Archive, 2020: The Test and Trace Support Payment scheme ended on 24 February 2022. The legal requirement to self-isolate after a positive COVID-19 test also ended in England on that date. See current NHS guidance.

In October 2020, High Peak Borough Council announced that eligible people on low incomes could apply for a £500 Test and Trace support or discretionary payment if they were told to self-isolate, could not work from home and would lose income.

From September 2020, the rules in England included a legal requirement to self-isolate in specified circumstances. Those requirements later ended.

High Peak Borough Council administered applications for the payment.

Applications under the 2020 scheme could be backdated to 28 September 2020, when the legal duty to self-isolate began in specified circumstances. See the government’s original announcement.

 Councillor Anthony McKeown, then leader of the council, said in the 2020 announcement: “As cases continue to rise in the High Peak and across the country we must all do the right things to help protect each other – including strictly adhering to self isolation if you’re instructed to do so or you test positive for Covid.

“These payments are there to help people on low incomes and those who cannot work from home meet this legal requirement without having the additional worry about the impact on their finances.

“The application process, including for back dated payments, is now online so there really is no excuse for people to flout the self isolation rules and put others at risk.”