By PA News
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Downing Street has said there are âno plansâ to go ahead with a proposal to pay £500 to everyone who tests positive for coronavirus in order to increase the number of people abiding by quarantine rules.
Ministers have considered a proposal to extend payments to anyone who tests positive for Covid-19 in England amid concerns of low compliance for self-isolation, but No 10 played down the possibility, insisting the âvast majority continue to abide by the rulesâ.
Scientific advisers welcomed the suggestion of more financial support but Treasury sources were adamant the plan will not go ahead, with one telling the PA news agency bluntly: âWonât happen.â
First published on Fri 22 Jan 2021 07.40 EST
A government proposal to pay £500 to everyone in England who tests positive for Covid-19 has been met with scepticism by the Treasury and divided opinion among experts.
The idea is described as the âpreferred positionâ of the health secretary Matt Hancockâs department and is part of a planned overhaul of the self-isolation support scheme revealed by the Guardian.
George Eustice, the environment secretary, confirmed on Friday that the idea was under review and it is understood it will be considered by the governmentâs coronavirus operations committee in the next few days. No 10 and the Treasury are sceptical about the idea of a universal payment, believing it could incentivise members of the public to contract the virus.
Downing Street denies people self-isolating with Covid will be paid £500
The Prime Minister s spokesman denied reports of the plans for the pay out
There were reports that the government was preparing to pay everyone in England £500 if they test positive for coronavirus
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Experts have said a universal payment offered to everyone told to self-isolate would improve compliance with the rules, and as a result help bring down coronavirus transmission.
Professor Susan Michie, who sits on the Scientific Pandemic Insights Group on Behaviours (Spi-B), said the UK s Covid-19 containment strategy could be so much better , as she blamed it for a lack of compliance with the rules.
Professor Stephen Reicher, also on Spi-B, said universal payments to self-isolate must form an “essential element of our pandemic response”.
Number 10, asked about reports of Government polling suggesting that compliance with self-isolation rules is low, said the vast majority of the public continue to abide by the rules and do isolate when they are asked .
82 per cent of people are breaking isolation rules, says expert grimsbytelegraph.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from grimsbytelegraph.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.