THE families of social and health care workers who died during the pandemic are “falling through the cracks” and are not receiving death benefits due to them, Scottish Labour said yesterday.

The Scottish government introduced a one-off benefit grant of £60,000 for “in service” carer deaths following a campaign by the party.

But Scottish Labour said less than half of those entitled to the benefits have received them.

Out of 52 health care workers who died from Covid-19, only 19 successful claims have been made, according to the National Records of Scotland.

And only 29 successful claims have been made by the families of social workers despite 84 Covid fatalities.

Scottish Labour health spokesperson Jackie Baillie said: “It is simply heartbreaking that scores of families entitled to this payment are falling through the cracks.

“The least that these families, who have been torn apart by Covid, deserve are the payouts to which they are rightfully entitled.

“It is simply unacceptable that [Health and Social Care Secretary] Humza Yousaf has allowed these families to fall through the cracks at a time of a cost-of-living crisis.”

Ms Baillie said that it was time the SNP government “did the right thing and pulled out all the stops to help these people.”

Scotland’s death benefit scheme is available to a “named survivor” of a social care worker who has died in service as a result of, or the suspected result of, contracting Covid-19 at work.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We fully encourage anyone who feels they are eligible for payment from this scheme to come forward and apply.

“We continue to provide vital support to all Health Boards with applications where all criteria for payment has been met.

“We expect Boards to notify us as soon as they are made aware that any staff member has died as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the course of their duties.”