£7bn owed for unpaid extra work

NHS heroes are among the key workers owed £7billion in overtime during the pandemic, analysis has shown.

Unions say the finding – which comes ahead of this week’s Budget – shames Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s public sector pay freeze.

The TUC investigation found that on average, more than three million workers were not paid for 7.7 extra hours a week.

This equates to roughly an additional £7,000 a year.

Teachers were found to be particularly affected, as well as over-stretched NHS staff on hospital wards.

TUC general secretary Frances O’grady said: “The Chancellor should cancel the pay freeze and give every key worker a decent pay rise.”

And UNISON general secretary Christina Mcanea added: “Key workers have given their all. The Government needs to recognise this and scrap plans to freeze pay.”

At least 243 frontline health and care workers have died from the virus.

people in the UK have been given their first jab. A further 768,810 have received their second dose

THOUSANDS of vulnerable Brits have been “forgotten” in the jabs rollout, charities say.

More than 19 million in the first six priority groups have had at least one dose.

Group six comprises those aged 16 to 64 whose serious underlying conditions put them at high risk of serious illness or death from Covid.

But many expecting to be on the Government’s list claim they have been overlooked – while fit Brits in their 20s have been invited in some areas.

The ME Association said sufferers of the incurable chronic illness, which causes crippling exhaustion, face a postcode lottery and called the situation “far from ideal”.

Asthma UK said it was “unacceptable” that sufferers of moderate asthma are not given priority. And Age UK expressed concern that about 4% of over-70s are still to have a first dose.

The Department of Health said prioritisation for vaccines is based on preventing “as many deaths as possible”.

THE brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been arrested at an anti-lockdown protest again.

Coronavirus conspiracy theorist Piers Corbyn, 73, was pictured in handcuffs being led away in Bishops Park in Fulham, West London, yesterday afternoon.

He was among dozens of people who had gathered to protest against Covid restrictions. Meanwhile, antilockdown protesters pelted officers with fireworks in Dublin.

Maskless protesters battled police as they marched through the city and tried to get to St Stephen’s Green.

Officers used batons to push them away from the park.

CUFFED: Piers Corbyn is led off after protest arrest