Set up a Covid19 Emergency payment and Covid19 unemployment payment . · petition

What the petition asks

Set up an emergency payment and speedy unemployment benefit for those whose employment or self employment is adversely affected due to Covid19. Payments which are specifically designed to get thousands of people into payment as quickly as possible.

Many people's work and self employment will be affected by Covid 19, either due to risk of contracting the virus or economic downturn. Whilst mortgages can be deferred, those who rent will be at greater risk of losing their homes, and bill's still need to be paid by all. It isn't just big businesses that need a helping hand. Many self employed people are at risk of losing their livelihood and employed people cannot afford to take unpaid leave. We need an emergency benefit such as Ireland have.

Why it was rejected

The UK Government or Parliament was already taking the action it asked for.

The Government has announced that people applying for Universal Credit, the main unemployment benefit, can apply for an advance on their first payment without needing to attend a Jobcentre Plus: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19/support-for-those-affected-by-covid-19

We have published petitions calling on the Government to pay employees and self-employed people who are affected by coronavirus, which you might like to sign:

Pay self employed workers a wage due to lack of earnings caused by COVID-19.
Ensure employees are paid their full wage if they can't work due to coronavirus

You can find out more about coronavirus and how you can protect yourself and others here:

NHS website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
UK Government website: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

You can read NHS tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus here: https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mind-matters/coronavirus-covid-19-anxiety-tips

Timeline

17 Mar 2020	Petition opened for signatures
6 Apr 2020	Rejected by the Petitions Committee