If you are on a low income and are unable to work because you have been told by NHS Test and Trace that you have to self-isolate, you may be eligible for a lump sum payment of £500 as part of the Government’s Test and Trace Support Payment scheme.
To be eligible you must:
You also need to be in receipt of one of the following benefits:
The government has also provided limited funding for discretionary awards to be made if you do not meet the criteria above.
Discretionary Support Payment Guide
To be eligible for a discretionary fund payment you:
Providing you are :
To apply for a self-isolation support payment, please complete the online application form.
As the scheme launched on Monday 28 September 2020, individuals eligible on or after 28 September will be able to make a backdated claim.
You will need to provide us with the following supporting evidence:
Before you make an application make sure you have the following information:
Payments will be made by bank transfer to the bank account matching the bank statement provided as part of your proof of eligibility
These payments will be subject to income tax. They will not be subject to National Insurance contributions.
The scheme will run until 31 January 2021. During this time, government will continue to review the scheme.
A claim can be made for each period of self-isolation required. All eligibility criteria must be met and supporting evidence provided.
The self-isolation period for which you are claiming cannot overlap with a previous self-isolation period.
Within 3 working days of the evidence being verified by our team.
No, banks are not allowed to use this payment or any other benefit to repay an overdraft. But you'll need to contact your bank directly as soon as possible to protect the payment. This protection is called a 'First Right of Appropriation of Funds Order'. Read more about the Right of Appropriation
No. Users of the official NHS COVID-19 contact tracing app are anonymous, so the notification to self-isolate cannot be verified by the local authority. It is likely, however, that if the app advises you to self-isolate because you have come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, then you will also be contacted officially by NHS Test and Trace at some point. Once you are contacted by NHS Test and Trace and told to self-isolate, you will meet the conditions to quality for this payment, and will be given the eight-digit code you need in order to apply.
If you apply, we will need to process your personal data to assess whether you are eligible to receive financial support, and if so, to provide a payment to you. Read our self-isolation payment privacy notice to find out what personal data we will use, how we will use it, and why we need to.
Whether you meet the criteria or not set by Government, there is help available for those facing financial difficulty or needing support. The Suffolk Advice and Support Service helps people across the county access information or support relating to debt, benefits, housing or employment. You can contact the service on 0800 068 3131 between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday or visit Suffolk Advice and Support Service.