Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Government has provided additional funding to schools to meet the costs of additional supply teachers to cover teachers who are self-isolating during the covid-19 outbreak.

Schools have continued to receive their core funding allocations throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Following last year’s Spending Round, school budgets are rising by £2.6 billion in the 2020-21 financial year, £4.8 billion in 2021-22 and £7.1 billion in 2022-23, compared to 2019-20.

As stated in the school reopening guidance, schools should be using their existing resources to ensure that all children are back in school. There are no plans at present to reimburse additional costs incurred as part of that process, but we continue to keep this under review. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

The Government has provided additional financial support for those who are unable to work because they have COVID-19, or are self-isolating, which is outlined in the 'Coronavirus COVID-19: what to do if you’re employed and cannot work' guidance. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-what-to-do-if-youre-employed-and-cannot-work?priority-taxon=5ebf285a-9165-476c-be90-66b9729f50da#if-someone-you-live-with-has-symptoms-of-coronaviru.