Government urged to fully fund scheme to help low-paid Plymouth workers
The money has now 'run out', with the Council stepping in to cover costs
Plymouth City Council is calling on the Government to fully fund a scheme to help low-paid workers who have to self-isolate due to the pandemic.
The council had to step in last week and provide extra cash after the Government money ran out.
The £500 one-off payments are for low-paid workers, such as those on zero-hours contracts and the self-employed, who cannot work from home and would see their income cut if they have to self-isolate after being contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
A mandatory scheme for people on benefits has unlimited funding, but the council was only given £77,000 for the discretionary scheme for the low-paid, enough to make 154 payments.
Labour Cabinet member Chris Penberthy told a meeting of the full council that demand for the discretionary scheme was higher than the mandatory part and had already received 190 eligible claims.
He took an emergency decision last week for the council to step in with extra funding, otherwise the claims would have been refused and the scheme closed before its scheduled finish at the end of January.
The councillor said the claimants included care home workers, servers in shops, and delivery staff.
Cllr Penberthy described the scheme as an important public health intervention, as otherwise workers might have had been unable to afford rent, bills and food.