Test and Trace Support Scheme

The Government has announced a new financial package to support and enforce self-isolation.

In some circumstances, if you are required by law to self-isolate from Monday 28 September 2020 you may be supported by a payment of £500, payable from Wyre Forest District Council.

Parents and guardians

From March 8, 2021, parents or guardians who are not legally required to self-isolate can apply for a Test and Trace Support Payment or discretionary payment if they will lose income because they have to take time off work to care for a child or young person who:

• is aged 15 or under (or 25 or under with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC)) and normally attends an education or childcare setting.
• has been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or by their education or childcare setting because they have been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.

Applicants must meet all the other eligibility criteria for a main support payment or discretionary payment

Parents and guardians eligible to claim the payment will be able to make a backdated application, provided their child’s self-isolation period began on or after Monday 8 March 2021.

Check if you are eligible

To be eligible for the £500 one-off payment you MUST meet all the qualifying criteria.

• You need to be employed or self employed
• Must have a loss of income
• Been issued with a unique 8 digit ID code from NHS Test and Trace service
• Currently receiving one or more of the following benefits Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, Income based ESA, Income based JSA, Income Support, Housing benefit or Pension Credit. (Please note Council Tax Reduction is not included)
• A resident of Wyre Forest

If you are not receiving one or more of the above benefits but meet all the other criteria then you may be entitled to help under our discretionary scheme.

You will need to meet all the following additional qualifying criteria.

• Your normal earnings (before being required to self isolate) are no more than £400 net per week.
• You normally work more than 16 hours per week.
• You have savings/capital of less than £6000. (Housing benefit rules will be followed when determining capital)

For full details please see our discretionary payments scheme policy.

Who is not eligible

You will not be eligible for the scheme if you do not meet the above criteria or

• you are quarantining after travelling abroad (unless you test positive during the 10-day quarantine period)
• your self isolation period started before 28 September 2020
• you have not received official notification from NHS Test and Trace telling you to self-isolate
• you have not experienced a loss of income
• you are furloughed during the self-isolation period
• your first day of self-isolation started more than 42 days ago
• you are a full time student

Before you start

You will need the following information to complete this form:

• Proof of your employment
• Contact details for your employer, name, address and phone number
• If you are self employed, evidence of self-assessment returns and trading income eg. recent business bank statement (within the last two months), most recent set of accounts or evidence of self-assessment tax return.
• a notification from NHS Test and Trace asking you to self-isolate (this will include a unique 8 digit code)
• your National Insurance number
• a copy of your latest bank statement which includes your name, your sort code and account number.
• if you are applying for our discretionary scheme you will need to provide evidence to show how self-isolation will cause exceptional financial hardship.

Additional information required for parents/guardians

For parents/ or guardians please note that all information provided will be checked and verified with the education or care setting. You will also need to provide the following information:

• the child’s name.
• the child’s age.
• the child’s main address.
• the child’s education or care setting and year group. This should include contact details for the setting (at least one email address and/or phone number).
• the child’s first day of self-isolation.

whether their child has an Education, Health and Care Plan. This is to support applications from parents and guardians of young people between 16 and 25 who have additional support needs.

Supporting evidence about the child or young person

Applicants will need to provide either:

• the child’s eight-digit NHS Test and Trace ID number. This is for parents and guardians of children or young people who have received a notification directly from NHS Test and Trace telling them to self-isolate.

OR

• a communication from the child or young person’s education or childcare setting confirming that they have to self-isolate. This is for parents and guardians of children or young people who have been told to self-isolate by their education or childcare setting because they have been identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive.

OR

• a screenshot of a young person’s NHS COVID-19 App notification telling them to self-isolate AND evidence that the young person has an Education, Health and Care Plan. This is for parents or guardians of young people aged 16-25 who have additional support needs and who have been notified to self-isolate by the NHS COVID-19 App.

Applications will not be accepted without at least one of the above three pieces of supporting evidence.

We cannot consider your application until all required evidence has been provided.

How can I apply?

Apply for the Test and Trace Support Payment. Someone else can help you fill in the form or do it for you but only the person who has been asked to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace can receive the payment. If you need help filling in the form please email testandtracesupportpayment@wyreforestdc.gov.uk or phone 01562 732928 (9am – 5pm). You will still need to upload your evidence with the application form or send it by email.

Please ensure you press the submit button when you have completed the form to send it to us.

If you are unable to upload your evidence on the application form, you must email it to us testandtracesupportpayment@wyreforestdc.gov.uk

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the payment?

You may be supported by a lump sum payment of £500

Will this payment be taxed?

This payment will be subject to income tax. It will not be subject to National Insurance contributions.

What if I’m overdrawn?

If your bank account is overdrawn you are able to exercise your 'first right of appropriation'. This means you have the right to tell the bank how you want the £500 payment to be used so that they don't automatically use it to clear your overdraft. The law provides that a customer needs a minimum amount of money to live on. You must contact your bank before the payment is made.

Visit the Citizens Advice Bureau website for further help to claim back any charges.

How long will this be in place for?

The scheme will run until 30 June 2021.

What happens after I’ve applied?

We aim to contact you within 3 working days of your application to let you know if you are eligible or not. Payments will be made within 3 working days of successfully verified applications.

Data protection and privacy notice

Read the self-isolation payment privacy notice.

Other support

If you are struggling financially, please contact us for help. We have a range of ways we may be able to help Here2Help is a countywide community action response to those who are struggling due to the pandemic.

The NHS Volunteers scheme can provide help with various day to day activities that might be more difficult during the pandemic.

GOV UK has benefits information and support available for all people in financial hardship.