JEREMY CORBYN raised concerns for the sickness rights of Britain's two million low-paid precarious workers today as the number of coronavirus cases in the UK soared.

The Labour leader spoke out on the issue during prime minister’s questions as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases leapt to 85.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson caved in to calls to pay the statutory sick-pay pittance of £94.25 a week to workers from day one of absence caused by the coronavirus.

He told MPs that people who self-isolate are "helping to protect all of us by slowing the spread of the virus."

Announcing emergency legislation, Mr Johnson said the government would introduce measures to allow the payment of statutory sick pay from the first day of sickness instead of the fourth day under current rules.

But Mr Corbyn countered that at least two million low-paid workers may not receive it — because profiteering bosses pay them less than the £118-a-week wage required to qualify.

And unions GMB and Unison said workers absent because of the virus should be kept on full pay, not statutory sick pay.

Mr Corbyn said: “There are two million workers on low pay, many of them women in the care sector, who are not eligible for statutory sick pay.

“The government’s emergency legislation must guarantee that the right to sick pay from day one will include those people who are not currently eligible for statutory sick pay, and that no-one on social security will be sanctioned if they miss appointments.

"We will also be pressing the government to bring in further support for low-paid and self-employed workers and those on Universal Credit."

“No one should have to choose between health and hardship. This is a matter of public-health concern for everybody.”

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis insisted that the legislation needed to go much further.

He said: “Workers self-isolating shouldn’t have to take a financial hit for doing the right thing. They should be paid in full, with the government stepping in to help out struggling smaller employers.

“People shouldn’t be faced with a choice of making ends meet or following public-health advice and helping prevent the spread of the virus.

"The lives and livelihoods of vulnerable patients and staff must come before profits.”

General union GMB also demanded the government use existing powers to ensure that workers receive full pay if absent because of the coronavirus.

GMB legal director Susan Harris said: “The government can and must now move fast to use existing powers under the 1996 Employment Rights Act to ensure all employees are entitled to full pay from day one during medical suspension due to coronavirus.

“Ministers should be supporting employers to do the right thing and help keep the British public safe during this unfolding crisis.

“This COVID-19 outbreak has exposed the woeful limitations of statutory sick pay — which is just £94.25 a week.

“The current arrangements give people a perverse incentive to come into work even if they may be infected, as it doesn’t cover the cost of housing or food.

“More than two million workers are currently not eligible for statutory sick pay because they do not meet the earnings threshold — and it is not available for the self-employed or many on zero hours contracts.”

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said statutory sick pay “still isn’t enough to live on.”

She said: “Government must go further to ensure that no one is penalised for doing the right thing."

Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner said: “Without decisive (government) intervention workers simply won’t stay at home — they can’t afford to.”

A Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) spokeswoman said: “We are keeping the situation under constant review and we will take appropriate measures in line with further developments.”