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Information and public services for the Island of Jersey

L'înformâtion et les sèrvices publyis pouor I'Île dé Jèrri

Covid-19: Variations to Isolation (Sickness) Benefit February 2021

A formal published “Ministerial Decision” is required as a record of the decision of a Minister (or an Assistant Minister where they have delegated authority) as they exercise their responsibilities and powers.

Ministers are elected by the States Assembly and have legal responsibilities and powers as “corporation sole” under the States of Jersey Law 2005 by virtue of their office and in their areas of responsibility, including entering into agreements, and under any legislation conferring on them powers.

An accurate record of “Ministerial Decisions” is vital to effective governance, including:

  • demonstrating that good governance, and clear lines of accountability and authority, are in place around decisions-making – including the reasons and basis on which a decision is made, and the action required to implement a decision

  • providing a record of decisions and actions that will be available for examination by States Members, and Panels and Committees of the States Assembly; the public, organisations, and the media; and as a historical record and point of reference for the conduct of public affairs

Ministers are individually accountable to the States Assembly, including for the actions of the departments and agencies which discharge their responsibilities.

The Freedom of Information Law (Jersey) Law 2011 is used as a guide when determining what information is be published. While there is a presumption toward publication to support of transparency and accountability, detailed information may not be published if, for example, it would constitute a breach of data protection, or disclosure would prejudice commercial interest.

A decision made on 1 March 2021

Decision Reference:  MD-S-2021-0023

Decision Summary Title :

DS – Variations to Covid19 Isolation (Sickness) Benefit – February 2021

Date of Decision Summary:

25/02/2021

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 – February 2021

Date of Written Report:

25/02/2021

Written Report Author:

Senior Policy Officer

Written Report:

Public or Exempt?

 

Public

Subject: Variations to the Covid-19 Isolation/Sickness Benefit – February 2021

Decision(s): The Minister decided to vary the Covid 19 Isolation Benefit scheme in relation to the provision of documents and proofs in respect of self-isolation and make a minor change to the policy in relation to backdated claims.

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.

 

In making this decision to further vary the scheme the Minister is applying a more robust logging and checking mechanism for isolation benefit claims and paving the way for the smoother processing of claims in the future. It also gives people more time to make a claim in cases where a person who is isolating tests positive on day 10 of their isolation period.

 

This decision formalises the variations to the administration of isolation benefit which have been agreed by the Minister following discussions with officers.

 

These updates to the scheme are effective immediately and will follow the implementation dates included in the attached report. The changes will remain in force until the scheme ends.

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):

 

Hide report
Covid-19: Variations to Isolation (Sickness) Benefit February 2021

Variations to Covid 19 Isolation (Sickness) Benefit Scheme

Senior Policy Officer, February 2021

 

Background

Covid-19 Sickness Benefit or Isolation Benefit was introduced by the Minister for Social Security early in 2020. It allows 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. 

Claimants are not required to consult with their GP or provide a medical certificate. This has enabled speedy access to financial support, offered an incentive to comply with public health advice, allowed benefit to be accessed without GP certification at a time when it is important to protect primary care capacity and when leaving your home is only recommended in essential circumstances.

The benefit is available to working age people who are isolating because they;

  • are a parent who must isolate with a child where the child is a direct contact of a positive case or has recently travelled[1].
  • are a person who must isolate because a member of their household that they care for is a direct contact of a positive case or has recently travelled.
  • are people who are unable to isolate within their home due to its restricted size.

 

If people do not normally work, are being paid or can work from home in any of these situations, they are not able to claim the benefit.

At the moment, customers apply directly to Customer and Local Services (CLS) via an online form and select the relevant option as their reason for self-isolating.

The scheme has been established as a temporary measure to support the Island’s response to Coronavirus.  It is enabled by the following legislation:

  • payments from the Social Security Fund, as Short-term Incapacity Allowance, payable under Article 15 of the Social Security (Jersey) Law 1974, using the provisions of Article 12(7) of the Social Security (General Benefit) (Jersey) Order 1975 and Article 2(1)(b) of the Social Security (Medical Certification) (Jersey) Order 1974 to vary the evidence required to make the benefit payable and,
  • in cases where there is an inadequate social security contribution record, Special Payments under Article 8(2) of the Income Support (Jersey) Law 2007[2]. 

The scheme has been maintained in a series of Ministerial Decisions, the most recent were made at the end of 2020 (MD-S-2020-0086 and MD-S-2020-0092).

This Ministerial decision makes a further variation to the administration of the scheme, specifically in relation to the provision of documents and proofs in respect of self-isolation. It also highlights a potential future variation to the scheme which officers are seeking authorisation to make once the methodology has been established. There is also a minor change to the policy in relation to the acceptance of backdated claims.

