Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether additional support is available for people in receipt of statutory sick pay who cannot afford to self-isolate.

Those in receipt of statutory sick pay may also qualify for a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment (TTSP). This payment is for people on low incomes who have to self-isolate because they have tested positive for COVID-19; or if they are a close contact of a positive case but are not themselves exempt from self-isolation. Further details of the scheme are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme-claiming-financial-support.

Local authorities can make discretionary payments under the TTSP scheme to individuals who are not on means-tested benefits but who will face hardship as a result of self-isolating.

Help with everyday tasks from a National Health Service volunteer responder, such as collecting shopping, medicines or prescriptions, can be requested by calling 0808 196 3646.