Who is eligible for the COVID-19 support package?

You may be able to get a payment of £500 if you are on a low income and meet the following conditions:

• You are employed or self-employed
• You, or a child you are the parent or guardian of, has tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) using a PCR test, or been told you or the child are a close contact by NHS Test and Trace
• You cannot work from home and will lose income by self-isolating, or staying at home to care for the child
• You are currently receiving, or are the partner in the same household as someone who is receiving, benefits (see full list below)
• You are not exempt from self-isolating

You need to claim within 42 days of you, or the child’s, first day of self-isolation.

You may also be eligible for financial support if you had to self-isolate between 30 November and 13 December 2021 because you or your child were in contact with someone who may have had the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

If you’re usually working and get benefits

You can apply for the payment if you meet all of the following conditions:

• You have tested positive for COVID-19 using a PCR test or been told you are a close contact by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 app
• You are not exempt from self-isolating
• You will lose income because you cannot work from home

You can be either employed or self-employed.

You or the partner you live with must get one of the following benefits:

• Universal Credit
• Working Tax Credit
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
• Income Support
• Housing Benefit
• Pension Credit

You must have given NHS Test and Trace the information they’ve asked for and have an NHS Test and Trace account ID.

If you’re usually working and do not get benefits

You can apply for the payment if you meet all of the following conditions:

• You have tested positive for COVID-19 or been told you’re a close contact by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS COVID-19 app
• You are not exempt from self-isolating
• You will lose income because you cannot work from home

You can be either employed or self-employed.

If you’re employed, you’ll pay tax on the payment if you go over your tax-free personal allowance. Your tax code will change to collect the tax. You will not pay National Insurance contributions on the payment.

You must report the payment on your Self-Assessment tax return if you need to file one, for example, if you’re self-employed.

Your council website will tell you what counts as low income, and whether you’re eligible.

You must have given NHS Test and Trace the information they have asked for, and have an NHS Test and Trace account ID.

If you are the parent or guardian of a child who needs to self-isolate

You might be able to get the payment if they have tested positive for COVID-19 and you need to take time off to look after them. They must:

• Be 15 or under, or 25 or under if they have an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC)
• Live with you
• Normally be at school or in childcare
• Have been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace

You will need to meet the other eligibility criteria. You will need evidence that your child has been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace.

You might also be able to apply if your child has not tested positive for COVID-19 and all of the following are true:

• Your child is 25 or under and has an EHC plan
• They have been told they are a close contact by NHS Test and Trace
• They are not exempt from self-isolating

Where you can get the payment

The payment is only available in England.

You might be eligible for the self-isolation support scheme in Wales, the self-isolation support grant in Scotland or support if you’re in Northern Ireland.

Apply through your council

Search for your local council to apply on their website. They will tell you what evidence you need to apply, but you might need:

• A payslip if you are employed, or evidence of your Self Assessment tax returns if you’re self-employed
• A bank statement
• Your NHS Test and Trace account ID, or evidence your child has been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace