Legal action has been launched against the government, care homes and hospitals in England over Covid deaths during the height of the pandemic.

The action focuses on the decision in March 2020 to discharge hospital patients into care homes without testing.

Almost 20,000 care home residents died with Covid-19 in England and Wales between March and June 2020.

Leigh Day partner Emma Jones, who is representing the families, said: “We had hoped to try to progress our clients’ arguments without being forced to start legal action, but unfortunately not all of the defendants would agree to extending the deadline for formally launching the cases.

“As a result we have taken the necessary step of issuing these claims to protect the positions of our clients and the loved ones they have lost. You cannot underestimate the impact of the tragic loss of life, losing a loved one in such harrowing circumstances, has had on our clients. We hope that through bringing these cases there will be a full and thorough investigation into the deaths, which might help our clients to feel they have obtained justice for their loved ones.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with all those who lost loved ones during the pandemic.

“Throughout the pandemic, our aim was to protect the public from the threat to health posed by Covid and we specifically sought to safeguard care home residents based on the best information at the time.

“We provided billions of pounds to support the sector, including on infection and prevention control, free PPE and priority vaccinations – with the vast majority of eligible care staff and residents receiving vaccinations.”