£500 SELF ISOLATION PAYMENT
Background
The government announced a prescribed scheme to help some people who are required to self-isolate from 28th September 2020 onwards and who meet certain criteria. It will remain in place for anyone required to self-isolate up to and including 30th June 2021.
From 8th March 2021, the scheme was extended to include parents and guardians who are not legally required to self-isolate, but who need to take time off work to look after a child or young person who is self-isolating on or after 8th March 2021. The parent or guardian would still need to satisfy all the other eligibility criteria relating to their own circumstances to receive the payment. Our application form will be ready to accept applications from this group on 7th April 2021. Applications can be backdated to 8th March 2021.
Applications must be made within 42 days of the start date self-isolation and if eligible, a payment of £500 will be made. The £500 payment is taxable therefore 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.
Applications can be made by visiting https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/sip or for those who cannot apply online for health reasons and who have no one to help them, they can call 0191 433 3677.
PLEASE READ OF ALL THE FOLLOWING GUIDANCE AND THE INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE BEFORE APPLYING – WE ARE RECEIVING A LARGE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS FROM PEOPLE WHO DO NOT QUALIFY
Who is eligible?
To be eligible they must:
- Have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace because they have tested positive for coronavirus or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive; or
- Be a parent or guardian of a child or young person in the same household and needs to take time off work to care for them while they self-isolate. This is limited to one parent or guardian per household for the child or young person’s self-isolation period. It should be the parent or guardian of the main household the child resides in.
- The child or young person must be aged 15 or under (or 25 or under with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHC)) and normally attend an education or childcare setting. The child or young person must have 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.
- You will need to provide details of the child’s name, permanent address, date of birth, school they attend and year group (including contact details for that school, i.e. office telephone number and e-mail address).
- We will then check the details you have provided with the school. We will also confirm with them the child is required to self-isolate and the first date of the self-isolation period.
- You will also need to satisfy ALL of the criteria detailed on the website and we will undertake the necessary checks to confirm eligibility. We may also contact you for further information if we feel that this is necessary to make a decision on your application.
Where a person is applying as a parent or guardian of a child, only one application can be made per household for the child that is self-isolating. Where there is more than one child that is required to self-isolate at the same time or the periods of self-isolation overlap, only one payment can be made. This also means that both parents cannot take time off work to look after two or more children.
For example, child A was told to self-isolate on the 8th March and child B was told to self-isolate on the 22nd March. As the periods do not overlap, the parent or guardian can make a claim for both children.
For example, child A was told to self-isolate on the 8th March and child B was told to self-isolate on the 12th March. As the periods of self-isolation overlap only one payment can be made even though the parent or guardian will have to take longer than the 14 days off work.
Where parents or guardians have separated and the child spends time between two households, only one parent can claim. Both parents or guardians cannot receive a self-isolation payment even if they both have caring responsibilities and are taking time off work to look after their child.
In addition, the applicant must:
- Be employed or self-employed; and
- Be unable to work from home and will lose income as a result of the self-isolation or caring responsibilities; and
- Be receiving one or more of the benefits below:
- Universal Credit
- Working Tax Credit
- Employment and Support Allowance (Income related)
- Jobseekers Allowance (Income based)
- Income Support
- Housing Benefit
- Pension Credit
Discretionary scheme
If applicants meet all of the criteria above EXCEPT that they are not need in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits, they should still apply and will be considered for a Discretionary award from a separate limited amount of funding, based on their individual circumstances. In particular, we will consider whether the claimant is suffering financial hardship and are at risk of losing their home or at risk of other legal action, or the loss of earnings is such that they are unable to pay for essentials.
How will I be notified of the outcome?
Once your application form has been submitted you will receive an acknowledgment to show that we have received your application, please do not contact us to see how your application is progressing. Once we are able to make a decision on your application you will be notified of the outcome. There is no right of appeal against a decision not to award a self-isolation payment.
How will payment be made?
Payment will be made by bank transfer into the clients’ bank account and we will make these payments as soon as possible having verified an entitlement.
My child attends a Gateshead school but we do not live in the borough?
You must apply for a self-isolation payment to the local authority in whose area you live NOT where your child attends school.
To download a copy of this letter please click on the link below or should you require a paper version then please contact reception: