Any employee without a valid medical reason who has not had at least one Covid-19 jab or a vaccination booked in will only receive statutory sick pay when they are identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive.

The rate is as little as £96.35 a week, but until now all Wessex Water staff have received full pay when they needed to self-isolate.

In England, people who are double jabbed do not need to self-isolate if they have been in close contact with someone infected with Covid. However, by law, unvaccinated people contacted by test and trace teams must remain at home.

The utility firm's move – mirrored in the private sector – comes amid soaring staff absences.

A Wessex Water spokesperson said: "The vast majority of our workforce has been vaccinated and it's important as a company providing essential services with key worker employees, the remainder get vaccinated to protect themselves, customers and their colleagues. To make it easy for our staff, vaccine appointments can be booked in work time.

"Absences due to Covid have doubled in the last week, so we need everyone to be available so we can continue to provide uninterrupted essential water and sewerage services."

Wessex Water said that throughout the pandemic it had not furloughed staff and anyone who had to self-isolate received full pay.