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£500 self-isolation payment SCRAPPED as Boris Johnson drops legal requirement to quarantine with Covid
BORIS Johnson will scrap £500 payments for people who have to self-isolate with Covid, after dropping the legal order for people to stay inside if they are sick.
As part of the PM's announcement on learning to live with Covid, from Thursday people will still be told to isolate, but they won't be able to get cash help if they can't go to work.
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Workers will not have to tell their employers by law if they have the virus and need to self-isolate.
They will be able to still access sick pay quicker for another month, but after that those rules will fall away too.
It means that anyone who gets Covid should stay inside, but doesn't risk a huge £1,000 fine if they disobey it and go out to work, shopping or for anything else.
Brits have been able to claim the £500 to help them to pay bills if they don't get any cash help from their workplace.
The PM today announced he would shred the last lockdown laws within days after two torrid years.
In key developments:
- Vaccine chiefs announced Spring boosters for over-75s
- Scottish and Welsh government leaders criticised No10 for ripping up the rules
- Tests will be charged from April 1 onwards
- But those who are most vulnerable will still be able to get them
- All the Covid powers for local authorities will fall away from Thursday
- The Covid-stricken Queen will still have her weekly audience with the PM via phone
Mr Johnson's statement in the Commons comes before he marks the "moment of pride" at a press conference this evening alongside top docs Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance.
Cabinet this afternoon rubber-stamped the mass junking in defiance of doomster scientists and unions accusing the PM of recklessness.
But the meeting of top ministers was delayed for hours following a last-minute row over cash for free testing.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid were at loggerheads over who pays for the pared-back testing regime.
Two of the last laws are set to be repealed on Thursday; the legal requirement to self-isolate and emergency powers for councils to respond to outbreaks.
However government guidance is still for people to stay at home if they Covid, rather than going to work and infecting their colleagues.
Free testing is being wound down - except for vulnerable over 80s - while isolation sickness pay could be dropped.
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