THE overwhelming majority of people who applied for self-isolation grants in Barrow were rejected because they did not meet the specified criteria or did not provide enough information.

Figures obtained under freedom of information laws showed that around 80 per cent of applications for the grant administered by Barrow Council were rejected.

Disclosures also revealed the reasons why so many applications for the grants, awarded to people in financial hardship who were self-isolating from work due to Covid, were knocked back.

The council said 58 of 292 applications for the £500 self-isolation and discretionary payments were successful.

According to the figures, around 27 per cent of rejected applications did not meet the criteria.

Just under a quarter of applicants did not provide enough information.

Around six per cent of those rejected were not deemed to have suffered hardship and three per cent did not provide a valid NHS track and trace number.

People are eligible for a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment if they live in England and meet all of a number of criteria. They must have been told to stay at home and self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or the NHS Covid-19 app, must be unable to work from home and must be receiving a benefit.

Those who do not receive benefits but are on low incomes and will face financial hardship by self-isolating can also be eligible for a discretionary £500 payment.

Twelve of the 58 successful applications to Barrow Council for payments were awarded the discretionary payment. Reported plans from the Government to extend £500 payments to everyone who tests positive for Covid-19 in England could have cost an estimated £453 million per week.

Councillor Ann Thomson, the leader of Barrow Borough Council, said: "Our role as a council is to assess applications and distribute payments according to strict criteria set by the government.

"Unfortunately, the unsuccessful applications listed didn't meet the eligibility criteria. We have no power as an authority to go outside of this criteria.

"We would urge people to check their eligibility and apply if they meet the government requirements. Please make sure you include all of the information requested so your application can be assessed as quickly as possible."

Reports have mooted a possible £500 payment for anyone who tests positive for Covid but there are no plans to implement it, the prime minister's spokesman has said.