Dido Harding admission on pandemic self-isolation failure shows why sick pay reforms are “long overdue” - TUC

Responding to Dido Harding’s comments at the Covid public inquiry which said that the lack of proper financial support for those sick cost lives, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said:  

“The failure to provide proper financial support, led by Rishi Sunak, was an act of self-sabotage that left millions totally exposed to the pandemic.  

“Many workers simply couldn’t afford to self-isolate. This pushed up infection rates, put a huge strain on our public services and ballooned the cost of test and trace. 

“Dido Harding admitted this mammoth mistake cost lives – and made clear the then Conservative government blocked the prospect of better resourced self-isolation support. 

“It is vital that we learn the lessons of what went wrong during the pandemic. 

“That’s why the government’s sick pay reforms are long overdue. Delivering sick pay for all paid from the first day of illness will stop millions from facing a financial cliff edge if they get sick.”