The pandemic may deny families of ex-miners the chance to claim payouts for industrial disease. Twenty Labour MPs representing former mining towns and villages have called for Health Secretary Matt Hancock to make sure any industrial diseases are recorded on death certificates if an ex-miner dies of suspected Covid-19.
Years of coal dust inhalation has left former pitmen with damaged lungs, making them incredibly vulnerable to coronavirus. Legislation on the completion of death certificates has been relaxed in the pandemic leaving families fearful that this may prevent the referral of cases where industrial disease may have been a contributing factor in a death.
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