Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to support social care workers who have lost income due to a positive covid-19 test since the closure of Test and Trace Support Payment scheme.

Most care workers are employed by private sector providers, which are responsible for their pay and conditions. We expect all care providers to support good health and safety practice, with staff staying away from the workplace when there would be a health risk to those in their care, as before the pandemic.

The Government has made £2.9 billion available to support care sector staff in the response to COVID-19. We are now moving towards a more sustainable funding position, where care providers will be funded by local authorities and self-funders, as before the pandemic.