Less than one in six test and trace support payments approved in Sandwell
A Black Country council has one of the worst records in the country for paying out test and trace support payments, new figures show.
Sandwell Council came bottom of 34 local authorities for approving the £500 payments, which were introduced last October to support low-paid workers who would lose earnings if they were forced to self-isolate.
Figures from the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) show the Labour-run authority approved 232 of 1,492 applications, a rate of 16 per cent.
Neighbouring Dudley Council approved 31 per cent of 400 applications for support. The national average was 35 per cent, with Camden Council topping the table with an approval rate of 75 per cent.
The scheme offers support to people who have been told to stay at home by NHS Test and Trace. To qualify people must be employed or self-employed and unable to work from home.
Shaun Bailey, the Conservative MP for West Bromwich West, said it was a “disgrace” that Sandwell Council had approved “such a low” number of applications for support.
He said: “These payments are vital in ensuring that we stop the spread of this awful virus and protect people’s livelihoods. People should not be forced to choose between doing the right thing and feeding their families.
“This is so vital in area like Sandwell, where so many will be relying on this payment to feed their families and to abide by the rules.”
A Sandwell Council spokesperson said: “We’ve done everything we can to promote the Government’s test and trace support payment.
"We have no control over the number of applications we receive.
“We process and consider every single application but not everyone who applies will be eligible under the Government’s criteria.
Afford
"However, we do offer a discretionary payment in some cases to people who do not fall under the Government’s eligibility criteria in terms of the benefits they receive.
“By the end of January, the council had paid out over £416,000 in eligible test and trace support payments.
"The main reason for refusal of claims is due to customers not actually having a drop in income when they are having to self-isolate – they have still been paid by their employer or have been able to work but without leaving home.
"We have also received many late applications outside the Government’s 28-day window.
“Funding has not been an issue for the council as the Government test and trace support payment is not cash limited.”
The CIPD warned that many people asked to self-isolate were not receiving the financial support they needed, potentially undermining the effectiveness of the test and trace system.
They have called for an urgent review of the scheme to ensure people don’t continue to attend work when they have been asked to self-isolate because they can’t afford not to.
