12 week forced isolation

jimnev

Hi all 1st time poster so be gentle! My father in law has lukeimia and has received the letter to isolate for 12 weeks but he was working as a lorry driver. He is now going out of his mind worrying as he is now bringing in no money. Will those most vunrable who was working who received the letter be able to claim 80% of wages?

General_Grant

Was he employed by a company or self-employed?  If employed, he should contact his employer.

jimnev

He was employed as a lorry driver (classed as key worker) he has spoken to his company and they say the government benefits doesn’t apply to them as they have not had to make cut backs and still working. Big company as well (turners).

calcotti

jimnev said:

He was employed as a lorry driver (classed as key worker) he has spoken to his company and they say the government benefits doesn’t apply to them as they have not had to make cut backs and still working. Big company as well (turners).

That's correct. The job retention scheme is to reimburse employers who retain workers for whom there is no work rather than laying them off. Not being able to attend work is not covered by this.
Look at Universal Credit. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/   There are online calculators to help you assess entitlement  https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

Jeremy535897

Are they not paying SSP?

calcotti

Jeremy535897 said:

Are they not paying SSP?

Not clear that if someone is social distancing for 12 weeks that sick pay is applicable. Only people who are self-isolating are clearly identified as entitled to be treated as sick. Comes back to the confusing amount of different terminology the government has created
https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus/self-isolation-and-sick-pay
https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus/vulnerable-people-and-high-risk

jimnev

Because he is high risk why should he lose pay over it when he could be working. He feels he is being penalised for being high risk.

Jeremy535897

I thought it was the case that if you were advised to stay at home for 12 weeks (the OP's father in law has "received the letter") then SSP applied? Best I could find on a quick search was on the Welsh Citizens Advice site.

Coronavirus - if you’re off sick or told to stay home

If you’re employed and get coronavirus, you’ll get statutory sick pay (SSP) from the first day you're ill. 

You won’t have to give your employer proof you're ill for the first 7 days. After 7 days, they can ask to see a 'fit note' to prove you're too ill to work. Don’t ask your GP for a fit note - get one from the 111 coronavirus service.

If you’re not ill but you’re following government guidance to ‘self-isolate’ and you can’t work from home, you’ll be entitled to SSP. You can get an ‘isolation note’ online to prove to your employer you need to stay off work. 

You can:

• get an isolation note on the NHS website

• get an isolation note on the NHS app

If you’re self-employed, you can’t claim sick pay. If you pay national insurance you might be eligible for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) - check if you can claim ESA.

Maayafushi

Social distancing is not classed as sick unfortunately and GP will not give you a certificate, I work for NHS and I’m high risk and in vulnerable group but have chosen to self distance as work have agreed with me I’m high risk no pay, good luck hope your employers are sympathetic please stay safe

Jeremy535897

Thanks for putting me right. To my mind being told to stay at home is more like self isolation than social distancing, but that's just my view. It is tough to be told to stay at home with no pay and no prospect of earning for 12 weeks. Universal credit then.

calcotti

Jeremy535897 said:

Thanks for putting me right. To my mind being told to stay at home is more like self isolation than social distancing, but that's just my view. It is tough to be told to stay at home with no pay and no prospect of earning for 12 weeks. Universal credit then.

I agree but I don't think it's the way the terminology works. As evidence I would highlight that the government has only provided for employers to be reimbursed for two weeks of SSP if employees are self isolating. This is consistent with self-isolation of 7 to 14 days.