Covid-19: Self-isolation Payment Scheme Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department of Health and Social Care
Lord Polak
Main Page: Lord Polak (Conservative - Life peer)Department Debates - View all Lord Polak's debates with the Department of Health and Social Care
Covid-19: Self-isolation Payment Scheme
Lord Polak Excerpts(3 years, 7 months ago)
Lords ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Lord Bethell (Con)
The noble Lord asks a wide-ranging set of questions. We are looking at the effectiveness of the scheme. We are working with DAs to see whether the scheme could or should be extended in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Once that review is done and we have assessed its impact, we will be able to make decisions of the kind he describes.
Lord Polak (Con)
The headline figure of £13 can be, and has been, taken out of context. Can my noble friend the Minister reconfirm that the payment will not impact existing benefit entitlements?
Lord Bethell (Con)
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.