Covid-19 Isolation (Sickness) Benefit: Variations

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A decision made on 9 December 2020

Decision Reference: MD-S-2020-0086
Decision Summary Title :	DS – Variations to Covid19 Isolation (Sickness) Benefit		Date of Decision Summary:	07/12/2020
Decision Summary Author:	Senior Policy Officer		Decision Summary: Public or Exempt?	Public
Type of Report: Oral or Written?	Written		Person Giving Oral Report:	N/A
Written Report Title :	WR – Variations to Covid19 Isolation (Sickness) Benefit		Date of Written Report:	07/12/2020
Written Report Author:	Senior Policy Officer		Written Report: Public or Exempt?	Public
Subject: Variations to the Isolation (Sickness) Benefit in respect of Covid 19
Decision(s): The Minister decided to vary the Covid 19 Isolation Benefit scheme, in accordance with the latest advice from public health, to include the following claimants: 1) A parent who must isolate with a child where the child is a direct contact of a positive case. 2) A person who must isolate because a member of their household that they care for is a direct contact of a positive case. 3) People who are unable to isolate within a home due to the restricted size of their home.
Reason(s) for Decision: Covid 19 Sickness Benefit or Isolation Benefit as it is now referred to, was introduced (effective from 12 February 2020) to allow people to claim the standard rate of benefit via an online form if they need to self-isolate in line with public health advice as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. This Ministerial decision makes a further variation to the scheme in light of a request from public health to consider extension of the Covid 19 Isolation Benefit to the aforementioned claimants. This decision formalises the variation to the administration of isolation benefit which has been agreed by the Minister following discussions with officers. This extension is valid from 15th November 2020 to align with when public health advice was updated and will continue whilst this advice remains in force.
Resource Implications: There are no additional manpower or resource implications to the variations being applied. The cost of the Covid 19 sickness benefit is met by the Social Security Fund and the Customer and Local Services budget allocated to Income Support.
Action required: Senior Policy Officer to inform the Group Director of Customer and Local Services and Deputy Medical Officer of Health that the scheme has been varied and to request that the required changes to the online application form be made.
Signature: Deputy J A Martin		Position: Minister for Social Security
Date Signed:		Date of Decision (If different from Date Signed):