To ask the Minister for Communities whether she intends to supplement Income Support, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Employment Support Allowance payments as an Executive response to the impact of COVID-19.

I am pleased to advise that my Department has moved quickly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to relieve hardship and ensure the people most in need get the help and support they require.

A number of changes have been made to the social security system in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. Alongside the temporary increases to Universal Credit standard allowances and the basic element of Working Tax Credits, which came into operation on 6 April and will remain in place for the tax year 2020/21, other measures include:

Statutory Sick Pay will now be paid temporarily from day one of an employee’s absence from work, where that absence is related to Coronavirus;

Statutory Sick Pay has been extended to people classed as extremely vulnerable and at very high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 who are advised to remain at home, and cannot work, for at least 12 weeks (known as shielding);

people unable to work for more than seven days because of Coronavirus can obtain an isolation note through a new online service;

the Minimum Income Floor has been temporarily relaxed for all self-employed people in receipt of Universal Credit affected by Covid-19. This means a drop in earnings during the outbreak will see a person’s Universal Credit payment increase;

the Local Housing Allowance rates are being increased for those in the Private Rented Sector;

the additional earnings disregard in Housing Benefit has been increased from £17.10 a week to £37.10 a week;

people applying for or receiving benefits do not have to attend appointments at the Jobs and Benefit Office for 3 months, starting from 19 March 2020;

all those in receipt of Employment and Support Allowance suffering from Coronavirus or required to self-isolate in line with guidance issued by the Executive will:

∙be treated as having Limited Capability for Work without the requirement for a fit note or undergoing a Work Capability Assessment; and

∙subject to the normal conditions of entitlement, waiting days will be removed meaning that Employment and Support Allowance will be payable from day one of their claim;

disabled sick people who cannot attend a reassessment for Personal Independence Payment, Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit will continue to receive their payments while their assessment is rearranged.

In addition the Department also introduced a number of changes to the eligibility criteria for Discretionary Support, including the introduction of a living expenses grant for those directly impacted by Covid-19.

Minister Hargey has written to Members outlining the social security measures taken in response to COVID-19 to ensure people most in need get the help and support they require.

These are rapidly developing circumstances, I continue to keep the situation under review and will keep the Assembly updated accordingly. People’s safety and protecting them and their families is of primary importance.