The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, confirmed that the scheme will start on Tuesday 1 September, and will begin initially in Blackburn with Darwen, Pendle and Oldham. Eligible individuals who test positive for coronavirus will receive £130 for a ten-day period of self-isolation, and other members of the household, required to self-isolate for 14 days will collect a payment of £182. Non-household contacts who are advised to self-isolate via NHS Test and Trace will also be entitled to the payment of up to a maximum of £182, which can be amended to fit whatever time period they must self-isolate for. The scheme has been designed to help those who are unable to work from home while they are self-isolating, either because they have tested positive for coronavirus, or from living in the same household or coming into contact with, someone else who has tested positive. The payments will be available to those who are currently receiving either Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit.
Matt Hancock said:
“The British public have already sacrificed a great deal to help slow the spread of the virus. Self-isolating if you have tested positive for COVID-19, or have come into contact with someone who has, remains vital to keeping on top of local outbreaks.
This new payment scheme will help people on low incomes and who are unable to work from home to continue playing their part in the national fight against this virus.”
Individuals will receive payment within 48 hours of them providing the required evidence. They will be asked to provide a notification from NHS Test and Trace, along with a bank statement. The local authority has the ability to check the NHS Test and Trace system for clarification that the individual has been instructed to self-isolate, should they be unable to provide this information. The local authority will ensure that fraud is prevented by implementing certain checks, and compliance will be ensured through welfare check-ins, phone calls and employment checks. If the scheme is a success in Blackburn with Darwen, Pendle and Oldham then it will be used in other areas where there are high levels of coronavirus cases. In consideration of how successful the scheme is, how effectively vulnerable people have been reached and to what extent it has helped reduce transmission of the virus in these areas, will be assessed.
The additional payment will not impact any other benefits that an individual may receive. In order to receive the funding, individuals must:
• Have tested positive for COVID-19 or received a notification from NHS Test and Trace instructing them to self-isolate • Have agreed to comply with the notification from NHS Test and Trace, and provided contact details to the local authority • Be employed or self-employed. Those who are employed will be required to provide proof of employment, and those who are self-employed will need to show evidence of trading income and that their business delivers services which the local authority agrees that they are unable to provide without social contact • Be unable to work from home, which will mean that they lose income as a result of self-isolating • Be in receipt of Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit
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An update on the Eat Out to Help Out scheme 9 September 2020
Although the Eat Out to Help Out scheme closed on 31 August 2020, HMRC is reminding businesses that they have until the end of September 2020 to claim for the days on which they offered discounts to diners.
Claims are submitted online, and payment will be made within five working days.
Some restaurants have decided to extend the scheme to September but will not receive any money back from the government as they did for Mondays – Wednesdays throughout August.
The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals
Payroll: need to know
cipp.org.uk
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