More money for those needing to self-isolate in Plymouth
It comes as the TUC warns three in five applications for self-isolation scheme in Plymouth have been rejected
Plymouth City Council is putting an extra £17,000 aside, to help people who need to self-isolate.
The authority previously ran out of money, it was allocated by the Government.
It comes as the TUC says three in five applications for the self-isolation scheme in Plymouth, have been rejected.
The self-isolation payment scheme was introduced by the government on 28 September 2020, six months into the pandemic.
It offers a one-off £500 payment for those who need to isolate, but can't work from home.
Local authorities use discretionary grants to support applicants who do not meet the strict government-set criteria for the main self-isolation scheme.
The TUC warns the self-isolation scheme is not enough.
The union body says most applicants to the scheme have been left without the financial support they need to self-isolate.
Its research found:
- Out of 1383 applications in Plymouth, only 565 applicants have received financial support to isolate
- Across the South West, 55% of applications to the scheme end up without payment
The TUC says these findings show that the current system isn't working.
TUC South West Regional Secretary Nigel Costley said:
"No one should be forced to choose between doing the right thing and being plunged into hardship.
"The current system of patchy self-isolation payments and paltry sick pay just isn't working.
"Too many low-paid workers are going without the financial support they need to self-isolate.
"These failures have forced workers to make the difficult choice of protecting lives or their livelihoods."
Plymouth City Council is to extend its discretionary Test and Trace Support Scheme until the end of March and will run alongside the national scheme which is designed to support low income households who need to isolate.
Councillor Chris Penberthy, Cabinet member for Housing and Cooperative Development, said:
"The infection rates are going down - which is great news - but we all know how quickly they can go back up and with more testing due to come, any one of us could be told to self-isolate.
"Nobody should be struggling to make ends meet because they are doing the right thing, which is why we are stepping in to bridge a gap left by the Government."
The Council has so far received £120,500 for the discretionary scheme but that sum and more has already been spent supporting families. At the moment no further funding has come from Government.
Councillor Penberthy added:
"Our overriding objective must be to protect our communities and look after the most vulnerable. If we had to end the scheme those who are financially vulnerable and unable to look after themselves, or their families may return to work putting others at risk of infection. We cannot allow that to happen."
"We have written again to the Government asking them to review their funding. The allocation did not take account of the infection rate at the time, the city’s demographics and nature of employment, where many are in low paid jobs and cannot work from home."