Responding to the announcement from the Secretary of State for Health that bereaved families of NHS staff will receive compensation, Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, who first called for the measure last month, said: “This is a win for my cross-party campaign to introduce a Coronavirus Compensation Scheme, backed by The Express and The Times newspapers. I’m hugely thankful for the support received from over 60 cross-party MPs and over 8,000 members of the public. Together, we convinced the Government that this compassionate scheme is needed.
“Our NHS heroes are putting their lives on the line, and we believe that their families deserve to be protected. They should know that if the worst happens, the state will help their families. It is what they need, and what they deserve.
“Now, the Government needs to go further. The scheme should include the families of all key workers – carers, teachers and bus driver to name a few – who die on the frontline. The scheme should also match that given to the Armed Forces, covering pension benefits and funeral costs.”