Coronavirus bonuses for home care workers promised by Macron but not Boris

Home care workers in France will be granted COVID-19 bonuses, under a €160 million offer announced by French President Emmanuel Macron, but England's care workers still miss out on a bonus from Boris Johnson.

President Macron made the announcement while addressing an audience of home care workers in France.

President Macron said: "These men and women were the forgotten ones of the COVID bonus".

The president was referring to bonuses of €1,000-1,500 announced two months ago for hospital staff and care home workers during the pandemic, which home care workers were ineligible for.

President Macron said the funding for France’s 320,000 home care workers would allow home care workers “to have the €1,000 bonus that the others received".

In the UK, the Welsh government is giving all care staff a £500 bonus to thank them for their work during the pandemic.

Over 64,000 care workers were told on 1 May by Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford they would receive a £500 bonus, at a cost of £32.2m.

In June, Wales extended the bonus offer to home care workers, care home kitchen and domestic staff, agency and nursing staff and personal assistants working in care homes.

However, with home care workers still waiting for the payout, Wales’ Health Minister Vaughan Gething has said the Welsh Government is still trying to get the UK government to agree that they won't take tax and National Insurance off these payments.

Many in England are calling on Boris Johnson's government to match Wales’ promise and deliver a bonus for England’s care workers.

Over 100,000 people have signed a petition calling on home care workers and all other key workers to receive a tax-free bonus of 40 per cent of their annual salary.

Mike Padgham, chair of the Independent Care Group (ICG), said: “We very much hope that the English government will follow suit and provide a bonus for all the social care staff facing the same risks and doing an amazing job here in England.”

Barbara Keeley, MP for Worsley and Eccles South and Member of the Health and Social Care Select Committee, has also called on the government to offer care workers a bonus.

She said: "The government have clapped for our carers and now is the time for them to back this up with actions and give care staff the recognition and pay they deserve."