We urgently need the Government to ensure care workers receive full pay from day one of Coronavirus-related absence. Absences should include sickness, self-isolation or due to being in a high risk category. Pay should be calculated using an average of the previous twelve working weeks.

Care workers are an army of mainly low-paid women who are in direct personal contact with those most at risk of dying from Covid19. They should not be working if they are experiencing symptoms or are in high risk categories. However, the alternative is statutory sick pay of £94.25 a week. If they need to be off work they must not fear destitution. They deserve full sick pay from day one - based on actual hours worked - in order to protect themselves, their families and those they care for.

In my view, all workers deserve this - and I believe that the minimum hourly rate should be the Real Living Wage. However, when it comes to care workers, this is not just a workplace justice issue - it is also a public health issue. We all need care workers who get ill to be allowed to recover - and we need those who are high risk to stay well. We also need to keep service users safe. The way to do this is to care for our care workers.