Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department is taking steps to provide financial support to health and social care workers who have been required to self-isolate by their employer without sick pay as a result of having (a) covid-19 and (b) covid-19 symptoms.

The Department introduced temporary non-contractual COVID-19 sickness guidance at the start of the pandemic, to ensure National Health Service staff received full pay should they be advised to self-isolate or become ill with COVID-19. This temporary non-contractual guidance has been withdrawn as we return to the normal sickness arrangements set out in the NHS terms and conditions.

We expect all care providers to support good health and safety practice, with staff staying away from the workplace where there would be a health risk to those in their care, as before the pandemic.