If you have tested positive for coronavirus or have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, you may be entitled to a new Test and Trace Support Payment of £500. This is for residents on lower incomes who cannot work from home and have lost income as a result. Self-isolation is a legal duty for all those who test positive for COVID-19 or are identified by NHS Test and Trace as a close contact since 28 September 2020.
To be eligible for the Test and Trace Support Payment, an individual must:
- have been asked to self-isolate and been provided a with an 8 digit number by NHS Test and Trace either because they’ve tested positive for coronavirus or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive;
- be employed or self-employed;
- be unable to work from home and will lose income as a result; and
- 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.