Financial support if you are on a low income and lose pay due to having to care for a child who has to self-isolate? £500 payment does not apply

[farley123]

The government's £500 payment for people on low incomes who lose pay due to having to self-isolate cannot be claimed if you lose pay because you are caring for a child whose school/childcare bubble has 'burst'.

This was a question asked by a member of the public on today's briefing, but Matt Hancock's answer missed the point - he did not address the issue of children self-isolating impacting adult pay - he just spoke about support available if the adult is the one required to self-isolate.

As far as I can tell, the £500 payment only applies if you are the one required to self-isolate www.gov.uk/government/publications/test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme-claiming-financial-support/claiming-financial-support-under-the-test-and-trace-support-payment-scheme

Many people have jobs where they cannot work from home, and children who cannot safely self-isolate without a carer. There must be significant numbers of these workers who are being financially impacted by this.

I am in this situation personally. I am a Teaching Assistant and cannot work from home now (I was able to work from home during the first lockdown as the pupils I was supporting were at home - and now they are all in school). I have already used up my 3 days paid parental leave and lost a day's pay for the 4th day I was off work when my child's class was closed due to a case in school. I am dreading either of my children having to isolate again, and this seems increasingly likely as there have been several new cases in their schools recently.

As we all have a long road ahead of us through this pandemic and cases are increasingly being identified in schools, this must be a real cause for concern for anyone who cannot work from home and has children who depend on them.

This whole issue is the big elephant in the room and probably why he avoided the question.

If your on universal credit all good
If your wealthy all good
If you can work from home all good
If you get sick pay all good

If its your child or you fall out of the catogories above ie most average workers you cant afford to issolate so either dont or avoid being tested in the first place hencecwht track and trace doesn't work.

If they had made it that anyone testing positive or asked to isolate received a payment it nay have been a game changer.

It definitely would be a game changer. A commentator on one of the news channels recently was talking about the astronomical costs of track and trace, saying how if that money had been used to directly pay people to self-isolate we would likely be in a very different situation now.

I consulted my union over my situation and they have suggested that if my children have to self-isolate I should ask my doctor to write me a sicknote for stress in order to avoid being on unpaid leave!

There must be some families living in high case areas who are being totally hammered by this.

I don’t think paying people to self isolate would have stopped breaches. Most people have breached to see people, go to the shops or out for a walk or run etc.

Given the amount of cases in schools and the numbers being sent home it’s just unaffordable. Some have had three bouts so six weeks already.

It has to have a strict criteria or some people would abuse the system as £500 a week is very generous compared to many salaries.

This is my situation. I can't work from home so if DS has to isolate then I'll either have to use holiday days or claim SSP - you are allowed to do this while caring for a dependent child who has to isolate.

It's not £500 a week IceCream it's £500 for the 2 weeks.

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss

I don’t think paying people to self isolate would have stopped breaches. Most people have breached to see people, go to the shops or out for a walk or run etc.

Given the amount of cases in schools and the numbers being sent home it’s just unaffordable. Some have had three bouts so six weeks already.

It has to have a strict criteria or some people would abuse the system as £500 a week is very generous compared to many salaries.

It does need to be strict and carefully controlled bit the current system misses out all the self employed and a very large proportion of workers that are not on UC and earn an average wage.

Take someone not on UC that takes home roughly £1500 a month if they need to isolate for 2 weeks and get ssp instead they get £750 plus ssp minus paying less tax so overall will be about £300 -£500 worse off.

If you get a slight cough or temperature or be contacted by t And t do? Get a test/ ignore the phone call etc is doesn't take a lot to work out that these people will not throw away a few hundred desperately needed pounds for the greater good.

I am not allowed to claim sick pay for this. I can claim if my child is self-isolating due to symptoms (as I would also have to isolate as a contact). I can't claim if my child is self-isolating due to contact with a case (as this is considered to be a childcare issue).