Updates to scheme administration

 

Phase 1 – short term - document upload – proof of requirement to Isolate

Where a claimant is isolating for any reason other than travel (where they later tested negative), officers are putting in place a more robust logging system for the evidence that the applicant is known to Contact Tracing, Monitoring and Enforcement (CTM&E).

In the short term, the intention is to ask people to upload evidence through the online application form; this could be a photograph or scan of the official letter (or email) that is sent by the CTM&E team, to everyone that has to self-isolate either as a result of testing positive for covid-19 or being identified as a transmission risk and instructed to isolate (direct contacts/people who are unable to isolate away from people who are direct contacts or have recently travelled because they care for them or live in overcrowded living situations.

The templates for these documents are included in the appendix of this report. These letters/emails are generated by Environmental Health’s - Integrated Public Health Record (IPHR) system.

These proofs can only be used as evidence that the person is known to CTM&E and not as evidence of the potential length of a claim – this is because the dates are based on a basic formula (14 days from the clinical start date). In practice, most direct contacts end isolation on day 10/11 when they receive their negative day 10 test result, or later than the original 14 days if they test positive or develop symptoms later in the 14-day period.

The process involving people who isolate having travelled (provisions of a boarding pass or ticket) is already in place, and this will remain the same.

CTM&E already issue letters or emails to people isolating who have either tested positive or were a direct contact and tested negative; under this new process, these two groups will be able to submit letters of proof from the date this MD is signed.

CTM&E will be issuing letters of proof for the remaining groups (people who are unable to isolate away from people who are direct contacts or have recently travelled because they care for them or live in overcrowded living situations) covered by isolation benefit from the 23rd February 2021 and the submission of proof when making an application will be mandatory for all groups from 7th April 2021, this allows for a 30 day back date from when CTM&E started recording and issuing an instruction to isolate letter to all remaining groups.

 

 

 

Phase 2 – long term - automated solution

Officers continue to work towards an automated way of:

a)      Verifying that the claimant is known to CTM&E

b)      Verifying the dates of claim against CTM&E data

 

The intention is to use IPHR data to generate an invitation to apply email with a unique link to a prepopulated (with dates) online form, there is technical work that needs to be undertaken before this can be launched.

This process will (effectively) delegate the process of identifying isolation benefit claimants to the CTM&E team. Currently (as referred to earlier in the report) claimants apply directly to CLS via the online form.

Officers are seeking authorisation from the Minister to implement this process once it is ready, following consultation with CTM&E.

Backdated Claims

Currently, claims for Isolation Benefit are made once a person has completed their isolation period; and can be made up to 30 days from the date that isolation started. Subject to Ministerial approval, this will be changing to be 30 days from the date that the isolation period ends.

This change is requested in order to address the following issue:

The maximum length of a claim is 24 days. Anyone who has been identified as a direct contact has to isolate for 10 days, if this person  subsequently tests positive, they would have to isolate for a further 14 days (24 days in total) – under the current rules, this would mean they only have 6 days to make their claim for isolation benefit. This minor amendment to the scheme administration will give people in this situation more time to make a claim and will take effect from the date the MD is approved.

 

Conclusion

In making this decision to further vary the scheme the Minister is applying a more robust logging and checking mechanism for isolation benefit claims and paving the way for the smoother processing of claims in the future. It also gives people more time to make a claim in cases where a person who is isolating tests positive on day 10 of their isolation period.

These updates to the scheme are effective immediately and will then follow the implementation dates outlined in this report. The changes will remain in effect for the duration of the scheme.

As has been cited in the majority of MD’s adjusting this scheme, the Minister once again acknowledges that the situation in relation to covid-19 is ever changing and as such, further variations may be required in the future. Variations outside the scope of those already described in this and previous MDs will be bought to the Minister for approval and sign-off.

 

 

 

Appendix – Public Health Isolation notification template

 

Letters - Contacts

 

http://statesofjersey.newsweaver.com/files/2/75101/168349/399499/_nw_test_mailing/1dc1fb08b18781316cdb3e67/goj%20logo%20red%20english_2.pngGrowth, Housing and Environment

Environmental Health

PO Box 228 | Jersey | JE4 9SS

 

 

Address line 1

Address line 2

Parish

Jersey

Postcode

 

Date

 

Dear Patients Name

 

Environmental Health Instruction to self-isolate

 

We have been informed that you have recently come into contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19. Due to the sudden increase in the number of positive cases within the Island, the Contact Tracing Teams are currently busy providing support and advice to these individuals. A team member will contact you by telephone in due course. Your patience is much appreciated in the meantime.

 

This letter is to confirm that you are now required to self-isolate with an estimated end date of [INTERACTION_DATE + 14]. If you remain symptom free and agree to further testing, then it is likely that you will be able to end your self-isolation at an earlier date.

