House approves Trump’s larger Covid relief cheques

The US House of Representatives has approved higher Covid relief cheques to most Americans (Jacquelyn Martin/AP)

The US House of Representatives has voted to increase Covid-19 relief cheques in the country to 2,000 dollars (£1,476), meeting President Donald Trump’s demand for bigger payments and sending the bill to the Republican-controlled Senate, where the outcome is uncertain.

Democrats led passage of the motion, by 275-134, their majority favouring additional assistance. They had earlier settled for smaller 600 dollar (£443) payments in a compromise with Republicans over the big year-end relief bill Mr Trump reluctantly signed into law.