Failure To Act On Long Covid Could Cost Billions, PM Told

The government's failure to support people with long Covid could be adding billions of pounds a year to the benefits bill, Labour has warned. Sir Keir Starmer's party said Rishi Sunak and his ministers had "no plan" to help those suffering from ongoing symptoms, including fatigue, headaches, muscle aches and palpitations.

- Adam Forrest

Worklessness due to long Covid could be costing £3bn a year in sickness benefits, according to Labour analysis shared with The Independent. The party pointed to ONS data showing that the capacity of 370,000 people to perform day-to-day activities has been "limited a lot" by long Covid, saying that each sufferer may be eligible for universal credit of up to £689.19 a month.

"Long Covid has forced more people out of work, with devastating consequences for their livelihoods," said Jonathan Ashworth, Labour's shadow work and pensions secretary. "This is a serious problem, and growing as time passes, yet the Tories have no plan. Ministers have no plan to help the record numbers out of work for long-term sickness, and instead are leaving workers on the scrap heap and giving taxpayers the bill."