Eligibility |
Pre-existing sick-pay funding and eligibility |
Revised or new funding during the pandemic |
Limitations |
Eligibility: Employed |
Pre-existing sick-pay funding and eligibility: Statutory sick pay: £96.35 a week in 2021, paid up to 28 weeks a year. To be covered, workers have to be classed as an employee or agency worker and earn an average of at least £120 a week. |
Revised or new funding during the pandemic: The four-day wait before payment kicks in has been removed. |
Limitations: The replacement rate is low and only covers a quarter of the average worker’s earnings. |
Eligibility: Self-employed |
Pre-existing sick-pay funding and eligibility: None |
Revised or new funding during the pandemic: Self-Employment Income Support Scheme: the government pays 80% of a self-employed person’s profits for up to three months, with a maximum claim of £7,500, if they cannot work because of Covid-19. From July 2021, the level of support will depend on the amount of earnings lost. |
Limitations: Currently the grant is only available as a lump sum, so individuals self-isolating for the standard 10-day period can only claim for a full three-month period. |
Eligibility: Employed or self-employed |
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Revised or new funding during the pandemic: Self-isolation support payments: £500 support payments are available to employees or self-employed workers who are required to self-isolate, and receive benefits targeted at low-income families. Councils have also been given funding to offer discretionary payments to other low-income workers who need financial assistance to self-isolate. |
Limitations: The support payments have narrow eligibility criteria, with only one in eight workers qualifying.
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Pre-existing sick-pay funding and eligibility: Universal Credit: benefit payments of between £344 and £596.58 a month (depending on age, marital status, earnings and other sources of financial support) for people on a low income or out of work. There are top-ups for individuals with children, disabilities or health conditions, or who need help paying rent. |
Revised or new funding during the pandemic: The level of Universal Credit was increased by £20 a week in April 2020, but this increase is due to stop at the end of September 2021. |
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Pre-existing sick-pay funding and eligibility: Employment and Support Allowance (ESA): £74.70 a week, available for individuals over the age of 25 who are unable to work because of a disability or health condition (different rates apply for couples applying jointly, and/or with dependents). Individuals must have previously paid National Insurance contributions as an employee or self-employed worker. (Individuals are unable to claim ESA and statutory sick pay at the same time.) |
Revised or new funding during the pandemic: ESA has been made available from day one of absence from work (instead of day eight usually). |
Limitations: The ESA rate is lower than the statutory sick pay rate and below the National Living Wage. |