It shouldn’t take a pandemic to resolve the inequality of sick pay. But coronavirus shows why decent sick pay should be a right for everybody.

The government has listened to unions and temporarily removed the 3 day wait for many. But this doesn't go far enough.

At just £95.85 a week, statutory sick pay in the UK isn't enough to live on - and 2 million people don't earn enough to qualify. The government’s plan for NHS Track and Trace has a huge flaw. Asking people to self-isolate is not going to work if they are plunged into financial hardship.

The government should introduce emergency legislation that:

- Scraps the minimum earnings threshold for statutory sick pay

- Ensures that sick pay is paid to workers having to self-isolate

- Increases the weekly level of sick pay to at least the level of the real Living Wage - £320 per week

- Provide funds to ensure employers can afford to pay sick pay, and provide additional support to those who miss out