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23 September, 2020 Open access

Welsh Government announces it will provide £500 Test and Trace Support payment for people on low incomes who are required to self-isolate

First Minister also confirms to Senedd that the law will be changed to prevent employers from making it difficult for employees to self-isolate

In a statement to the Senedd today on the latest developments to control coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wales, First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced that a Test and Trace self-isolation payment will be provided to people across Wales -

'... to help strengthen our response to coronavirus and prevent a fresh crisis in Wales, we are introducing some new measures, which will apply on a national basis, including in those areas that are subject to local restrictions. To assist people who are asked to self-isolate, we will provide a £500 payment to support people on low incomes... ‘

NB - the announcement follows the decision of the Westminster Government to introduce a £500 payment in England from 28 September 2020.

Responding to questions on how the payment will be delivered, Mr Drakeford said - 

'... we will look to see whether the discretionary assistance fund, which, Llywydd, has made over 73,600 emergency coronavirus payments to people in Wales, providing more than £4.6 million in assistance to people during this pandemic, to see whether that is the best vehicle for getting the £500 as quickly and as unbureaucratically to people as possible.'

In addition, Mr Drakeford confirmed further changes to help protect workers who are working from home, announcing that regulations will be introduced to prevent employers from putting pressure on them to return to their workplace when they could work 'successfully' from home.

Mr Drakeford’s Statement to the Senedd is available from the Official Record of the Welsh Parliament.

Update (16 November 2020): the Welsh Government's Self-Isolation Support Scheme opened on 16 November 2020, with scope for backdating of payments to 23 October 2020