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People in Wales who were asked to isolate themselves after contracting coronavirus or being a close contact of someone with Covid-19 will now be eligible for a £ 500 payment.
The government of Wales has unveiled two new schemes to provide financial support to people who are sick with Covid-19 or who need to isolate themselves.
The changes mean that anyone with a low income can request to receive a payment of £ 500 if they test positive for the virus or if they are asked by the NHS Wales Test Trace Protect service to isolate themselves because they have been in close contact with a confirmed case.
There will also be a new additional pay available to the welfare workforce in Wales that will increase legal sick pay to their normal wages if they have to take time off because they have coronavirus or are self-isolating.
Along with these new initiatives, it will also become a legal requirement for self-isolation if required by the NHS Wales contact tracing system.
The coronavirus regulations will also be strengthened to make it a crime to “deliberately provide false information to the NHS Wales Test Trace Protect service”, while employers will be obliged not to prevent a staff member from following NHS advice to isolate themselves. .
A statement from the Government of Wales said the £ 500 payment will be made available “to low-income people who are unable to work from home and would lose income as a result of self-isolation.” He added: “To be eligible, individuals must isolate themselves and receive the Universal Credit or other specific benefit. Final arrangements are being made to get the scheme up and running. “
Those who wish to claim the money, which will be retroactive to October 23, will be able to do so through their local authority’s website.
The sick pay enhancement scheme for social care staff working in nursing homes, home care settings and as personal assistants will begin on November 1 and run through March 31, 2021.
“The scheme will supplement full-wage legal sick pay for eligible care workers if they need to take time off with suspected or confirmed coronavirus or if they self-isolate because someone in their household has coronavirus or has been told so by the Service NHS Wales Test Trace Protect, ”the Welsh government said in a statement.
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Prime Minister Mark Drakeford said: “The pandemic has had a huge impact on everyone and we have asked people to sacrifice so much this year, even during this latest fire. We are committed to doing everything we can to support people and protect people’s health and well-being.
“Asking people to isolate themselves is an important way to interrupt transmission of the virus, but for many people it can mean loss of income.
“We all have a responsibility to protect our own health and that of our loved ones, but we know how difficult it can be when faced with the choice between staying home and not being able to feed your family or go to work.
“These new support schemes are aimed at low-income people and are designed to alleviate some of the financial pressures that people face if they are asked to isolate themselves.”
Julie James, Minister for Housing and Local Government added: “There will be some people who do not meet the criteria for the £ 500 payment but will experience financial difficulties as a result of being asked to isolate themselves. That is why we have introduced a discretionary element to the self-isolation payment, which will be available to a wider group of people.
“Financial support is now available to individuals through the Coronavirus Hardship Emergency Assistance Payment Element of the Discretionary Assistance Fund.”
The Government of Wales is making available up to £ 32 million for the two plans.
Keep up to date with the latest coronavirus news, including Friday’s briefing for Wales led by Drakeford, by going here.
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