimising the number of non-key workers outside of their homes on a regular basis. The Government has strengthened the welfare system to support those whose hours change, including through an increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance and to the working tax credit basic element.