The GOVERNMENT introduced a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment in October to help people, who meet the eligibility criteria, financially during their period of self-isolation and it is available until January 31, 2021.

Cheshire West and Chester Council encourages residents who have tested positive or been told to self-isolate by NHS test and trace and face financial problems to make an application for the one-off payment to make it easier for them to stay home.

To be eligible, residents must:

  • have been asked to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace because of a positive coronavirus test or close contact with someone who has tested positive
  • be employed or self employed
  • be unable to work from home or will lose income as a result
  • be receiving Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, Income-based Employment and Support Allowance, Income-based Job Seeker’s Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit or Pension Credit
  • provide the unique eight-character ID number they have received from NHS Test and Trace
  • provide a recent bank statement
  • provide proof of employment with a recent payslip or if self-employed evidence of self-assessment returns, trading income and proof your business delivers services which cannot be undertaken without social contact.

Those who do not receive benefits but are otherwise eligible may qualify for a payment through the council's discretionary scheme.

To qualify, residents must be in financial hardship from a loss of income through self-isolating and face a risk of homelessness or be unable to afford food. Residents with sufficient funds and not in an emergency or crisis situation will not be eligible for this scheme.

Councillor Carol Gahan, Cabinet Member for Legal and Finance, said: “It is important that people self-isolate if they have tested positive or have been told to self-isolate because they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive.

“However, we know that some on low incomes who have a job where they can’t work from home are reluctant to self-isolate if it means them losing out on income for their families.

“We ask everyone in this situation to look at the criteria to see if they are eligible for this payment as it may mean that they and their families are able to cope financially while self-isolating and preventing the spread of the virus.”