MP asks Vaccines Minister to clarify vaccine prioritisation for unpaid carers

In Parliament this week, South Lakes MP Tim Farron urged ministers to clarify whether unpaid carers are on the priority list for COVID-19 vaccines.

Last month, unpaid carers were included in group six in the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's list.

However they are still missing on the Government's Vaccines Delivery Plan and its summary list of priority groups, which is often shared by media to inform the public of who is on the priority list.

Speaking during a ministerial statement on COVID-19, Tim said: "Unpaid carers provide a huge service to our community here in South Lakeland but especially to those people who they care for directly and if they get ill that's a huge welfare risk for those people that they care for.

"But there's been confusion over whether unpaid carers will be prioritised for the vaccine because although the Government said they would be in priority group six they are missing from other communications including the summary list in the Vaccines Delivery Plan.

"So I wonder if the minister would now agree to clarify once and for all that unpaid carers, rightly will be on the priority list."

Responding, the Minister for Vaccine Deployment, Nadhim Zahawi said: "We are absolutely looking to make sure that unpaid carers are on the priority list."