Gower MS welcomes extension of £500 self-isolation payment

REBECCA Evans MS, Member of the Senedd for Gower, has welcomed the announcement that parents and carers on low incomes with children who are self-isolating will be eligible for a £500 support payment.

Rebecca Evans said: “I am pleased that the Welsh Government’s Self-Isolation Support Scheme, which provides financial support to people on low incomes or who are facing financial hardship when they are asked to self-isolate by the NHS Wales Test Trace Protect service, is now being extended to help parents and carers who have to take time off work to look after their children when they have to self-isolate because of a coronavirus outbreak in their school or childcare setting.”

The Self-Isolation Support Scheme will be extended to parents and carers on low incomes who meet the criteria for the main scheme. To qualify, they must have a child attending a school or childcare setting up to and including in year eight – or up to age 25 if the learner has multiple and complex additional needs – and who has received a formal notification to self-isolate from Test Trace Protect or their education or childcare setting.

Rebecca Evans added: “For many families, taking time off work to care for their children who are in isolation leads to a loss of income. The Welsh Government’s £500 payment can make a real difference.