Coronavirus: Tory minister dodges question on whether he could live on statutory sick pay

Business secretary Alok Sharma points those living on £94.25 to the benefits system

Business secretary Alok Sharma has claimed the government will provide support for workers who could lose their income or jobs during the coronavirus outbreak.

Yet Mr Sharma would not say if the government would raise the current level of statutory sick pay (SSP) from £94.25 a week – and ignored a question about whether he could live on the sum.

The £350bn package set out by chancellor Rishi Sunak was mainly aimed at employers, and the business secretary could not say whether the government would provide direct support to workers losing out on wages.

“The principle is that … we will get support to businesses for employee measures, specifically, and we will do that very soon,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Asked by host Nick Robinson if he could live on £94.25 a week if he fell ill, Mr Sharma ducked the question and said around 30 per cent of employers pay above the statutory minimum.

“And course you, if you are on statutory sick pay, you may also be entitled to benefits as well,” the business secretary added.

Mr Sharma declined to say if help for renters would match the scale of assistance for mortgage-payers, saying only that support would come forward “very shortly”.

Following the announcement homeowners would get a three-month mortgage holiday, Jeremy Corbyn said: “Millions of people rent in the UK. Suspend rents. Ban evictions. Now.”

Labour has also called for a series of emergency financial protections for workers, including a rise in statutory sick pay, and income protection for the self-employed and others in the gig economy.​

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Meanwhile, the business secretary said parliament may have to change the way it operates as a result of the coronavirus outbreak – suggesting government business could be done via video apps.

“I think it is very important that parliament continues to operate. The government of course will continue to operate,” Mr Sharma told the Today programme.

“The way that we interact in parliament of course may change. Parliament has been closed to outside visitors and we need to make sure that we follow the advice that we are giving to others.

Mr Sharma added: “You need to be able to ensure that where people are able to work from home, they do that. I have colleagues in my department who are doing that and we are doing work over the phone through video.”