TRADE unions welcomed today’s Welsh government decision to provide care workers self-isolating due to coronavirus with sick pay — and urged Westminster to follow suit.

Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething announced that all care workers in the country will be entitled to full pay while off sick or self-isolating with Covid-19. 

Beforehand, most care workers had to get by on statutory sick pay (SSP) — just £95 a week — if they took time off, even if they were told by NHS track-and-trace workers to self-isolate. 

The GMB union’s social-care lead Kelly Andrews pointed out that many carers are part-time, low paid and cannot afford to take time off on SSP.

She said: “That means care workers faced with the terrible choice between coming in to work when they should be isolating, putting residents and colleagues at risk, or not being able to keep a roof over their families’ heads.

“It’s a deadly and completely unnecessary situation for them to be put in.

“Westminster must learn from Wales and put this policy in place across England.” 

Unison Cymru Wales regional secretary Tanya Palmer said it was important to hear the Welsh government acknowledge the serious concerns of care workers and praised it for listening to the unions.

She said the approach stood “in stark contrast” to the British government.  

Ms Palmer said: “Employees on zero-hours or precarious contracts at private or non-profit care homes are already on low wages. They face financial hardship if they have to self-isolate. 

“People shouldn’t be faced with a choice of making ends meet or following public-health advice and helping prevent the spread of the virus.”

Workers self-isolating should not have to take a financial hit for doing the right thing, Ms Palmer said, adding that Westminster should step in to help out smaller employers where necessary.