Yes, pest professionals are key/critical workers.

Remember, key/critical worker status is currently only used for allowing children to remain in school during a lockdown. Everyone who cannot work from home is still permitted to go to work (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland). Tradespeople are still permitted to go into people’s homes and businesses.

Pest professionals are considered critical due to our protection of “food and other necessary goods” by the UK government (confirmed by Defra on 13 May 2020). Pest management has been confirmed as an essential sector during the Covid-19 pandemic by George Eustice, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). According to Defra, pest management is covered in the key worker list under the “food and necessary goods” section, specifically concerning hygiene. While BPCA has already confirmed that pest management workers could continue to provide essential services, this is the first time that a government official explicitly acknowledges pest management to be on the list of key workers.