Support for care workers who are required to stay off work due to actual or suspected COVID-19 or because they have to self-isolate.

The Statutory sick pay enhancement scheme supports care workers who only get statutory sick pay (SSP) or are not eligible for SSP when absent.

It provides funding to allow employers to pay eligible workers at full pay if they can’t work due to COVID-19.

This removes the financial disadvantage to care workers of staying away from work. This will help to protect our most vulnerable citizens.  The purpose of the fund is infection control.

The scheme runs from 1 November 2020 until 31 August 2022.

Eligibility

Role

To be eligible the individual must be:

  • an employee of a registered care home (including children’s homes)
  • an employee of a domiciliary care service
  • an agency care worker or agency nurse (with work booked in with a registered care home or domiciliary care service)
  • bank or pool staff booked to undertake a series of shifts
  • contracted staff providing daily essential services such as routine catering in care homes and having substantial contact with residents
  • a personal assistant paid through direct payments

An employee with two jobs, where both eligible for the scheme, may claim payments in respect of both part time wages.

Types of employment

To be eligible the individual can be:

  • full-time or part-time
  • subject to a zero hours employment contract
  • subject to a permanent or temporary contract
  • working from a care agency
  • bank or pool staff
  • self-employed

Reasons for absence

The individual must be taking time off work for one of the following:

  • having symptoms of COVID-19
  • testing positive for COVID-19
  • self-isolating due to being identified as a contact by the NHS Wales Test Trace Protect service
  • self-isolating because a member of the household has symptoms of COVID-19 or has tested positive

The guidance on how long employees should self-isolate is available on Welsh Government website:
Self-isolation: stay at home guidance for households with possible coronavirus

How do I receive the enhancement?

The enhancement should be paid to eligible care workers by their employers through their usual routine payroll. The employers can in turn can apply their Local Authority for reimbursement of costs incurred paying the enhancement to their employees.

If you believe you are eligible for the enhancement you should speak to your employer in the first instance.  You can also consult full guidance relating to the scheme found on the Welsh Government Website: COVID-19 statutory sick pay enhancement scheme.

Further enquires:

If you would like to make further enquiries relating to this scheme you can contact the council by email at the following address: SSPEnhancement@ceredigion.gov.uk.