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Financial support for residents self-isolating
Test and Trace Support Payments
From 28 September 2020, eligible individuals are entitled to a Test and Trace Support Payment or discretionary support payment of £500. This is to support people on low incomes who are unable to work from home if they are told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace and will lose income as a result.
These payments are designed to help ensure people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and their close contacts self-isolate for the required period to stop the onward spread of the virus. They are also designed to encourage individuals who are eligible for this payment to get tested if they have symptoms. This is important to help stop the transmission of COVID-19 and avoid further economic and societal restrictions.
The scheme starts from 28 September 2020 and will last until 31st March 2021.
Eligibility for a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment is restricted to people who:
have been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, either because they have tested positive for coronavirus or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive;
are employed or self-employed;
are unable to work from home and will lose income as a result; and
are 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.
Eligible individuals will receive their £500 payment on top of any benefits and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) that they currently receive.
If you are not currently receiving any of the qualifying benefits listed above but you meet all of the other criteria you may be eligible to apply for a Discretionary payment instead if:
Your weekly gross earnings are less than £300 per week.
You do not have savings or capital over £6000
Students are excluded from the scheme, unless they have underlying entitlement to the benefits identified in the Standard ‘Main’ Scheme.
Furloughed workers are also excluded from the scheme.
Test and Trace Support Payments
From 28 September 2020, eligible individuals are entitled to a Test and Trace Support Payment or discretionary support payment of £500. This is to support people on low incomes who are unable to work from home if they are told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace and will lose income as a result.
These payments are designed to help ensure people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and their close contacts self-isolate for the required period to stop the onward spread of the virus. They are also designed to encourage individuals who are eligible for this payment to get tested if they have symptoms. This is important to help stop the transmission of COVID-19 and avoid further economic and societal restrictions.
The scheme starts from 28 September 2020 and will last until 31st March 2021.
More information can be found in the Test and Trace Support Payments guidance, ESBC Test and Trace Supports Payments scheme and the Test and Trace Discretionary Payments Scheme.
Eligibility
Test and Trace Support Payment
Eligibility for a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment is restricted to people who:
Eligible individuals will receive their £500 payment on top of any benefits and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) that they currently receive.
If your bank/building society account is overdrawn you can instruct your bank/building society not to use the payment to pay the overdraft.
Discretionary payment
If you are not currently receiving any of the qualifying benefits listed above but you meet all of the other criteria you may be eligible to apply for a Discretionary payment instead if:
Students are excluded from the scheme, unless they have underlying entitlement to the benefits identified in the Standard ‘Main’ Scheme.
Furloughed workers are also excluded from the scheme.
Apply online
Apply for the Test and Trace Support payment