The UK government has condemned a 13-pound self-isolation scheme for low earning workers. This decision faced severe criticisms from the public, officials, and the opposition parties.
The scheme includes the people who are required to be in self- isolation and neither has set-skills to work from home. People who have tested positive with Covid-19 in areas around Pendle, Darwen, Oldham, and Blackburn have started receiving this scheme. For 10 days isolation period, they are receiving only 130 pounds.
The family members of these low paid workers who are COVID positive are entitled to a paltry amount of 142 pounds for a mandatory 14 day isolation period. The same rule applies to anyone who has been in contact with them and needs to be in isolation.
A decent standard living wage stands for 320 a week in the UK. General Secretary and the TUC have said that this increment is necessary if the UK government wants to beat this pandemic. They have also placed a demand for the sick pay to increase to £320 a week.
An estimated over 2 million workers in the UK do not qualify for the Statutory sick pay. The Health Sectary admits that the SSP in the UK is not good enough and for a solution, they have offered to make more people eligible for the scheme.
It is the government’s duty to support the citizens so that they can go to self-isolation to stop the widespread of the virus. Unable to financially support the citizens with standard pay schemes and benefits will only lead to the workers going out to earn and spread the infection.