 

Are you employed or self-employed? You may be eligible to claim self-isolation benefit. Please note you have 30 days to claim. please visit: https://www.gov.je/health/coronavirus/businessandemployment/pages/isolationbenefit

 

If you develop Covid-19 symptoms, please call the Coronavirus Helpline on 01534 445566. The line is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm and 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday. If you call outside these hours, or if the line is busy, please leave a message and someone will call you back. If it is an emergency, please contact your GP or 999.

 

Self-isolation means you must remain at your declared address and avoid physical contact with others for the specified period of time. You should remain in your home, except for emergency medical treatment. Do not go to work, school, or any public or communal areas. Do not use public transport or taxis until you have been advised that it is safe to do so. For more information on how to self-isolate visit www.gov.je/coronavirus. Please continue to check the website for further updates.

 

Your welfare requirements are of utmost importance. Food may continue to be delivered to your home but the person delivering the food must not enter the house and physical distancing must be maintained. If you have any welfare needs, please contact the Coronavirus Helpline on 01534 445566 between the hours of 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday and bank holidays (Christmas eve and New Year’s eve 8am to 5pm). Connect Me is a service that offers information, help, and support for Islanders around mental health and wellbeing, family concerns, staying connected to others, and advice on practical needs around finances and shopping. To find out more about what support is available to you: visit the Connect Me web page at gov.je/connectme or phone the Coronavirus helpline on 01534 445566. The Samaritans helpline is also available 24 hours a day on 116123 or 0330 094 5717.  

 

You may be required to attend one or more PCR tests and these will be communicated to you in due course.

Any contravention of this instruction to self-isolate may lead to a prosecution under Covid-19 (Screening, Assessment and Isolation) (Jersey) Regulations 2020 and a potential fine of up to £10,000.00. If you obstruct, abscond or provide misinformation in connection with the exercise of any power under these Regulations you may be liable to imprisonment for a term of 6 months and a fine of £10,000.00.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Alison de Bourcier
Head of Environmental and Consumer Protection

Infrastructure, Housing and Environment

 

 

dd/mm/yyyy

 

 

Dear xxxxxx

 

Environmental Health Instruction to self-isolate

 

You have been identified as an indirect contact due to your living arrangements or a direct contact being dependent upon you, therefore they are unable to isolate separately.

 

This letter is to confirm that you are required to immediately self-isolate with an estimated end date of dd/mm/yyyy. If you remain symptom free and agree to further testing, then it is likely that you will be able to end your self-isolation at an earlier date.

 

Whilst isolating you must not leave your home or accommodation. This means you:

  • Must not leave the property except in an emergency or to receive essential medical care.
  • Must not go to work or school.
  • Must not leave your accommodation to buy food or other essentials.
  • Must not visit any public areas - this includes beaches, parks, pubs and restaurants.
  • Must not use public transport or taxis.
  • Must not go outside to exercise (unless you can do this whilst still on your property, away from other household members, and it is not in a communal area.

It also means you must not let any other person into your home, unless the person: 

  • Lives with you.
  • Is providing essential care or medical help to you or someone in the household.
  • Is entering the property in the case of an emergency (this may include emergency repairs, plumbing etc)  

You should tell anyone entering your property that you are isolating. Maintain physical distancing and hygiene measures, where possible. 

 

For information on how to self-isolate visit www.gov.je/coronavirus. Please continue to check the website for further updates.  

 

If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, please call the Coronavirus Helpline on 01534 445566. If you call outside the opening hours, or if the line is busy, please leave a message and someone will call you back. If it is an emergency, please contact your GP or 999. 

 

Your welfare requirements are of utmost importance. Food may continue to be delivered to your home but the person delivering the food must not enter the house and physical distancing must be maintained. If you have any welfare needs, please contact the Coronavirus Helpline on 01534 445566 between the hours of 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday and bank holidays. 

 

Connect Me is a service that offers information, help, and support for Islanders around mental health and wellbeing, family concerns, staying connected to others, and advice on practical needs around finances and shopping. To find out more about what support is available to you: visit the Connect Me web page at www.gov.je/connectme or phone the Coronavirus helpline on 01534 445566 or 0800 7355566. The Samaritans helpline is also available 24 hours a day on 116123 or 0330 094 5717.

 

Are you employed or self-employed? You may be eligible to claim self-isolation benefit. Please note you have 30 days to claim. Please visit: www.gov.je/health/coronavirus/businessandemployment/pages/isolationbenefit

 

You may wish to provide a copy of this letter to your employer as proof of your self-isolation requirements. 

 

Failure to self-isolate as instructed may lead to a prosecution under Covid-19 (Screening, Assessment and Isolation) (Jersey) Regulations 2020 and a potential fine of up to £10,000.00. If you obstruct, abscond, or provide misinformation in connection with the exercise of any power under these Regulations you may be liable to imprisonment for a term of 6 months and a fine of £10,000.00.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Alison de Bourcier

Head of Environmental and Consumer Protection

 

 

 

 

Email – positive test result

 

 

Date [DATE]

 

 

 

Dear Patients First Name  

 

 

Positive COVID-19 Test Result

 

 

On [SWAB DATE] you were tested for COVID-19 and this test has come back with a positive result. 

