‘Nightmare’ of Horsham man left with no money amid Covid isolation

Adam Lomax, a self-employed marketing expert, was left desperate with ‘no money left and nothing to live on for half a month.’

“It’s been a nightmare,” he said.

He applied to Horsham District Council for a Government Test and Trace Self Isolation payment of £500 but was turned down - despite supplying paperwork and thinking he fulfilled all necessary criteria.

“I’m already on a low income anyway and was even reduced to visiting the Food Bank,” he said.

He added: “As a result of following Government guidance I’ve been severely punished financially.”

He said he and his girlfriend “had never struggled financially so much in our lives. It’s been a really stressful period.

“I thought the Test and Trace payment was designed exactly for people like me.”

He says guidance on the council’s website over the isolation payment is ‘misleading.’

“I want to make other people aware of it.”

A spokesperson for the council said that the council could not comment on individual cases.

But, she said, “The Test and Trace scheme is only available to people who are unable to attend their physical workplace because they have to self isolate as they are a risk to others.

“For example if they were to work in a supermarket and are forced to isolate and cannot therefore go into work.

“This benefit does not cover those who are too ill to work.”

She said it was possible that other benefits were available.