12 week shielding letter - when do I go back to work?

only_me_123

Hi there,
I received a letter from the NHS telling me to shield for 12 weeks. I have also been furloughed until further notice, but it looks like other employees are returning to work in the company I work for.
Can anyone tell me when the 12 weeks actually ends - is it from when the lock down started or when I revived the letter, or when the company wants me back to work?
Thank you!

bradders1983

I assume if you have a serious health condition you chose to stay indoors anyway weeks ago? So would be 12 weeks from then.

calcotti

I fully expect that the advice for high risk extremely vulnerable people will be extended as the risk to our health will not have significantly changed.

Grumpy_chap

@only_me_123 - when did you receive your shielding letter?  Are you covered by the list of conditions at the end of the letter?

I am surprised and have virtually the same question as my Mum received a shielding letter on Friday this week (1st May - dated 28th April), which sort of implied she needed to stay in for 12 weeks from then.  She has already done 6 weeks of near-virtual lock-down.  Is it reasonable that these shielding letters have taken so long to print and send?  Surely, if my Mum was that vulnerable, she would have suffered in the first 6 weeks before the letter arrived???

We have found that, even without the shielding letters, both Mum and Mother-in-Law have been absolutely terrified and not going out anyway, but they then get lonely and down-in-the-dumps, so it does not do their overall well-being that much good.  We have been suggesting it is good for them to just get a stroll round the block at a quiet time for some excercise and fresh-air and to preserve their sanity.

With Mum now having the shielding letter, that says she should not leave her house for any reason apart from medical appointments (unless they are cancelled by the clinic).

only_me_123

Yes, I have been inside from about the 11th April, so 3 weeks ago. I'm just wondering what happens if my employer asks he to come back as they have furloughed me, or do I have the right to stay home for 12 weeks from when I got the letter?

bradders1983

Everyone has a right to stay at home for 12 weeks. If you get paid full whack for it or not, or if you still have a job after it, depends on how tolerant your employer is.

only_me_123

I see, @Grumpy_chap
My letter also said not to leave the house unless it is for medication. 
I'm just wondering when exactly I need to go back to work and who makes that decision - me, the government or the employer 

ItchyCat

I have been isolating since 23rd March on my doctor’s advice...my shielding letter is dated 22nd April. If nothing changes, I am looking at a 15th June return to work.

sharpe106

only_me_123 said:

I see, @Grumpy_chap
My letter also said not to leave the house unless it is for medication. 
I'm just wondering when exactly I need to go back to work and who makes that decision - me, the government or the employer 

You make that decision, but that does not mean they have to pay you for the 12 weeks. 

sharpe106

ItchyCat said:

I have been isolating since 23rd March on my doctor’s advice...my shielding letter is dated 22nd April. If nothing changes, I am looking at a 15th June return to work.

Unless they have a vaccine by then, which is extremely unlikely, what would have changed for those shielding by then? So I can't see how the advice will change. They will just have to extend it. What they may do is change the criteria as they sent letter to everybody that may be vulnerable. Now they will know which groups are more so then others. 

calcotti

only_me_123 said:

Yes, I have been inside from about the 11th April, so 3 weeks ago. I'm just wondering what happens if my employer asks he to come back as they have furloughed me, or do I have the right to stay home for 12 weeks from when I got the letter?

If you are in receipt of a shielding letter you are entitled to be treated as sick and your employer must pay you, as a minimum, SSP (£95.85/week). 
https://www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay/eligibility
This is as a result of the Statutory Sick Pay (General) (Coronavirus Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2020

However your employer can continue to keep you on furlough and pay 80% of your wage (at least until the scheme ends).

If work is available and possible to do from home you could work from home while shielding.