Coronavirus – getting benefits if you’re self-isolating

If you can’t work because you’re self-isolating, you might be able to get:

• a self-isolation support grant from your local council
• Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from your employer
• Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) from the government

You can’t get SSP and ESA at the same time. It’s usually best to get SSP if you can.

You can get a self-isolation support grant at the same time as SSP or ESA.

If you’re a social care worker in Scotland, you might be able to get your normal pay if you’re self-isolating.

If you’re self-employed

You might also be able to claim money from the government’s Self-employment Income Support Scheme.

You can check what help you can get if you’re self-employed.

If you’re returning to the UK from abroad

You might need to self-isolate – this is also called ‘quarantine’.

You can’t get SSP for being in quarantine. You might be able to get it for other reasons – for example if you have symptoms of coronavirus.

If you’re employed, talk to your employer about what you can do while you’re in quarantine – ask them if you can:

• work from home
• take annual or unpaid leave – you might be able to get ESA if you have to take unpaid leave

If you’re a social care worker

If you’re a social care worker and you’re self-isolating, you might be able to keep getting your normal pay.

You’re a social care worker if you work in the social care sector. For example, you work in:

• care homes
• childcare
• offender accommodation
• housing support
• someone’s own home as a personal assistant.

You’ll only get your normal pay if you’re self-isolating because you have coronavirus or you’re following public health guidance. For example, you’re self-isolating because you’ve been in close contact with someone who has coronavirus.

Ask your employer to keep paying you your normal pay. They should apply to the Scottish Government’s Social Care Staff Support Fund to get the money back. 

Find out more about the Social Care Staff Support Fund.

Check if you can get a self-isolation support grant

You might be able to get a single payment of £500 from your local council if you’re employed or self-employed and you can’t work from home.

To get the grant you must be self-isolating at home because either:

• you tested positive for coronavirus
• the NHS told you to.

You might also be able to get the grant if you can’t work and will lose income because you’re looking after a child who has been asked to self-isolate. Check your options if you need to change how you work to care for someone.

You can’t get the grant just because you have to quarantine when you enter the UK from abroad.

You should be able to get the payment if you get at least one of these benefits:

• Universal Credit
• Pension Credit
• Working Tax Credits
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income Support
• Housing Benefit.

If you’re not getting any of the benefits, you could still get the payment if your council thinks you would be eligible for Universal Credit or if you’re struggling with your living costs because you can’t work.

You might also be able to get the grant if you’re on a low income and your immigration status means you have no recourse to public funds.

You can find out more and apply on your local council’s website. 

Councils will also phone people who are self-isolating to see if they need a grant or help applying.

Check if you can get SSP

You might get statutory sick pay (SSP) if you’re following government guidance to self-isolate.

You could get SSP if:

• you have coronavirus or symptoms of coronavirus
• someone you live with has coronavirus or symptoms of coronavirus
• someone in your ‘extended household’ has coronavirus or symptoms of coronavirus – check the rules on extended households if you’re not sure

• you’re self-isolating because the NHS told you that you’ve come into contact with someone who has coronavirus
• you’ve been told to self-isolate before you go into hospital for surgery

You can read the government guidance about self-isolating on NHS inform.

Check if you can get ESA

You might be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you’re self-isolating because of coronavirus. For example, you might be self-isolating because you or someone you live with:

• have coronavirus or symptoms of coronavirus – or you’re recovering from it
• have a medical condition which makes you ‘extremely vulnerable’ to coronavirus – check if you’re extremely vulnerable on NHS inform
• came into contact with someone who might have coronavirus
• have been told to quarantine after returning from abroad – check if you have to quarantine on GOV.UK

If you can get ESA, you’ll be paid from the first day you were sick or self-isolating.

You can check if you can get ESA. 

You might also be able to get Universal Credit if you’re on a low income or not working. Check if you can get Universal Credit.

If you’re already claiming benefits and start claiming Universal Credit, you won’t be able to go back to the benefit you were on before. Talk to an adviser before applying for Universal Credit.

Can’t find the answer to your question? Call our freephone number 0300 303 4321 or email us by filling in our online enquiry form.