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27 May, 2022 Open access

DWP confirms that Industrial Injuries Advisory Council is investigating whether long Covid should be prescribed as an occupational disease

Council's investigation follows March 2021 decision not to recommend prescription of Covid-19 'at this stage'

DWP Minister Chloe Smith has confirmed that the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC) is investigating whether long Covid should be prescribed as an occupational disease for industrial injuries disablement benefit (IIDB) purposes.

Responding yesterday to a written question in parliament on the support that the Department is providing to people diagnosed with long Covid who are out of work, Ms Smith said -

'The DWP offers financial support through universal credit and new style employment and support allowance for people who are sick and unable to work due to long Covid, subject to them satisfying the eligibility criteria and contribution conditions. In addition, people with long Covid may be eligible to personal independence payment.'

Ms Smith added that -

'Furthermore, the IIAC who advise the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions regarding IIDB, are investigating whether long Covid can be prescribed as an occupational disease for the purposes of IIDB.'

NB - in an interim Position Paper, Covid-19 and occupation, published in March 2021, the IIAC said that it had decided not to recommend prescription of Covid-19 as an occupational disease 'at this stage' due to the lack of available evidence, but would recommend prescription -

'... if and when there is strong enough evidence that occupational exposures cause disabling disease on the ‘balance of probabilities'.

Ms Smith's written answer is available from parliament.uk