PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Poverty: Children and Families (13 July 2021)

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effect of self-isolation as a result of covid-19 on levels of poverty among children and families; and if she will make a statement.

Asked by:
Sir Alan Campbell (Labour)

No assessment has been made. It is not possible to measure the impact of self-isolating in the data that we use to measure poverty.

This Government is wholly committed to supporting those on low incomes, including by increasing the living wage, and by spending £111 billion on welfare support for people of working age in 2020/21. This included around £7.4 billion of Covid-related welfare policy measures.

The Government through the Department for Health and Social Care introduced the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme which provides financial support to people on low incomes who have to self-isolate, if they are unable to work from home and will lose income as a result. Eligible individuals are able to access a payment of £500. The government has released £176 million of funding for the scheme so far.

Answered by:
Will Quince (Conservative)
21 July 2021