@farley123

I am not allowed to claim sick pay for this. I can claim if my child is self-isolating due to symptoms (as I would also have to isolate as a contact). I can't claim if my child is self-isolating due to contact with a case (as this is considered to be a childcare issue).

Yes sorry may have side tracked slightly - various scenarios including yours where no help is being given, which makes people either want to avoid isolating or in your case very frustrating that you have no choice and no help either.

I'd like to think that once a vaccine is rolled out to the most vulnerable that this will stop and only the positive person is required to isolate rather than a whole year or class

I have also been unable to claim it, despite me being the one self isolating. I work in a nursery and had contact with a child who then tested positive. But because I was told to isolate by the DfE, and not test and trace, I am unable to claim.

Oh redsky21, I am sorry to hear that. It is very unfair. Were you able to claim any sick pay?

Anyone impacted can make a claim for universal credit though if the drop would be enough for the entitlement for that fortnight.

@MotherExtraordinaire

Anyone impacted can make a claim for universal credit though if the drop would be enough for the entitlement for that fortnight.

That's true but UC is paid in arrears so whilst yes you may get some financial help (which won't be equivalent to 2 weeks wages) it doesn't help financially at the time of isolation. For anyone who lives pay check to pay check , or have already used any savings they might of had on previous isolations this can be a really difficult time. Tesco don't allow buy now pay next month on their food deliveries.

I don’t understand why this is not more high profile in the media? It seems to be a major flaw that is being ignored. Not only financially but employers do not have to give you the time off and you can’t claim SSP if it’s your child. A new claim for UC or the £500 option are red herrings. Yes you could get a sick note off your GP for something else, but what if this happens 2 or 3 times?

You will never get a straight answer from this government on this issue; they will only ever talk about the help that can be claimed, as a distraction tactic.

The 3 million people who have been left financially unsupported since March have been facing the same kind of duplicitous shit every time.

You didn't get a straight answer because the straight answer would have been no, you aren't getting anything. To be fair, this was always the case for parental leave to care for sick children, and many, many people have had to give up their jobs and lifestyles before as they needed to care for their children, but the fact that it's now affecting so many people shows it up for what it is: a parent unfriendly, cheap policy.

This is really disgusting. Those who can WfH are at such an enormous advantage over those who can't.

I think your missing a point I am made to work from home as our company policy made 90% staff worl from home due to pandemic, they then made us sign contract advising we can’t work and look after dependants same time so I’m not any different if my child has to isolate as if I was working in the office. A lot of employers are tightening up their contracts. Leave I have been told would be unpaid

@SaltyAF

This is really disgusting. Those who can WfH are at such an enormous advantage over those who can't.

Only a slight advantage, they maybe at home but they still have to actually work! Which is extremely hard to do and supervise their home learning at the same time. If my youngest was sent home id still have to take time off work he couldn't be left to his own devices all day whilst I'm glued to a laptop and headset

I suppose that makes sense,that you cannot work from home and look after children at the same time
But there should be some financial support in these circumstances

Might be worth checking your local council’s page. A lot of places are offering discretionary payments for people in similar situations.

I think it’s not just finances it’s also employment protection. What if your employer refuses time off? What if you have to repeatedly take time off if you have children sent home from school? Not all employers would accommodate this.

@Avidreader12

I think your missing a point I am made to work from home as our company policy made 90% staff worl from home due to pandemic, they then made us sign contract advising we can’t work and look after dependants same time so I’m not any different if my child has to isolate as if I was working in the office. A lot of employers are tightening up their contracts. Leave I have been told would be unpaid

Similar to where I work, their reasoning being that it is a childcare issue, despite there being no other options available.

I had to take unpaid leave in this situation. I'm a teacher so while it was stressful in other ways I am fortunate to earn enough that we could manage financially. There are so many low-paid workers in this situation who wouldn't be able to manage, especially I imagine if you are a single parent and have to cover all the time yourself.

I think I read that in France parents can be temporarily furloughed from their jobs for childcare issues related to Covid.