NHS workers who have died during the coronavirus pandemic (Picture: PA)

The government is setting up a life assurance scheme for NHS and social care front line colleagues.

Matt Hancock told a government press briefing this afternoon: ‘Families of staff who die from coronavirus in the course of their essential front line work will receive a £60,000 payment.’

He added: ‘Of course nothing replaces the loss of a loved one but we want to do everything that we can to support families that are dealing with this grief.

‘As a government we are looking closely at other professions that work on the front line against coronavirus who also do not have access to such schemes to see where this may be required.’




He said that 82 NHS staff and 16 social care staff had so far lost their lives to coronavirus.

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‘They dedicated their lives to caring for others,’ he said. ‘I feel a deep personal sense of duty that we must care for their loved ones.’

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Mr Hancock added: ‘This crisis has shown this country values so much our health and social care workers and I want to pay tribute to the perseverance of the British public who even this warm spring weekend stayed in.

‘The vast majority did the right thing and stayed at home to protect the NHS.’

Dr Vishal Sharma, pensions committee chair of the British Medical Association (BMA), said the sum may provide some immediate financial relief but it could leave families bereft of longer-term financial security.

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He said: ‘Losing a loved one during these horrific times will be difficult enough for families, without the added pressure of losing what may be their main source of income, leaving them unsure of what the future holds.

‘Whilst this single payment may seem a sizeable sum, it comes nowhere near compensating families for the lifetime income their loved one may have earned if they hadn’t died prematurely, fighting this crisis on the frontline.”

He said the BMA will examine the detail of the scheme closely.

Mr Hancock also told the briefing that so far, the NHS has always had the capacity to give treatment to those who need it.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock holds the daily Covid-19 press conference (Picture: 10 Downing Street)

He said: ‘I’m glad to be able to report that there are now 3,190 spare critical care beds. Indeed, 42% of O2 supported beds in the NHS now lie empty. In most parts of the country the number of people in hospital with coronavirus is beginning to fall.

‘One of the reasons NHS capacity has always exceeded need is because of our amazing program of NHS nightingale hospitals.

‘Today I was proud to attend virtually the opening of the eighth of our then Nightingale hospitals across the UK again built within a matter of weeks.



‘This Nightingale hospital project stands as a monument to the nation’s ability to get things done when it matters.

‘This is one of the most ambitious projects this country has ever seen in peace time. I’d like to thank the NHS, the armed forces and all the companies that have worked side by side to make these plans a reality.’

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