The government’s plan to drop all Covid restrictions a month early has threatened to open a rift between unions and employers, with the TUC warning it could be a “green light for bosses to cut corners”.
The prime minister’s announcement that all domestic Covid-19 restrictions in England, including the requirement for people with the virus to self-isolate, will be dropped from 21 February, sparked jubilation from pub and nightclub owners that life will return to moribund city centres, but one business lobby group warned that “conflict and confusion” will follow unless there is clear guidance.
People with Covid will be expected to stay at home, as they would with flu, but without a legal requirement backed up by hefty fines. Rules are also being relaxed in Scotland and Wales, and Northern Ireland intends to ditch most remaining curbs this week.
The TUC urged employers to carry out proper risk assessments to keep staff safe at work, including checking whether they have adequate ventilation. It also called on the government to keep statutory sick pay a right from day one (rather than reverting to day four, as was the case before the pandemic), to ensure that all workers are covered by it, and to increase the level of sick pay. At the moment, about 2 million people, mostly women, do not earn enough to qualify.
The TUC’s general secretary, Frances O’Grady, said: “Today’s announcement is not a green light for bosses to cut corners.
“It’s also vital that ministers fix our broken sick pay system once and for all. Workers who are laid low by Covid must be able to make ends meet – not pushed into financial hardship. It beggars belief that millions still don’t have access to decent sick pay. This is leaving the country vulnerable to new variants and pandemics.”
The warmest welcome came from the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), representing more than 1,400 nightclubs, bars, casinos and festivals, which said it was “extremely pleased”.
Michael Kill, the NTIA chief executive, said: “The impact of Covid isolation periods on the hospitality and night-time economy workforce has been extremely challenging for businesses. These proposed changes would be a welcome relief and would go some way to helping the sector recover.”
Phil Urban, the chief executive of Mitchells & Butlers, which has 1,700 pubs and restaurants including Harvester and All Bar One chains, said: “Lessening restrictions has to be good news for the industry. The one thing that’s missing is consumer confidence and that change could be the start of rebuilding.”
Tim Martin, the chair of JD Wetherspoon, said: “It will be a long road back to normality, but this is a good first step.”
The CBI business group said the lifting of restrictions would “be a symbolic moment as we move away from crisis mode to learning to live with the virus”. A spokesperson added: “Maintaining confidence is key, so firms are likely to continue extra measures to protect their staff and customers, as they have done since the outset of the pandemic. And keeping Covid infrastructure in place, like free mass rapid testing and access to vaccines, will still remain essential.”
The CBI added that while hybrid working was here to stay, lifting restrictions would help draw staff back to offices, because “trade in our city centres for some sectors has taken a heavy toll”.
Claire Walker, co-executive director of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: “Businesses will welcome the removal of the self-isolation requirement if there is crystal clear guidance on what this means for firms and their legal responsibilities to employees and customers.
“Without clear guidance, there is a real risk that this move could increase conflict and confusion in the workplace. Firms also need to understand the government’s plan should there be further public health challenges that require a return to restrictions.”
The Federation of Small Businesses said many small firms would welcome the move, as long as it was safe. Its national chair, Mike Cherry, said: “We’re urging the government to bring back the workplace testing initiative, remove the lower earnings limit for sick pay entitlement and extend the current [statutory sick pay] rebate for small firms to cover all time away from the workplace.”
Tom Ironside, director of business and regulation at the British Retail Consortium, welcomed the return to a more normal experience for customers, staff and businesses, but said retailers would need further details of the plans.
In the capital, Transport for London passengers will still be required to wear masks when they travel onbuses, trains and the underground.
A spokesperson for the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, said the decision to keep the policy in place when compulsory mask-wearing was dropped last month would remain in place when Covid legal restrictions are relaxed later this month.
