Star date: 28th September 2020

£1,000 FINE FOR NOT SELF-ISOLATING COMES INTO FORCE TODAY

Salford has 62 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the cumulative total to 2,919. There have been no new virus-related deaths announced at Salford Royal Hospital.

Meanwhile, from today, people in England will be required by law to self-isolate if they test positive for the virus or are contacted by NHS Test and Trace. Fines for breaking the rules begin at £1,000 and could increase to £10,000 for repeat offenders. There is also a new £500 payment for those self-isolating, on low incomes and can't work from home.

Full details here...

Salford has 62 new confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the cumulative total to 2,919, up from the previous day's 2,857.

Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, cases in Manchester rose to 6,907 (up from 6,725), followed by Bolton 4,570 (up from 4,502), Oldham with 4,079 (up from 4,015), Wigan 3,326 (up from 3,217), Rochdale 3,225 (up from 3,181), Tameside 2,905 (up from 2,855), Stockport 2,618 (up from 2,579), Trafford 2,253 (up from 2,194) and Bury 2,510 (up from 2,459).

There have been no new virus-related deaths announced by Salford Royal Hospital.

Meanwhile, a new legal duty to self-isolate if a person tests positive for the virus or are contacted by NHS Test and Trace comes into force today, with the Government stating that new steps will be taken to ensure people are complying....

'NHS Test and Trace call handlers increasing contact with those self-isolating; Using police resources to check compliance in highest incidence areas and in high-risk groups, based on local intelligence; Investigating and prosecuting high-profile and egregious cases of non-compliance; and Acting on instances where third parties have identified others who have tested positive, but are not self-isolating...'

Anyone breaching the rules can be fined £1,000, in line with the fines for breaking quarantine after overseas travel, which could increase to £10,000 for repeat offenders or serious breaches, including employers who force or allow staff to come to work when they should be self-isolating.

Along with these measures, people on low incomes who have been told to self-isolate can claim a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment if they can't work from home...

"Local Authorities will be working quickly to set up Test and Trace Support Payment schemes and we expect them to be in place by 12th October" states the Government "Those who are told to self-isolate from today will receive backdated payments, if they are eligible, once the scheme is set up in their local authority."

The £500 payment is on top of any Statutory Sick Pay or other benefits – for full details click here