The government is introducing new "emergency volunteer leave' to allow Brits who want to help the fight against coronavirus to do their bit.
They hope the new scheme will increase the numbers of volunteers and free up the essential workers in the health service, social care and other vital services.
It comes as part of the emergency laws the government believes it needs to steer Britain through the coronavirus outbreak.
The Bill includes measures which will offer additional employment protections and compensation for those volunteering in health and social care.
As part of the emergency bill those who want to will be allowed to take time off work to muck in.
There will also be funding to compensate those helping for some of their loss of earnings and expenses.
The government says the new measure would help remove two of the main obstacles to people volunteering namely time of work and the need to earn money.
It describes this as a new form of “unpaid statutory leave”.
The government hopes it will “maximise the number of volunteers” to fill gaps meaning that essential services can be safeguarded.
In order to qualify a worker will need an Emergency Volunteering Certificate to prove they qualify.
A worker is entitled to take a set block of 2, 3 or 4 consecutive weeks of EVL during a period of 16 weeks (a “volunteering period”).
The sweeping powers - which will be brought to the House of Commons tomorrow - will give the government authority to interfere in areas of British life in a way that would have been unthinkable before the crisis.
Ministers have not declared a "state of emergency" under the Civil Contingencies Act - meaning Parliament must pass these proposals.
Under the new laws, councils will be allowed to strip back services offered both to people in care homes and in their own homes without legal challenge - so long as they do not cause 'serious neglect or harm'.
Doctors will be permitted to detail the cause of death on medical certificates without seeing a deceased person's body - with other senior health professionals allowed to sign death certificates.
