SDLP Foyle MLA Ma\rk H Durkan
Figures obtained by Mr Durkan from the Department for Communities, via an Assembly question, show that Foyle had the second highest number of claims, after West Belfast, with an average self-isolation payment of just £140.10.
Said the Foyle MLA: “The numbers don’t lie and once again proof that the Discretionary Support Self-Isolation payment is not fit for purpose, has been laid bare.
“Despite being lauded by Minister Hargey as a superior alternative to the £500 self-isolation grant available elsewhere on these islands, it would seem that claimants in Foyle have been short-changed.
“The massive need in Foyle is reflected in the number of applications, standing as the second highest for the North with an average payment of just £140.
“However, I believe these figures do not reveal the true numbers of those forced to self-isolate to the detriment of their income.
“I would have expected the numbers to be much higher, having witnessed the evident need and countless queries on self-isolation support within my own constituency.
“Furthermore, such a low pay-out is unjustifiable.
“The funds were there, yet individuals were made to jump through hoops and were subjected to intrusive interrogations in order to receive support to which they were entitled.
“As I previously highlighted the Communities Minister handed back £2 million of unspent funds from the Discretionary Support Payment Scheme.
“This is completely unforgivable given that this money would have been a lifeline for so many.
“At the risk of repetition, Minister Hargey’s failure to provide adequate financial support for people who have to self-isolate has not only undermined the public health message but has left many individuals and their families in a precarious financial situation.
“Yet despite the public outcry and mounting evidence of failure, Minister Hargey has remained obdurate in her wilful blindness and assertion that the scheme in its current design is more generous than the British equivalent. She has displayed nothing but indiscretion with regards to the Discretionary Support Scheme.
“The Minister’s continued inaction has left people in the North at a massive disadvantage to their counterparts and less well-equipped to deal with the inevitable financial consequences of the pandemic.”
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