Welsh Government extends Self-Isolation Support Scheme to March 2022

Nine-month extension of £500 grant will help stop the spread of Covid by 'providing support to those who need it the most', says Minister

The Welsh Government has extended its Self-Isolation Support Scheme to March 2022.

Opened in November 2020 to provide £500 grant payments to people on specified benefits who are told to isolate by NHS Wales Test Trace Protect (TTP), the scheme rules were extended in February 2021 to include people with low income but who are not on benefits - with the expectation that an additional 170,000 people would become entitled by June 2021.

However, with just 13,200 support payments made since the scheme began, the Welsh Government has confirmed it will extend it until March 2022, providing an additional £4 million funding on top of the £8 million already earmarked in the Local Government Hardship Fund.

Minister for Health and Social Services Eluned Morgan said -

'It’s so important that people self-isolate if they test positive for Covid-19 because this helps to stop the virus spreading.

TTP has been extremely effective at supporting both people who have tested positive and their contacts and providing advice, guidance and support. It’s important we continue to invest to provide support to those who need it the most.

We have created guidance to ensure local authorities can access funding to provide support tailored to people’s needs, including alternative, temporary accommodation for those who can’t self-isolate safely or effectively.'

For more information, see £500 self-isolation support payment scheme extended from gov.wales