UK Government to pay £60,000 to families of NHS staff who die on frontline

[Gimme More 35,802]

Matt Hancock has announced the government will pay £60,000 to the families of NHS workers and social care staff who die from coronavirus in the course of “essential frontline work”.

The health secretary told the Downing Street covid-19 press conference that 82 NHS staff and 16 social care workers had lost their lives after contracting the disease during the pandemic.

Speaking on Monday, the cabinet minister revealed the new life assurance scheme – funded by the government – and said ministers were looking at other frontline professions who did not have access to similar schemes.

He said: “Today I’m able to announce the government is setting up a life assurance scheme for NHS and social care frontline staff. Families of staff who die from coronavirus in the course of their essential frontline work will receive a £60,000 payment.

“Of course, nothing replaces the loss of a loved one but we want do everything we can to help these families dealing with grief.”

Mr Hancock continued: "As a government, we are looking closely at other professions that work on the front line against coronavirus, who also do not have access to such schemes, to see where this may be required."

Asked whether it would apply to overseas workers will qualify for the scheme, the health secretary said: “The answer is yes. This is for frontline staff working in the NHS and social care who die and are employees are within NHS and social care.”

 

[TimisaMonster 31,073]

Wow that's a lot of money...

 

[heygurlhi 3,200]

Finally someone does something that is not just standing and yelling "heroes" like an idiot. We stan 

[Rio 5,088]

Fed up of this government consistently ignoring care homes and the workers there. They're way more affected by this outbreak than bloody hospitals, from local & personal experience

[SlaeUrAnus 16,111]

Edit: NVM, they are giving it to care workers too.

Is this on top of death on service too though? 

[Morphine Prince 109,683]

31 minutes ago, heygurlhi said:

Finally someone does something that is not just standing and yelling "heroes" like an idiot. We stan 

If they start calling you a "hero" it means they're about to let you die. A mess tbh. 

[Ack1234 524]

I was thinking what about the store workers ? I’m off for For 12 weeks because I’m high risk but my son is helping out at the store in place of me So now he’s at risk .ive nothing against nhs or care workers but they are leaving the shop workers out and they are as much at risk , samE as the free concerts  nhs :police:ambulance staff but not shop workers .

[darkchylde 14,857]

seems a bit off that they're pricing the deaths of NHS staff while refusing to raise their wages and improve their conditions.

i also don't understand how they're treated much better -everywhere not just in the UK- than other essential workers like grocerie store employees or cleaners who are MUCH more at risk considering they have almost no protective equipment and are being paid MUCH MUCH less than the NHS staff.

i believe it's time we re-evaluate how we're treating essential workers, who does that category include and what can we do to ease their families and improve their safety during emergency situations like this. hopefully we can learn something frum such a dark time we're going through

[Shakira 712]

1 hour ago, Rio said:

Fed up of this government consistently ignoring care homes and the workers there. They're way more affected by this outbreak than bloody hospitals, from local & personal experience

erm wouldn't the care home workers come under "social care staff" which is covered by this