Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that information on the eligibility of self-isolation payment claimants is being shared with the (a) Department of Health and Social Care and (b) Department for Work and Pensions in a timely manner.

Operation of the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme in England does not require HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) information to be disclosed to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Local Authorities are administering the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme in England. All central government departments directly involved in the scheme (DHSC, MHCLG, DWP and HMRC) are collaborating to make sure Local Authorities have access to information necessary to administer this scheme and provide a clear view of its use.

HMRC have been working closely with DWP to make use of HMRC information to support the scheme. HMRC already disclose earnings and tax credit information to DWP under the Welfare Reform Act 2012. HMRC have agreed for DWP to extend its disclosure of taxpayer information to support Local Authorities in England which are administering the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme. This will provide information on claimants to Local Authorities in a legal, secure, proportionate and efficient way to enable Local Authorities to determine who is eligible for the scheme.

Under the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005, HMRC have a duty of confidentiality for information they hold. HMRC may only disclose taxpayer information under a limited number of circumstances, such as where legislation provides an information sharing gateway with another department for a specific purpose. Consent is generally required from HMRC for onward disclosure to organisations beyond those directly receiving taxpayer information