Responding to the government’s announcement of payments for people on low incomes self-isolating in high risk areas, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery, said:

“It’s good that the government has responded to concerns about the potential loss of income for people who observe quarantine requirements.

“This is important to encourage compliance, although it remains to be seen whether it will be sufficient to have the desired effect.

“The delayed response on this stands in stark contrast to the impressive speed with which furlough and other employment schemes were rolled out. That’s disappointing.”