Government needs to protect incomes of workers who are subject to local coronavirus lockdowns, says TUC

Union calls on government to extend CJRS beyond October 2020 where needed, abolish the SSP lower earnings limit, and raise level of SSP to equivalent of the National Living Wage

The TUC has called on the government to protect the incomes of workers who are subject to local coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdowns.

Highlighting that - while the current tightening of lockdown rules in the North West of England has not yet led to further workplaces being closed down - the spread of coronavirus is likely to lead to more people being required to self-isolate, the TUC calls on the government to extend the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) beyond the end of October 2020 for the following groups -

• workers whose GP or clinician advises that they should continue shielding - and workers who live with them;
• workers affected by local lockdowns;
• carers, particularly working parents who must prioritise childcare until schools and childcare settings fully reopen; and
• businesses with a viable future that can't operate because of virus restrictions, including those in the hardest-hit sectors like retail, aviation and manufacturing.

In addition, the TUC says that the government should -

• tell employers to continue to pay full wages to workers in self-isolation wherever possible;
• extend eligibility to statutory sick pay (SSP) to the two million workers who do not currently earn enough to be eligible by abolishing the lower earnings limit; and
• raise the weekly level of SSP to the equivalent of a week's pay at the National Living Wage.

For more information, see Local lockdowns reveal need to protect workers' wages from tuc.org.uk