Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what financial support her Department is providing to people diagnosed with long covid who are out of work.

The DWP offers financial support through Universal Credit and New Style Employment and Support Allowance for people who are sick and unable to work due to long-Covid, subject to them satisfying the eligibility criteria and contribution conditions. In addition, people with long-COVID may be eligible to Personal Independence Payment.

Furthermore, the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council (IIAC), who advise the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions regarding Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB), are investigating whether long-COVID can be prescribed as an occupational disease for the purposes of IIDB.