Self isolation now legal requirement in England with potential fines of £10,000
Article continues below
Topics: ENGLAND
Support is now available for people on low incomes who are unable to work while self-isolating through the £500 Test and Trace Support Payment.
Fines for those breaking the rules now in place starting at £1,000 and increasing up to £10,000 for repeat offenders.
Those on lower incomes who cannot work from home and have lost income as a result will also be eligible for a new £500 Test and Trace Support Payment.
Local authorities will be working quickly to set up Test and Trace Support Payment schemes and we expect them to be in place by 12 October.
A number of steps will also be taken to make sure that people are complying with the rules. These include:
NHS Test and Trace call handlers increasing contact with those self-isolating
using police resources to check compliance in highest incidence areas and in high-risk groups, based on local intelligence
investigating and prosecuting high-profile and egregious cases of non-compliance
acting on instances where third parties have identified others who have tested positive but are not self-isolating
Recognising that self-isolation is one of the most powerful tools for controlling the transmission of coronavirus, this new Test and Trace Support payment of £500 will ensure that those on low incomes are able to self-isolate without worry about their finances. ■