Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his estimate he has made of the number of employees in care homes in England who will face dismissal from their employment as a result of the enactment of regulations prohibiting the deployment of staff in care homes who have not been fully vaccinated against covid-19; whether those staff will be eligible for compensation; and if he will make a statement.

The Department is developing an impact assessment and operational guidance in support of the proposed regulations which will be published in due course. We have no plans to offer compensation.

As of 8 July, 86.2% of staff working in older adult care homes and 82.8% working in younger adult care homes have had their first dose of a vaccination against COVID-19. As of 8 July, 75.1% of staff working in older adult care homes and 71.9% working in younger adult care homes have had their second dose. The Department does not collect data on individuals on the reason they have not been vaccinated.