Covid-19: Self-isolation Payment Scheme Debate

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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Covid-19: Self-isolation Payment Scheme

Baroness Primarolo Excerpts
Wednesday 2nd September 2020

(4 years, 2 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Bethell Portrait Lord Bethell (Con)
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My Lords, the payment itself will not affect existing benefits in any way. Payments through the scheme will, though, be subject to income tax and some form of national insurance contribution, in line with other support payments such as through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Baroness Primarolo Portrait Baroness Primarolo (Lab) [V]
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My Lords, I return to the question asked by my noble friend Lady Lister. What was the evidence base for the decision that £13 a day would be sufficient to persuade low-paid workers to forgo their earnings and therefore self-isolate? The Minister did not answer the question the first time round; perhaps he could answer it now. What were the criteria?