Covid: Who has to self-isolate and for how long?

A scheme to boost support for people who are self-isolating is being piloted in nine parts of England.

People who have tested positive for coronavirus and those considered at risk of having been exposed to it must self-isolate.

You have a legal obligation to self-isolate if:

A £500 grant is available in England to people on low incomes who have to self-isolate.

But according to BBC research published in March, two-thirds of people in England and Wales trying to access the support payment were being rejected.

In Scotland people can apply for the Self-Isolation Support Grant, worth £500, and there is a similar scheme in Wales. In Northern Ireland a discretionary payment is available.

You may also be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay if you are self-isolating. This is £96.35 a week and may be more if your employer has a sick pay scheme.

Self-isolating means staying at home and not leaving it.

You should not go out for any reason - even to buy food, medicines or other essentials, or for exercise.

You should order online groceries, or ask friends or family to help out by leaving items outside your door.

If you have Covid-19 symptoms, however mild, you should self-isolate for at least 10 days from when they started, and arrange to get tested.

If you have no symptoms, but have tested positive for the disease, you must also self-isolate for at least 10 days. This starts from the day you took the test. If you develop symptoms you must restart your 10-day isolation.

If you still have a temperature after 10 days, you should continue to self-isolate, but can go out again if, by then, you only have a cough or loss of taste or smell.

If someone you live with has coronavirus, you must also self-isolate, regardless of whether you have symptoms.

This means you must not leave the house for 10 days from the day they first became ill, or - if they have no symptoms - from the day they had a test.

If they then display symptoms, you must start a new 10-day isolation period.

If you have symptoms or test positive, you need to try to keep apart from other members of your household.

You should stay in a well-ventilated room where you can open a window, but keep the door closed.

You should also use a separate bathroom. If this is not possible, then you should use the bathroom after everyone else and clean it thoroughly afterwards.

Meals should be eaten in your room and not in a shared area like the kitchen.

Anyone who does not self-isolate could be fined.

However, there have been concerns about how many people follow the rules.

Some studies have suggested fewer than 20% of people completely follow the rules. The government's scientific advisory body, Sage, highlighted research suggesting people on lower incomes are much less likely to feel able to self-isolate.

Travellers entering the UK from an amber list country must self-isolate for 10 days, with tests on days two and eight.

You can visit countries on the green list without needing to quarantine on return, provided you have taken a test before travelling, filled out a passenger locator form and pay for a test on day two after your return.

Some workers are exempt from having to quarantine. The full list is here. It includes bus, coach and lorry drivers and elite sportspeople.