Self Isolation Support Payment

Eligible individuals are entitled to a Self-Isolation Support Payment or discretionary support payment. This is to support people who test positive, are unable to work from home and will lose income as a result.

These payments are designed to financially support people who are advised to self-isolate and have lost income due to having time off work.

This guidance is to be read in conjunction with the Welsh Governments COVID 19 guidance. Please refer to: https://gov.wales/self-isolation for the current position.

Please note that unvaccinated close contacts who were legally required to self-isolate before 28 March 2022 can submit an application to the scheme within 21 days of their isolation period.

Self-isolation payments are taxable. If you’re employed, you’ll pay tax on the 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.

• Written statement by the Welsh Government

Eligibility

Self-Isolation Support Payment

From the 28.3.22 eligibility for a Self-Isolation Support Payment is restricted to people who:

• have tested positive for COVID 19( including registering a positive LFD result) and have been advised to self-isolate by TTP (this includes the text issued by TTP informing an individual to self-isolate) OR;
• are a parent or carer of a child and cannot attend the workplace due to caring at home for a child who has tested positive and has been advised to self-isolate through TTP as a positive case. Please note: parents of children who have been notified through the NHS Covid-19 App to self-isolate are not eligible for a payment.

The applicant must also be:

• employed or self-employed, and;
• unable to work from home and will lose income as a result; and
• (the applicant or their partner) are 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.

Discretionary Payment

In exceptional circumstances, local authorities can make a discretionary payment to individuals who meet all of the criteria above except that they are not currently receiving any of the qualifying benefits but are on low incomes and will face financial hardship as a result of not being able to work while they are self-isolating.

In considering the financial hardship test, please consider the following:

• Only make reference to the financial resources of the individual self-isolating and not the household unit.
• Eligible young people can apply for the payment. If this is being considered for the Discretionary part of the scheme, the Local Authority should consider if the young person will suffer financial hardship as a result of self-isolation.

Circumstances in which a discretionary payment should be made include:

• People with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF)
• People with a total net income below £500/week
• People in receipt of Statutory Sick Pay or less

The Welsh Government will keep the discretionary scheme under review as the pandemic develops and may provide additional advice on this element in future.

For both the Self-Isolation Support Payments, eligible individuals will receive their payment on top of any benefits and Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) that they currently receive.

From 28 March 2022, unvaccinated close contacts will no longer be eligible for the scheme.

Please be advised that due to the increase in positive corona virus cases we have received large volumes of claims. We are working as fast as we can to get all claims assessed so please do not submit another claim if you have already done so. Duplicate claims will slow the process and will add a delay in us assessing your entitlement. If we need further information we will contact you as soon as possible.