-
Financial support for self-isolating
Test and Trace Support Payment
This scheme ended on 24 February 2022 when the Government removed all remaining domestic COVID-19 legal restrictions in England. This included the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive COVID-19 test.
From the 24 February 2022 you had 42 days to apply if you tested positive on a PCR. In order to apply you also needed to have completed your engagement journey with Test and Trace before that date. Those 42 days ended on 6 April 2022 and therefore we can no longer accept new applications for this support payment
Test and Trace Standard Support Payment Scheme
The qualifying criteria for this scheme were:
- You were asked to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace either because you tested positive for COVID-19 or were recently in close contact with someone who had tested positive
- You were employed or self-employed
- You were unable to work from home and would lose income as a result of having to self-isolate. We required proof of your loss/reduction in income. If you were employed then confirmation from your employer that you were not be on full pay during the isolation period would be sufficient; if you were self employed then we required trading statements, invoices or copies of your order books to show that you were actively trading in the period before you were asked to self-isolate. If you could not provide proof of loss of income as a direct result of having to self-isolate then you did not qualify for the scheme
- You were currently receiving Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, income-based Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and/or Pension Credit.
Test and Trace Discretionary Payment Scheme
Did I qualify?
If you met the above Standard Support Payment Scheme criteria but were not on one of the qualifying benefits listed you may have been entitled to a payment under the discretionary scheme.
You must also have:
- had a normal gross weekly pay (before tax) of between £130 and £450 (We required proof of this income prior to awarding any payment under the discretionary scheme. If your pay was outside of these amounts you were not eligible for a discretionary payment.)
- not held more than £10,000 in capital. By capital we mean any money held in any form, for example bank/building society accounts, shares, investments, etc. (If your capital exceeded £10,000 you were not eligible for a discretionary payment.)
For what period could I apply?
This scheme has now closed. You could only apply if you received a notification to self-isolate dated 23 February or before.
A parent/guardian could also apply for a Test and Trace Support Payment if their child had received a notification to self-isolate dated 23 February or before.
How much could I have claimed?
From 28 September 2020, new cases were entitled to a payment of £500.
The guidelines suggest there must be a positive contact from Test and Trace to qualify for the payment?
Eligibility for payment applied only where someone had been formally notified to self-isolate, either because they had received a positive test result or because a person who tested positive had identified them as a contact.
This does put the responsibility on people who have tested positive to share accurate information about their recent contacts. We were unable to pay someone who had simply been told by a friend that they should self-isolate, without that friend having formally notified Test and Trace.
The payments also did not apply to people isolating because they or another member of their household had symptoms.
How long will it take for the council to process applications?
Provided you met the criteria and have provided all the evidence requested, we aim to process and get the payment to you as soon as possible. Claims are still being processed for those submitted before the closing date.
Policies
-