The Test and Trace Support payment of £500 ensures those on low incomes can self-isolate without having to worry about their finances.
To be eligible, you must:
- Have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 app either because you’ve tested positive.
or
- Have been told to self isolate by NHS test and Trace or the NHS COVID-10 app because you have been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive and you are not fully vaccinated.
and
- have responded to a message from NHS Test and Trace and have provided any legally required information, such as details of your close contacts.
- 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.
- Be employed or self-employed.
- Be unable to work from home and will lose income as a result.
The video below provides helpful information about how to claim the NHS Test and Trace support payment.
Discretionary Test and Trace Support Payment
If you are not receiving one of the qualifying benefits, but you are on a low income and unable to support yourself financially during your self-isolation you may be entitled to help with a discretionary payment.
To be eligible for a discretionary payment you must:
- Have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-10 app, either because you’ve tested positive for COVID-19.
Or
- Have been told to self isolate by NHS test and Trace or the NHS COVID-10 app because you have been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive and you are not fully vaccinated.
- Be employed or self-employed.
- Be unable to work from home and will lose income as a result.
In addition, Tandridge District Council have agreed the following discretionary criteria will be taken into account when considering applications when
- You have made a claim for Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, income-based Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and/or Pension Credit and it is likely that this claim will be successful.
- You are a person from abroad who are excluded from claiming benefits but meet all the other statutory and discretionary criteria.
- Your gross annual income is less than £20,000 a year (£385 per week), although consideration will be given for higher annual incomes if the Council is provided with a suitable justification that is in the spirit of the grant.
- Your employer must confirm that because of your isolation you will lose pay.
- If you are self-employed, the self-employment must clearly be of the nature where you cannot work from home.
- You do not have capital exceeding £6,000.
Read the Council’s Test and Trace Discretionary Payment Policy.
Parents and Guardians Test and Trace Support Payment
- A parent or guardian of a young person who is required to self-isolate may be eligible for a payment if they 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.
or
- 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.
- the young person normally attends an education or care setting; and
- the parent or guardian meets all the other criteria for a ‘main’ payment.
To claim a payment either under the standard scheme, the discretionary scheme or the parent/guardian scheme, you need to complete and submit our Test and Trace Support Payment form. To complete the form, you will need your:
- Council Tax account number.
- NHS Test and Trace unique 8-digit ID number Proof of entitlement to a qualifying benefit.
- Proof of employment or if you are self-employed evidence of self-assessment returns, trading income and proof that their business delivers services which cannot be undertaken without social contact.
- A recent bank statement showing your account details and your name and address.
Once we have received your form and all supporting evidence, you will be informed of the outcome within three working days and, if applicable, the payment will then be made.