3. Support for those who are sick or self-isolating: Statutory Sick Pay, New Style Employment and Support Allowance and Universal Credit

Coronavirus has had a major impact on the numbers of people absent from work because of sickness, either directly or indirectly. At the end of May there were 280,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and hundreds of thousands more who have had the virus but not been tested. Many others have either had to self-isolate because they have coronavirus symptoms or been in contact with an infected individual. And this number may grow as the test-and-trace system starts to operate more effectively. Finally, there are around 2.5 million individuals who were initially told to stay in their own homes for 12 weeks to shield themselves against the virus and are still advised not to work. Although many in the shielding group will not be of working age, around half are under 70.