This report sets out the decision to amend the Test and Trace Discretionary Isolation Support Payment Scheme.
It is the decision of the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council that a Test and Trace Discretionary Isolation Support Payment Scheme is introduced in respect of residents meeting the following criteria:
- they 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; or
- they are the parent or guardian of a child or young person in the same household and need to take time off work to care for them while they self-isolate. This is limited to one parent or guardian per household for the child or young person’s self-isolation period; and
- they are employed or self-employed; and
- are unable to work from home and will lose income as a result; or
- cannot work from home while undertaking caring responsibilities and will lose income as a result, where the child or young person:
- is aged 15 or under (or 25 or under with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC)) and normally attends an education or childcare setting; or
- has been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or by their education or childcare setting because they have been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19; and
- they are on a low income (as defined below) and will face financial hardship as a result of not being able to work while they are in self-isolation; and
- are not currently in receipt of Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, income-based Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and/or Pension Credit; and
- are liable, or are the partner in the same household as someone who is liable, for rent or mortgage payments;
Low income is defined as less then £23,000 per annum and less than £5,000 in savings.
Applications must be received no later than 42-days (6-weeks) from the start date of the isolation period
Individuals in the same household can each make an application to receive a Test and Trace Discretionary Isolation Support Payment, if they each meet all the eligibility criteria in full.
An individual may make an application more than once but only:
- if the individual is told to self-isolate multiple times; and
- they meet the eligibility criteria for each individual application; and
- the periods of self-isolation do not overlap
Test and Trace Self Isolation Support Payments cannot be made to applicants whose income is lower than normal because they are furloughed. The payment is for individuals facing a reduction in income because they cannot work from home while self-isolating.