Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to provide support for businesses, in particular small businesses, to cope with (1) the rise in statutory sick pay, and (2) staff isolating with COVID-19; and whether such support will include a permanent sick pay rebate.

Since March 2020, the Government has provided unprecedented direct support for the economy throughout the pandemic. This has included the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate scheme which was introduced as a temporary measure to support small and medium sized businesses with the increased cost of sick pay related to coronavirus. This support has helped to safeguard jobs, businesses and public services in every region and nation of the UK from COVID-19 and has helped to mitigate the threat to macroeconomic stability.

As we move to the next phase of managing COVID-19 like other respiratory illnesses, it is right that exceptional support put in place to help businesses with the impact of a major wave of infection comes to an end as planned.