Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many local authorities (a) have spent and (b) will have spent by the end of December 2020 the self isolation payment funds they have received; and whether he plans to provide additional funding to those local authorities.

The Government continues to work closely with the 314 local authorities in England to monitor payments made under the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme. Information on the payments made by local authorities will be published in due course.

The Government has provided additional funding and will continue to provide funding as necessary to local authorities. On the launch of the scheme in September 2020, the Government provided an initial £50 million to local authorities. To reflect rising incidence levels, the Government provided a further £20 million in January 2021 and increased funding by a further £39 million in February 2021. This will ensure local authorities can continue to make payments and support people on low incomes to stay at home and self-isolate when required to do so.

As announced on 22 February, the Test and Trace Support Payment Scheme will continue into the summer and will be expanded to cover parents who are unable to work because they are caring for a child who is self-isolating.