Nick Ferrari asks Matt Hancock "Will £13 a day really make people stay at home?"

27 August 2020, 08:24 | Updated: 27 August 2020, 09:27

Nick Ferrari asks Matt Hancock if £13 will make people self-isolate

Nick Ferrari asked Matt Hancock whether his new payment for people being told to self-isolate will be effective, considering it amounts to just £13 a day.

People on low incomes who are forced to self-isolate in high-risk areas of England will be able to claim money from the Government.

Those who test positive for coronavirus and can't work from home will receive £130 for their 10-day isolation. Other members of their household, who have to stay in for 14 days, will be entitled to £182.

The Health Minister told LBC that the payment is to encourage more people contacted by the Test & Trace system to self-isolate.

But Nick Ferrari suggested no one is going to change their mind based on receiving just £13 per day.

Mr Hancock said: "We want to get NHS Test & Trace up to over 80% of contacts, getting them to self-isolate. Currently we're just over 75%.

"We talk to all these people because NHS Test & Trace phones them up and has a conversation and one of the things - especially in areas of low income that is causing some people to say 'I can't do that' or 'I can't give you the contacts' is because they need to go to work.

"Bringing in extra support, in addition to Universal Credit that they get, if people self-isolate is one of the things that people have been asking for to get those rates up.

"Because it really matters that people who need to self-isolate do because that's how we stop the spread of the virus."

But Nick Ferrari told him: "Is £13 a day deemed to be enough for someone not to leave their door?

"I don't think you'd be persuaded to stay indoors for £13. I know I wouldn't."

Watch the interview at the top of the page.