London, Sep 14 (IANS): Less than half of workplaces in the UK have enabled safe Covid-19 social distancing measures, a survey by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has revealed.

In the survey of over 2,100 workers released on Sunday, only 46 per cent said their places of work had enabled safe social distancing, with people in low-paid and insecure jobs the worse affected, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to the survey, 27 per cent of low-income workers who earn less than 15,000 pounds a year ($19,226), report that no action has been taken by employers to reduce the risk of coronavirus infections.

It also revealed that just 38 per cent of workers said their employers have carried out COVID-19 secure risk assessments even though it's a legal requirement, and only 42 per cent of workers reported being given adequate personal protective equipment.

"Making sure workplaces are safe is key to preventing the spread of Covid-19 and getting our economy back on its feet," said TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady.

New lockdown will come into effect in the West Midlands and Scotland from Monday as the UK has reached a "critical time" in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

From Tuesday, households in Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull will be banned from gatherings after the region reported a surge in coronavirus cases.

As of Monday, the overall Covid-19 caseload in the UK has increased to 370,928, while the death toll stood at 41,717.