Financial support for those that have to self-isolate

Test and Trace Support Payments provide support to people on low incomes who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are having to self-isolate.

Do I qualify?

To be eligible for this one-off payment you must:

• live in the New Forest District area
• have been asked to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace because you have tested positive for coronavirus or have recently been in close contact with someone who has tested positive and you are not full vaccinated.  You will need to have positive PCR test result to apply for this support.
• be employed or self-employed
• be unable to work from home and will lose income as a result, and
• be currently receiving, or are the partner of someone in the same household who is receiving, Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, income-based Employment and Support Allowance, income-based Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support, Housing Benefit and/or Pension Credit

Parents may be eligible where they are:

• having to look after a child aged 15 and under who has tested positive, or
• having to look after a child who is 25 or under with an Education Health Care Plan and who has tested positive or has been identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 and has been told to stay at home by NHS or their education or childcare setting, and are not fully vaccinated, AND
• are unable to work from home and will lose income as a result

Staff working in the care sector should contact their employer in the first instance and apply for support through the Adult Social Care Infection Control Fund.  In exceptional circumstances, such as the care home has used all of its funding, Test and Trace Support Payment applications can be considered.

If you meet the above eligibility criteria you will be entitled to a lump sum payment of £500. The payment will not reduce the amount of any of the above benefits.

Providing supporting information

You will have to supply supporting information including:

• your 8 character NHS Test and Trace unique ID number, which starts with a "z" (this will be from a PCR test)
• your Test and Trace notice, this will include your name, isolation date and ID number
• your national insurance number
• your bank statements - this must include your full account details
• your wage slips or proof of self-employment, including your UTR number
• your partners wage slips and bank statements if you are applying for a discretionary payment

• confirmation from your child's nursery or school that your child has to stay at home.

We will check the NHS Test and Trace system to confirm that you have been asked to self-isolate. You can apply up to two weeks after your period of self-isolation ends.

Discretionary support

If you do not receive one of the state benefits above, but meet all other criteria, and are on a low income below £20,000 per year and usually work more than 16 hours a week (unless your circumstances are exceptional), and your household will be in financial hardship as a result of having to self-isolate, you can apply for a discretionary payment of £500.  Please see the policy below for the eligibility criteria.

How to make your claim

To make your claim complete the online application below.  We will not be able to consider your application until you have provided all of the information.  

Apply for a Test and Trace Support Payment

If you need any help in making your claim please call 01590 646121 or email testandtrace@nfdc.gov.uk

These schemes are due to end on 31 March 2022. 

For full details of the schemes, download the documents below.

Test and Trace Support Payment Policy (v6) [305.8KB]

Test and Trace Discretionary Payment Policy [302.89KB]