Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to reimburse care homes for the sick pay of staff who are instructed to isolate by the NHS Test and Trace service.

Small and medium-sized employers, with fewer than 250 employees, including care homes, will be able to reclaim up to two weeks of Statutory Sick Pay paid per employee for sickness absences related to COVID-19. This includes those employees who may be required to self-isolate by the NHS Test and Trace Service.

The ability to reclaim Statutory Sick Pay is on top of other financial support. Last month, the Government announced a £600 million Infection Control Fund, which is to be used on measures such as helping maintain the normal wages of staff who may need to self-isolate. This is in addition to £3.2 billion that has now been made available to local authorities so they can address pressures on local services caused by the pandemic.