Liskeard Jobcentre says a range of extra support and measures will be in place to help workers, benefit claimants and businesses affected by coronavirus.?

Special arrangements will be in place for people in receipt of benefits who cannot attend reassessments or jobcentre appointments because they are required to stay at home or are infected by coronavirus. They include:

*Disabled and sick claimants who cannot attend a reassessment for Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) or Universal Credit will continue to receive their payments while their assessment is rearranged.

*People who need to claim ESA or Universal Credit because of coronavirus will not be required to produce a Fit Note.

*Claimants who are staying at home as a result of coronavirus will have their mandatory work search and work availability requirements removed to account for a period of sickness.

*For people who need to make a new claim for financial support those affected by coronavirus will be able to apply for Universal Credit and can receive up to a month’s advance up front without physically attending a jobcentre.

*The seven waiting days for ESA for new claimants suffering from coronavirus or required to stay at home will not apply, so it will be payable from day one.

*To make sure people in work can take the necessary time off to stay at home if they are suffering from coronavirus or to prevent its spread, changes have been made to Statutory Sick Pay and how Universal Credit supports self-employed claimants.

People who cannot work due to coronavirus and are eligible for Statutory Sick Pay will get it from day one, rather than from the fourth day of their illness. Statutory Sick Pay will be payable to people who are staying at home on Government advice, not just those who are infected.

*Self-employed claimants on Universal Credit who are required to stay at home or are ill as a result of coronavirus will not have a Minimum Income Floor applied for a period of time while affected.