AIBU to think it's unrealistic to expect people to self isolate with no income?

[AvocadosBeforeMortgages]

I honestly can't see how the government thinks people who any of the following can possibly afford to self isolate?

• on zero hours contracts and won't get sick pay
• employed by companies that only pay SSP (£95.85pw - I don't know anyone who can survive on that)
• self employed (NB even before COVID, stats showed around half of self employed people earned LESS than minimum wage, and many haven't benefited from any of the COVID related financial support)

You could get phoned up by contact tracing and told to self isolate for a fortnight = no income. This could happen repeatedly. The same happens if you're symptomatic and get a positive test.

No income = can't pay the rent or put food on the table - many of those in the groups listed above were already struggling financially before COVID - often even more so after COVID.

The government is putting people in an impossible situation. AIBU to think that many will have no choice but to continue working even if they should be self isolating - and that the government should be making payments to anyone of working age who is told to self isolate so that they don't have to choose between their 'civic duty' and keeping a roof over their family's head?

@heartsonacake

YABU. If they can afford the holiday, they can afford to self isolate.

And if they’re going to put everyone’s health at risk because they jetted off abroad then they have to deal with two weeks unpaid.

This isn't about people who have been away on holiday. Being told to self isolate can happen to anyone.

@luckylavender

I have sympathy with people in the U.K. but going on holiday in the middle of a pandemic is a risk surely. And you are not entitled to SSP as you aren't sick.

It's not just people coming back from holiday though is it? It's people who have been in contact with someone who tested +ve as well, and that could happen to literally anyone.

@Rinoachicken

If you’re contacted by track and trace you just go and get yourself tested. Negative test = go back to work. Results only take about 24hrs now.

That is completely wrong sorry. If you are told to self isolate you need to self isolate for 14 days and only get a test if you have symptoms.

www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works#people-who-have-had-close-contact-with-someone-who-has-coronavirus

@Chaotic45

I had to cope on no money for months because I wasn't able to operate my business due to lockdown restrictions and wasn't eligible for any help.

I did as I was asked and stopped working. No one helped or gave any financial assistance.

I don't think two weeks without income is too much to ask from people given how much longer many of us have had to go without being able to work.

The problem is that it could easily be 2 weeks over and over again depending on how many people you are in contact with.

I live in fear of the contact tracing / test&trace people, too.

It will screw my mental health if I am told to stay at home for 2 weeks. This is my primary motivation to not get the virus. Don't care about being sick, but I am an anti-homebird. yanbu to OP.

-someone who doesn't know if I'll get away from nights at home at all before 2022, never mind getting outside of England.

Two weeks income is a lot of money for lots of people.

If you're living hand to mouth as so many do, then two weeks with no income could be ruinous.

YANBU, both me and DH are self employed.

Both lost our income due to the pandemic, we've used all of our savings up and have started three new businesses between us which are now bringing in some money but mine isn't breaking even yet.

We've been very cautious, not because I think we'll die but because the people I've known who've had it at our age have been really ill and needed weeks off work and we just can't afford to do that!

Now we are taking in a lodger from next weekend who is a builder so out and about much more than us and has his little 8 year old daughter over two nights a week who obviously lives with her Mum the rest of the time. Mum sounds pretty irresponsible so not much hope of social distancing on that side plus she'll be back to school in Sept.

So we have managed to get extra money in via a lodger but also have lots of extra risk

"If a SE person isn’t making min wage then it’s time to ditch the hobby business if they can’t survive on the money made or gain employment along side."

^ This is often required in the first few years of setting up a business, it doesn't mean it won't make a good profit but you have to expect anywhere from 6 months + of hard work first

YANBU I am really worried about this happening to DH as it would hit us hard. The company next door to his has already had an outbreak and had to close.

@Chaotic45

I had to cope on no money for months because I wasn't able to operate my business due to lockdown restrictions and wasn't eligible for any help.

I did as I was asked and stopped working. No one helped or gave any financial assistance.

I don't think two weeks without income is too much to ask from people given how much longer many of us have had to go without being able to work.

I would comply as my business is WFH anyway but many of us no longer have the reserves to take 2 weeks off.

If it is a choice between food and isolation, food will always win (as it should).

