New financial help for people who have been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace.

Employed and self-employed residents on low income in Blackburn with Darwen who are self-isolating because of coronavirus may be able to claim financial help from a new Government scheme.

From September 28^th, if you have tested positive for coronavirus or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, you may be entitled to a new Test and Trace Support Payment of £500.

This is for those on lower incomes who cannot work from home and have lost income as a result. Self-isolation will be a legal duty from September 28^th for all those who test positive for COVID-19 or are identified by NHS Test and Trace as a close contact.

It is now illegal to refuse to self-isolate if you are told to. Failure to comply is an offence carrying a fine of at least £1,000 and up to £10,000 for multiple breaches.

Anyone who tests positive for Covid-19, or has been told they have been in contact with someone who has, now has a legal duty to quarantine.

Blackburn with Darwen was chosen as a pilot area for the new Government scheme in August when the amount was trialled as £13 per day. Our feedback has informed the scheme for the rest of the country, including the issue of the fund needing to pay more as it was felt that the amount was too low in the pilot.

To be eligible for the Test and Trace Support Payment, an individual must:

• have been asked to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace either because they’ve tested positive for coronavirus or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive;
• be employed or self-employed;
• be unable to work from home and will lose income as a result; and
• be 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.

The Council is working quickly to set this up as details are finalised by the Government and further information will be available on the Council website shortly.

Councillor Vicky McGurk, Executive Member for Finance at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said:

We lobbied and fedback to the Government following this pilot for a better financial support level for residents who have to self-isolate, and I am glad that this new number is higher.

We will work hard to implement this new system efficiently and effectively for everyone who is eligible so that they have this support while having to self-isolate.”