Question reference: S5W-33759
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Date lodged: 3 December 2020
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Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 December 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the financial support available to people with blood cancer who live in areas with high COVID-19 rates and who cannot work from home, and whether it is considering any changes to this.
Answer
The advice for people on the shielding list at all protection levels is to work from home where possible. If people cannot, there are several options. The occupational health advice is that the majority of workplaces can be made safe even at protection level 4 providing employers make the necessary adjustments to make the workplace safe. Individuals and employers can draw on advice from Occupational Health Services, Health and Safety representatives, trade unions and professional bodies.
At protection level 4, the Chief Medical Officer issues a shielding notification for those most clinically at risk. While this does not say that those who are at highest clinical risk must stop working if they cannot work from home, it means that they can stop working and access Statutory Sick Pay if, following discussions with employers or other advisors, their work place can’t be made safe, for the whole period that the area they live or work in remains at Level 4.
For those who have been on the shielding list and furloughed the Jobs Retention Scheme (furlough) remains the best way of providing financial support. The Job Retention Scheme has been extended until March 2021.
We are working together with Citizen’s Advice Scotland to help people understand what help is available if they find they are in financial hardship (including help with mortgage and council tax payments). To find out more visit: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/health/coronavirus-what-it-means-for-you-s