Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support his Department is offering to people who are required to self-isolate as a result of the Test and trace notification and who are only eligible for statutory sick pay.

The Test and Trace Support Payment is available in all local authorities in England. The Department works closely with the devolved administrations which run similar schemes.

To be eligible for the Test and Trace Support Payment, an individual must be employed or self-employed, unable to work from home, and 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.

Where an individual is not in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits but meets the other eligibility criteria and may face financial hardship if they have to self-isolate, local authorities can make a £500 discretionary payment.