Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will provide financial support to front line NHS, care sector and emergency service workers during the covid-19 outbreak by (a) reducing income tax and (b) making a one-off payment.

The Government is proud of the extraordinary commitment shown by all health and care staff. The Government is working hard to ensure that staff feel supported and safe to continue the fight against COVID-19.

More than one million NHS staff continue to benefit from the Agenda for Change deal, under which the starting pay for a newly qualified nurse has risen by over 12% since 2017/18. The Government has also agreed a pay deal that provides junior doctors with a minimum 8.2% pay rise over four years. The Government will work to ensure that the NHS employment offer continues to attract, retain and reward staff, and this continues to be kept under review.

The Government is also taking action to reduce the tax that individuals pay and to support those with limited incomes. For example, it raised the personal allowance to £12,500 from April 2019. As a result, a typical basic rate taxpayer pays over £1,200 less this year than in 2010.