COUNCILS across Essex have worked together to make it easier for people who have to self-isolate to get a £500 support payment.

People are obliged by law to self-isolate if they are told to do so by NHS Test and Trace or Essex and Southend contact tracing.

The 12 borough, city and district councils in Essex have moved to try and make it easier for people on low incomes to apply for a discretionary £500 payment if they're unable to work from home whilst self-isolating.

This includes those who are told to self-isolate because they:

• Test positive for Covid-19

• Are a parent/guardian with a self-isolating child

• Live with someone else who tests positive

• Have contact with someone in their childcare or support bubble who tests positive

Previously each council set its own criteria and take-up was inconsistent.

However, now they have agreed common criteria and simplified the process.

The new scheme comes into effect today (Thursday, April 15).

Read more:

Employed people who earn less than £500 per week after tax, have household savings below £16,000, are not on benefits and meet other existing criteria are now eligible.

This includes self-employed and zero-hours contract workers.

Employees who are in receipt of benefits may be eligible for the national scheme.

The scheme works slightly differently in Colchester, where there are three options - national, discretionary and local.

Dr Mike Gogarty, Director of Public Health for Essex said “Thanks to everything the people of Essex have done Covid-19 case rates have gone from among the highest in England to about a third of the national average.

"But we can’t let down our guard. I urge people to get tested regularly, whether they have symptoms or not, and to self-isolate if they or someone they’re in contact with tests positive.

“If you carry on going out to work because you’re worried about losing money, you could be spreading the virus.

"These changes to the discretionary test and trace support scheme will help more people to self-isolate.”

For more information about support while you are self-isolating and to apply for payments from your local council see essex.gov.uk/support-if-you-are-self-isolating.

To find out more about how the scheme works in Colchester, visit www.colchester.gov.uk/coronavirus/residents/test-and-trace-support-payment.