You might be able to get a payment of £500 if you have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace, or if you are the parent or guardian of a child or young person who has been told to self-isolate. 

Payments if you have been told to self-isolate

You could be eligible for a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment if you meet all the following criteria:

• you have been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 app, either because you’ve tested positive for COVID-19 or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive and are not exempt from the requirement to self-isolate
• you have responded to messages from NHS Test and Trace and have provided any legally required information
• you are employed or self-employed
• you are unable to work from home and will lose income as a result of self-isolating
• you are currently receiving or are the partner of someone in the same household who is receiving, at least one of the following benefits:
  
  - Universal Credit
  - Working Tax Credit
  - income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  - income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
  - Income Support
  - Housing Benefit
  - Pension Credit

This guidance provides information about which close contacts are exempt from the requirement to self-isolate.

Discretionary Payments

You could be eligible for a discretionary payment of £500 if you are not on one of the above benefits but all the following apply:

• you meet all the other criteria listed above
• you are on a low income
• you will face financial hardship as a result of self-isolating

Close contacts of someone suspected or confirmed to have the Omicron variant of COVID-19 were required to self-isolate, regardless of exemptions from self-isolation, between 30 November and 13 December.  If you had to isolate during this period, you may be eligible for a payment if you meet the rest of the eligibility criteria.  

Who cannot get the Test and Trace Support Payment

You will be not be eligible for either a Test and Trace Support Payment or a discretionary payment in any of the following circumstances:

• You are quarantining after travelling abroad (unless you test positive during the quarantine period)
• You have not experienced a reduction in earnings as a result of having to self-isolate
• You can work from home during a period of self-isolation
• You were notified that you needed to self-isolate before 28 September 2020
• Your application is made more than 42 days after your period of self-isolation started
• You have not provided NHS Test and Trace with the information they have requested from you
• You have not either received a notification from NHS Test and Trace telling you to self-isolate or been identified as a close contact by the NHS COVID-19 App.

When and where to make a claim

Each adult can make a claim if they meet the criteria.  There is one payment per period of self-isolation.  If, in the future, you need to self-isolate again, you can make a further claim assuming you meet the criteria and there is a gap between your periods of self-isolation.  If you are isolating at an address that is not your normal home, you must claim direct to the authority where you normally live.

Backdating

You can claim up to 42 days after the first day of your self-isolation period

Payments if you are the parent or guardian of a child or young person who has been told to self-isolate

If you are not legally required to self-isolate, but are the parent or guardian of a child or young person who has been told to self-isolate, you could be eligible for a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment or a discretionary payment.  The following conditions apply:

• you are the parent or guardian of a child in your household who is self-isolating
• you need to take time off work to care for them
• you are unable to work from home
• you will lose income because you have to care for your child while they are self-isolating     
• your child normally attends an education or care setting
• your child is one of the following:

1. aged 15 or under and has been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace because they have tested positive for COVID-19;
2. aged 25 or under with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan and has been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace because they have tested positive for COVID-19;
3. aged 25 or under, has an EHC Plan, and has been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace (or advised to do so by the NHS COVID-19 app) because they are the close contact of someone with COVID-19 and they are not exempt from self-isolating; and

• you meet all the other eligibility criteria for a Test and Trace "main" Support Payment or discretionary payment.

Parent and guardians who cannot get the Test and Trace Support Payment

Parents and guardians of a child who has been told to self-isolate will be not be eligible in any of the following circumstances:

• You are unable to provide evidence from your child’s school or care provider
• You have not experienced a reduction in earnings as a result of having to self-isolate
• You can work from home during the period of your child’s self-isolation
• Your child was notified to self-isolate before 8 March 2021
• Your application is made more than 42 days after your child's self-isolation period started
• You have taken time off work because your child’s education or care setting has closed

Number of applications 

Parents and guardians who are not legally required to self-isolate can make one application per household for the child's or young person's self-isolation period.

In a household with two or more children, the parents or guardians can claim more than once only if the children’s self-isolation periods do not overlap.

Backdating

You can claim up to 42 days after the first day of your self-isolation period.

How long it takes to receive payment

If your application is successful, you should receive payment directly into your bank account within 3 to 5 working days from the date of our decision.

Effect on benefits 

The payment will not affect your Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support. 

Income Tax and National Insurance 

If you’re employed, you’ll pay tax on your payment if you go over your tax-free personal allowance. Your tax code will change to collect the tax. You will not pay National Insurance contributions on the payment. If you’re self-employed, you must report the payment on your Self-Assessment tax return.