 

 

It is understandable that this result may cause concern but please be assured that there are support systems in place to ensure your welfare at this time. 

 

This letter is to confirm that you are required to immediately self-isolate with an estimated end date of [SWAB DATE + 14].

 

Are you employed or self-employed? You may be eligible to claim self-isolation benefit. Please note you have 30 days to claim. please visit: https://www.gov.je/health/coronavirus/businessandemployment/pages/isolationbenefit            

 

A member of the Contact Tracing Team will be in contact. To help the team please start to think about who your direct contacts may be.

 

To help, we identify a direct contact as;

  • Anyone you live with
  • Anyone that you have been within 2 metres of for more than 15 minutes (initially in the 48 hours prior to having a test for Covid-19. This includes work colleagues, someone you’ve shared a car journey with, anyone whose house you’ve visited, friends you’ve socialised with and similar queries.
  • We will also ask about any places you have visited in that time and whether you took public transport or made your own way there.
  • To help identify potential clusters we will also ask you to think about where you’ve been and people you’ve met in the 10 days prior to your test.

When we call you, we will also ask if you wear personal protective equipment for work or in other circumstances. This will help us to determine who are your direct contacts.

 

Whilst isolating you must not leave your home or accommodation. This means you: 

  •       must not leave the property except in an emergency or to receive essential medical care 
  •       must not go to work or school 
  •       must not leave your accommodation to buy food or other essentials 
  •       must not visit any public areas - this includes beaches, parks, pubs and restaurants 
  •       must not use public transport or taxis  
  •       must not go outside to exercise (unless you can do this whilst still on your property, away from other household members, and it is not in a communal area 

 

 

It also means you must not let any other person into your home, unless the person: 

  •       lives with you  
  •       is providing essential care or medical help to you or someone in the household 
  •       is entering the property in the case of an emergency (this may include emergency repairs, plumbing etc.)  

 

You should tell anyone entering your property that you are isolating. Maintain physical distancing and hygiene measures, where possible. 

 

Anyone that lives in the property with you must now immediately isolate.

  

Whilst isolating you must do everything you can to isolate away from anyone you share the house with. This includes;

  • Sleeping in a separate room to the rest of your household and remining within that space for your full isolation
  • Asking those you live with (if possible) to deliver food to your room.
  • If you must use the kitchen establish a rota and effective cleaning schedule
  • Have your own dedicated bathroom. If this is not possible ensuring excellent cleaning after each time you’ve used it.

 

For more information on how to self-isolate visit www.gov.je/coronavirus. Please continue to check the website for further updates.  

 

If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, please call the Coronavirus Helpline on 01534 445566. If you call outside the opening hours, or if the line is busy, please leave a message and someone will call you back. If it is an emergency, please contact your GP or 999. 

 

Your welfare requirements are of utmost importance. Food may continue to be delivered to your home but the person delivering the food must not enter the house and physical distancing must be maintained. If you have any welfare needs, please contact the Coronavirus Helpline on 01534 445566 between the hours of 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday and bank holidays (Christmas eve and New Year’s eve 8am to 5pm). Connect Me is a service that offers information, help, and support for Islanders around mental health and wellbeing, family concerns, staying connected to others, and advice on practical needs around finances and shopping. To find out more about what support is available to you: visit the Connect Me web page at gov.je/connectme or phone the Coronavirus helpline on 01534 445566. The Samaritans helpline is also available 24 hours a day on 116123 or 0330 094 5717.  

 

You may wish to provide a copy of this letter to your employer as proof of your self-isolation requirements.  

 

If you have been using the Jersey COVID Alert App, you can use this one time pass code in the app to anonymously notify anyone that you have been in direct contact with. 

One time passcode: [OTP] 

 

Failure to self-isolate as instructed may lead to a prosecution under Covid-19 (Screening, Assessment and Isolation) (Jersey) Regulations 2020 and a potential fine of up to £10,000.00. 

 

Yours sincerely  

   

 

 

Alison de Bourcier  
Head of Environmental and Consumer Protection 

 

 

[1] Reference to “recently travelled” for this and the next bullet point has been added to clarify Public Health policy around monitoring and compliance. Someone returning from travel with either green, amber or red restrictions is effectively treated the same way as a direct contact regarding their isolation requirements – i.e. must follow all isolation guidance. And therefore, by extension, anyone choosing to isolate with them would also be subject to the same conditions of isolation (e.g. a parent or carer.)

[2] Further information is available in Ministerial Decisions 10/2020, 17/2020, 27/2020 and 92/2020

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