Self-isolation (Test and Trace) Payments
The government introduced a scheme in September 2020 which provides a £500 payment for some people who are required to self-isolate.
In some circumstances, if you are required by law to self-isolate or you are the parent or guardian of a child or young person who is required to self-isolate, you may be eligible to receive a payment of £500, payable by the City Corporation.
The ‘main’ Test and Trace Support Payment is for people who live in England and:
- have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 app because they have tested positive for COVID-19
or
- have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 app because they have been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive, and they are not fully vaccinated
and
- have responded to messages from NHS Test and Trace and have provided any legally required information, such as details of their close contacts
- are employed or self-employed
- are unable to work from home and will lose income as a result of self-isolating
- are currently receiving, or are the partner in the same household as someone who is receiving, at least one of the following benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- income-based Employment and Support Allowance
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Income Support
- Housing Benefit
- Pension Credit
A parent or guardian of a young person who is required to self-isolate may be eligible for a ‘main’ payment if they live in England and meet the following criteria (even if they are fully vaccinated):
- they are the parent or guardian of a young person in the same household who is self-isolating and need to take time off work to care for them
- they are unable to work from home and will lose income
- the young person has
- tested positive for COVID-19 and is aged 15 or under, or aged 25 or under with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan
- been identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 (by NHS Test and Trace, their education or care setting or the NHS COVID-19 app), is aged 18-25, is not fully vaccinated and has an EHC Plan
Discretionary Test and Trace Support Payments
Discretionary Test and Trace Support Payments are for people who live in England and meet all of the requirements of the main scheme but are not in receipt of a qualifying benefit and are on a low income and will face hardship as a result of self-isolating.
Discretionary awards will be made on a case by case basis. Please provide supporting evidence if requesting a discretionary award such as proof of your day to day expenses and any other information relating to your financial hardship.
Notified by NHS COVID-19 App
If you have been advised to self-isolate by the NHS COVID-19 App, you will need to follow the link on the app for Financial Support in order to register with NHS Test and Trace. This link will only be available for the period you have been asked to self-isolate for. You must download the latest version of the app in order to get this option.
Please visit the More Information on NHS Test and Trace Support Payments for information about how to register with NHS Test and Trace using the NHS COVID-19 app.
Please note that if you do not live in the City of London you must apply for this payment from the local authority where you live.
Who cannot get the Test and Trace Support Payment?
- Applicants who are self-isolating who have not been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace
- Applicants who are quarantining after returning to the UK
The Test and Trace Support Payment scheme does not cover people who are self-isolating after returning to the UK from abroad, unless they have tested positive for Coronavirus or have been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace and are not fully vaccinated.
How much is the payment?
Eligible applicants will receive a one-off payment of £500
How will this payment be made?
Payments will be made by BACS payment. The payment must be made into your own bank account. When you make your application you will be asked to provide a bank statement. Payments will be made to this account.
What if my account is overdrawn?
You can protect your payments by telling your bank how you want a payment to be used. This protection is called a 'first right of appropriation of funds order'.
What does First Right of Appropriation mean? Put simply it means that when you pay money into your account, you have the right to tell the bank how you want that money to be used. You must inform them how you want the money to be used at the time of payment.
This is an example of how you might do this:
A payment of £xx will be paid into the above account on (date).
"The account is currently overdrawn. However, I need the money to meet my living costs, utilities and rent payments over the next week.
I’m giving you notice that I intend to use the ‘first right of appropriation’ to reserve the £xx for this purpose and will withdraw the sum of £xx on (date) in order to do so."
Will this payment be taxed?
This payment will be subject to income tax. It will not be subject to National Insurance contributions. HMRC will automatically collect tax from your pay through your tax code, or self-employed recipients should report the payment on their 20/21 or 21/22 Self-Assessment tax return.
How long will this be in place for?
The scheme will run until 31 March 2022.
When did this come into force?
These changes came into effect on 28 September 2020, alongside the legal duty to self-isolate. If you were instructed to self-isolate before this date you will not be eligible for a payment.
When can you apply?
Eligible individuals can make a claim from the date they are instructed to self-isolate up to 42 days after their period of self-isolation started.
Each individual who meets the criteria can apply even if living in the same household as another eligible individual.
When applying as a parent or guardian of a child only one application can be made in respect of that child.
Before you start
You will need to have the following information available in order to make your claim
- a notification from NHS Test and Trace asking you to self-isolate (unless applying as a parent or guardian)
- proof of receipt of one of the qualifying benefits
- bank statements
- proof of employment or, if self-employed, evidence of self-assessment returns, trading income and proof that your business delivers services which cannot be undertaken without social contact.
- proof of address
- if you are applying as a parent or guardian of a child, you will need to also provide the information below:
- Your child’s name.
- Your child’s date of birth.
- The year group your child is in
- Your child’s main address.
- The name of your child’s education or care setting
- Address of your child’s education or care setting
- Phone Number and Email address:
- Your child’s first day of self-isolation.
- Does your child have an Education, Health and Care Plan. This is to support applications from parents and guardians of young people between 16 and 25 who have additional support needs.
- your child’s eight-digit NHS Test and Trace ID number. This is for parents and guardians of children or young people who have received a notification directly from NHS Test and Trace telling them to self-isolate. or a communication from their child’s education or care setting,
- evidence that the young person has an Education, Health and Care Plan
How do you apply?
Applications can be made online by completing this Test and Trace Payment form.
If you have difficulty uploading documents or have any queries please email the Benefits Team.
If you are unable to apply online, please call 020 7332 3937 and we will help you to make an application over the phone.
যদি আপনি অনলাইনে আবেদন করতে সক্ষম না হন, অনুগ্রহ করে 020 7332 3937 নম্বরে কল করুন এবং আমরা আপনাকে ফোনের মাধ্যমে একটি আবেদন করতে সাহায্য করব।
Si no puede presentar la solicitud en línea, llame al 020 7332 3937 y lo ayudaremos a hacer una solicitud por teléfono.