Financial lifeline promised for those forced back into isolation

SCOTS forced to self-isolate due to Covid-19 will be offered financial support, the First Minister has said.

Speaking yesterday, Nicola Sturgeon confirmed the additional assistance but said details had yet to be finalised. She said lockdown restrictions would be announced this week to tackle a spike in cases.

Extra help is necessary, the First Minister said, to ensure people do not feel they need to break isolation to work to support their families or pay their bills.

She added: ‘Self-isolation is a key tool in our fight against this virus. It helps us break the chains of transmission, so we must make it as easy as we can for people to abide by that advice.

‘Nobody should be forced to choose between self-isolating for the common good and paying their rent and feeding their families – if that’s the choice people face, it shouldn’t be a surprise to us compliance levels are lower than we need it to be.’

Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie welcomed the promise of support, saying it is essential to protect people in insecure employment from losing their jobs ‘for simply complying with the rules’.

Mr Harvie added: ‘It’s clear that the UK furlough scheme must be extended, too.

‘The warning from the UK chief medical officer and chief scientific officer shows that it may take at least six months to get on top of this outbreak and it would be utterly irresponsible to end financial support for people during that time.’