Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, confirmed that any employees who have been ‘shielding’ as a result of COVID-19 will be able to return to work from 1 August 2020 in England.

If a worker is not able to work remotely, and social distancing measures have been implemented within their workplace, then vulnerable people who have been ‘shielding’ will be able to return to the office. This means that the entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for the purposes of shielding due to coronavirus will end. It is believed that approximately 2.2 million people have been advised to ‘shield’ from the rest of the public by the government since 21 March 2020.

Individuals identified as being in a vulnerable category and so at higher risk from coronavirus, such as those in a certain age bracket or those with an ongoing medical condition, will also be able to meet in groups of up to six people from 6 July 2020.