Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Government will provide additional financial support for people who are immunocompromised and who are unable to return to work as a result of the covid-19 outbreak and who cannot work from home, following the end of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.

Throughout the pandemic, the Government has sought to protect people’s health, jobs and livelihoods while also supporting businesses and public services.

The Government recognises the concerns that immunocompromised people may have about returning to the workplace. People who are immunocompromised are being offered a third dose of the vaccine, and their adult household contacts are also being prioritised for the booster vaccination programme currently underway.

The vaccination campaign, along with our improved understanding of the virus and the clinical risks it poses means that those previously classed as clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV) are no longer advised to shield. The government will continue to assess the situation based on clinical advice, to keep the most vulnerable safe.

Individuals should also talk to their employer to discuss and agree options in relation to work, for example the ability to work from home, or returning to the workplace in a different role if their previous position cannot be fulfilled in a Covid-secure manner.