The problem is that it could easily be 2 weeks over and over again depending on how many people you are in contact with

People can always limit contact with others, no one needs to eat out, go to the pub, spend time indoors with members outside their household/bubble etc. Less mixing means less chance of being contacted.

If you are quarantined for any reason other than a holiday, the government should pay a quarantine allowance equivalent to two weeks full time minimum wage.

IceCreamAndCandyFloss people who have to travel on public transport, work in close proximity to others and share accommodation don't have the same options to limit their contact with others though.

That’s really interesting @Norabird

I was basing it on my child’s school - they had a teacher contacted through T&T as had been in contacted with someone who tested positive. He had no symptoms, went and got a test on a Friday, was negative and was back in school on the Monday.

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

The problem is that it could easily be 2 weeks over and over again depending on how many people you are in contact with

People can always limit contact with others, no one needs to eat out, go to the pub, spend time indoors with members outside their household/bubble etc. Less mixing means less chance of being contacted.

Lots of people work in situations where they are in contact with other people. Not everyone has a choice. Think of those carers that were going into care homes ill because they couldn't afford the time off work. Think of people who work in factories. People who work in restaurants and bars, or warehouses. There are any number of low paid jobs with unscrupulous employers that would put people in this situation. They're the least likely to be paid if forced to have time off too.

Come September I'll be sharing a classroom with 30 children and another adult. Not to mention all the other adults and 700+ children in the building (although we certainly have been, and hopefully will continue to be, very careful about not mixing bubbles the crossover cannot be reduced to 0). I'm lucky though, I'll be paid if I have to take the time off.

YABU

@Rinoachicken

That’s really interesting *@Norabird*

I was basing it on my child’s school - they had a teacher contacted through T&T as had been in contacted with someone who tested positive. He had no symptoms, went and got a test on a Friday, was negative and was back in school on the Monday.

No doubt he was under pressure to get back to work. It's so complicated and has changed so much that it's little wonder that people get confused.

I realise you may have read this already but for those that don't want to click the link...

"It is crucial that you complete your 14-day self-isolation period if you’ve been identified as a contact, even if you get a negative test result. This is because you may have the virus, but it cannot yet be detected by a test, so you could unknowingly spread the virus if you leave the house."

Genuine question here, thought of this when a pp mentioned public transport. If you're on a bus or train and it later transpires that someone had covid, how would the other passengers be contacted? Do you have to give your contact details when you get on? I've not used public transport so I genuinely don't know?

If a SE person isn’t making min wage then it’s time to ditch the hobby business if they can’t survive on the money made or gain employment along side.

This sort of attitude is very ignorant, I feel people know so little of how things really are.

• You may be SE because there are limited job opportunities in your local area
• The job centre has spent a lot of time a timely encouraging people to set up as SE - so that people who don't understand the country will think the unemployment figures have improved
• minimum wage is an hourly rate - many SE people can earn enough to support themselves by working lots of hours, but their hourly rate is low
• SE can't charge higher rates because people always want the lowest quote

Most importantly, SSP in the UK is very low, way way lower than a week's minimum wage, way lower than most of Europe.

Some of the hardest-working people are being absolutely hammered. It's not right and I really wish Britain was fairer. I'm not SE btw, still think it's wrong how badly impacted some of them have been.

@Supermarketworker06 see this is where a proper test and trace system would work, obviously ours does not. But that is why they have brought masks in to try and help stop the spread on public transport.

Yanbu, and this isn’t just about self employed people. There are plenty of employed people who won’t get paid or would be paid significantly less if they didn’t go to work for two weeks.

If the government wants us to follow rules that are significantly detrimental to us as individuals, then they have to pay for it. Otherwise, I would be in full support of anyone who went to work despite being asked not to by test and trace.

[quote ineedaholidaynow]@Supermarketworker06 see this is where a proper test and trace system would work, obviously ours does not. But that is why they have brought masks in to try and help stop the spread on public transport.[/quote]
Thank you, but COULD the passengers be traced?

@Supermarketworker06 not on a bus or train. I suppose you could if you were on a coach, so had a specified seat and you can on a plane.

[quote ineedaholidaynow]@Supermarketworker06 not on a bus or train. I suppose you could if you were on a coach, so had a specified seat and you can on a plane.[/quote]
Thank you.

Would you not get furlough? Not sure how that all works.