Council to help those forced to self-isolate

Stratford District Council will be providing extra support to those forced to self-isolate during the pandemic, by providing Test and Trace Self Isolation Payments.

The UK government announced there is now a new legal duty on all UK residents to self-isolate if they test positive for COVID-19 or are identified by the NHS Test and Trace as a close contact of someone who has done so.

As this new legal duty may impact residents’ ability to work and earn a living, the government has introduced a grant scheme, which will run until 31 January 2021.

The District Council will be providing Self Isolation Payment support to local residents who need financial assistance due to having to self-isolate because of Coronavirus and are unable to work from home and are in receipt of qualifying benefits.

Cllr Jo Barker, People Portfolio at Stratford-on-Avon District Council said: “It's really important that if you receive a positive Covid-19 test, you self-isolate for 10 days. I know that self-isolating will cause a financial impact for some people, especially those who are self-employed and can’t work from home. We hope this payment will help to bridge the gap for you and support you whilst you self-isolate."

Residents will be able to apply from Monday 12 October through the District Council website – https://www.stratford.gov.uk/testandtrace/.

Payments will be made soon after this date.

People who have received notification from NHS Test and Trace with a unique 8-digit identifier number and are eligible under the scheme criteria will receive a payment of £500 if they have tested positive for coronavirus and must self-isolate for 10 days (from the point they first developed symptoms or from the date they tested positive if they do not have symptoms), or if a member of their household has tested positive for coronavirus and they are told to self-isolate for 14 days (from the point the other household member first developed symptoms or from the date they tested positive if they did not have symptoms).

The criteria that individuals must comply with to be able to receive this payment, as set by the government is as follows:

• 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.
• 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.