Boris Johnson announced an end to Covid restrictions in England on Monday, as the government looks to shift responsibility for limiting the spread of the virus to the public.
The Living With Covid-19 plan has been announced despite hundreds of Covid deaths every day and warnings from opposition MPs and medical experts that lifting restrictions is coming too early.
The changes could also hit the pockets of Brits as concerns have been raised over workers' rights due to key changes to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said of the plans: "This is a half-baked announcement from a government paralysed by chaos and incompetence.
"It is not a plan to live well with Covid."
So what are the new rules and how much can people claim?
What changes are being made to SSP?
SSP will revert to its pre-pandemic status and only be granted to people from day four of an illness. The payment under Covid rules was given from day one, but now people will have to wait three days of being sick before becoming eligible on day four.
This is despite calls to keep the payment from day one of an illness and also to increase the payment, which is currently at £96.35 a week.
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: "The government is creating needless hardship and taking a sledgehammer to public health. The failure to provide decent sick pay to all – from the first day of illness - is reckless and self-defeating."
She also said in a statement before the plans were announced: "Delivering sick pay for all would be an important first step. But with statutory sick pay at a measly £96 a week, we need ministers to increase it to real Living wage too."
The provision in its current form will be removed from February 24.
How will ESA change?
ESA payments will also change from February 24 and people will no longer be eligible if they are isolating due to Covid. The payments will revert from day one to day eight.
Isolation rules are changing to the point where people are no longer legally required to isolate if they test positive for the virus, instead urged to exercise caution.
The government explained: "From this date, people will no longer be eligible for Employment and Support Allowance because they are self-isolating due to Covid-19."
With the changes to ESA and SSP, there is concern people will be compelled to go to work even when they are either clearly sick or have tested positive for the virus. A boost to payments, it is argued, would discourage people from going to work when sick.
ESA will still be eligible for people "subject to satisfying the conditions of entitlement".
Those claiming the benefit and waiting for an initial assessment rate for around 13 weeks will be paid the following:
- up to £59.20 a week if you’re aged under 25
- up to £74.70 a week if you’re aged 25 or over
After the assessment, claimants will be owed:
- up to £74.70 a week if you’re in the work-related activity group
- up to £114.10 a week if you’re in the support group
