Holyrood given £58m to tackle coronavirus in care homes

The UK Government has announced an additional £58m in funding to help Scotland tackle Covid-19 in care homes.

This is on top of the £3.5bn package given to Holyrood to tackle the crisis.

The funding comes just two days after the Office for National Statistics announced that 58% of Scottish care homes have lodged at least one notification for suspected Covid-19 to the Care Inspectorate.

Figures show that across the UK more than 12,500 people living in care homes have so far died with Covid-19.

Welcoming the announcement, Scotland Secretary Alister Jack said that no part of the UK would face the pandemic alone.

He added: “Today’s announcement of a further £58m of UK Government funding for the devolved administration in Scotland demonstrates how we continue to tackle coronavirus together.

“While different parts of the UK are beginning to move at slightly different speeds, we remain fully committed to getting through this crisis as one United Kingdom.

“Our frontline carers are heroes in this crisis, going above and beyond and putting their own lives on the line, and it is right we do everything we can to protect them.”