NHS care workers and cleaners left out of ‘heartless’ bereavement scheme that supports families of coronavirus victims

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NHS cleaners, porters and social care staff have been left out of the “heartless” bereavement scheme that supports families of key workers. 

Families of some of the NHS’ lowest-paid but crucial staff won’t get grants of up up to £60,000 if they lose a loved one because of their visa status.

Many social care workers looking after the most vulnerable are not eligible for the scheme

Around 8 per cent of social care home workers are foreign nationals from outside the EU and non-UK citizens make up a huge proportion of hospital cleaners, porters, security guards and catering staff who won’t be eligible for the grant, according to The Independent.

Many of the NHS support staff are employed by private companies under outsourcing arrangements.

The GMB union has labelled it an “outrageous scandal”.

One NHS cleaner and mother-of-two from Nigeria, Catherine said she had been working in the UK for 10 years on a “right to remain” visa which had to be regularly renewed.

She said it was “hurtful” to know she didn’t get the same rights as her colleagues at the hospital.

She said: “I love my job but it’s been incredibly dangerous for all of us working in the hospital,” she said.

“We’ve all come together as a family to fight this virus.

“So many colleagues have lost their lives.

“It would make the world of difference and give me peace of mind to know that if something happened to me, my children would be able to continue their life together, in their home as a family.”

The lack of support for cleaners like Catherine, who didn’t want to give her last name, comes after evidence suggested people from BAME (black, asian and minority ethnic) background were more likely to die of coronavirus.

NHS organiser for the GMB union Lola McEvoy said the policy was “heartless”.

She said: “Once again our lowest-paid key workers are left out in the cold.

“We ask them to take the maximum risk – but they get minimal reward.

“They have been drafted to the front of the fight on Covid-19 and if – as so many have – they lose their lives in doing so, their families are not looked after.

“It’s only right that they’re offered the same security and peace of mind as directly-employed NHS staff – after all they face the same dangers.”

Labour front-bench MP and former member of the Commons Home Affairs Committee Janet Daby said: “It is right that the government has provided protections to the bereaved families of migrant NHS doctors and nurses to remain in the UK.

“But this must now be extended to the bereaved families of all NHS workers – security officers, porters, cleaners and catering staff – who have risked their lives to protect us all.

“Without these protections we risk putting their spouse and dependents at the mercy of the government’s hostile environment policy.

“Claps and thank yous are simply not enough, we must protect the dependents of all our migrant NHS workers that have passed away due to coronavirus.

“They have sacrificed so much for us and where they have stood up for our country, we need to stand up for their families.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “Alongside automatic visa extensions for health professions, we have also announced immediate indefinite leave-to-remain for the families of those who sadly pass away, which includes nurses, social workers and therapists working in adult social care.

“We continue to work with the Department of Health and Social Care to look at additional ways we can help the health sector in future.”

Around 3,000 migrant NHS doctors, nurses and paramedics whose working visas are due to expire before October 1 will be granted an automatic one-year extension free of charge.

It will also apply to their family members.