Neil Merrick 03 March 2026

'Widespread lack of understanding' to blame for key worker oversight

Widespread lack of understanding to blame for key worker oversight image
Key worker sign during the Covid-19 pandemic © Christina Hemsley / Shutterstock.com.

A government failure to recognise council employees as key workers during the pandemic must be reviewed as part of planning for future national emergencies, local government leaders have told the UK Covid-19 inquiry.

In written evidence, the Local Government Association (LGA) said the decision not to designate council staff as key workers appeared to result from a ‘widespread lack of understanding of the role of local authorities' in Whitehall.

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