The Council of Trade Unions is welcoming today's announcement from the Minister of Finance to provide individualised targeted financial support for working people who have been made redundant by their employers as a direct result of COVID-19.

"The Government is showing how nimble and responsive they can be to meet the needs of our community. We support this initiative to really make sure that those Kiwis who are out of work are actively assisted to find new work while being financially secure," CTU President Richard Wagstaff said.

"We are pleased that the Minister of Finance has made it very clear that the option of social insurance is being explored more deeply. Of course we believe that some of the models that Scandinavian countries have deployed go further and deeper," Wagstaff said,

The COVID income relief payment will last for 12 weeks. People who are receiving this benefit are expected to be looking for work or undertaking training.

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