Thank you for your support

Over 20 million people have now downloaded the NHS COVID-19 App making it the 2nd most downloaded free app on iPhones in 2020. We could not have reached this milestone without your continued support in encouraging people to download and use the app so thank you!

Test and Trace Support Payments update

Currently, individuals asked to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace and who are on a low income, unable to work from home and will lose income as a result, may have been entitled to a payment of £500 from their local authority under the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme.

We are pleased to announce that app users in England who are asked to self-isolate via the app and are eligible, will now be able to apply for payment as well.

The NHS Covid-19 App will only instruct users to isolate should they be at risk of contracting coronavirus, having been in close contact with a user who has gone on to test positive for Covid-19. Close contact is measured within the parameters of 2 metres for 15 minutes. It is therefore important to follow isolation instructions issued by the app. Here are the key details to note:

• Eligible individuals can apply from within the app – you can check here for the eligible criteria.
• If you live in England, you should contact your local authority to find out how to apply. You can use this search tool to find the application page for your unitary authority or district council
• If you meet the criteria, you will receive £500, payable as a lump sum

Self-isolation is advisory in the app but to receive the payment you have to agree to self-isolate, which is legally enforceable

• As the app is anonymous, you will be prompted to register for an NHS ID to claim the payment
• Personal details are not stored in the app, you will be directed to the relevant website to apply
• You cannot apply for self-isolation payments more than once during the same self-isolation period
• The scheme runs until 31st January 2021

Please find here the press notice relating to this announcement.  Attached is a toolkit explaining the Test and Trace Support Payment process including eligibility case studies regarding the support payment scheme as well as a guide on how to apply for the support payment through the NHS Covid-19 App.

For further information, visit the Test and Trace support payment within the NHS Covid-19 app page.

Check-in and digital diary feature

Please remember to use the NHS Covid-19 App to check in to venues where appropriate. Scanning an NHS QR code poster is a quick, simple and secure way for visitors to anonymously check in to a venue, enabling users to have a digital diary of the places they've visited, to help with contact tracing.

• Don’t forget to check in to venues such as restaurants and pubs.
• To find your digital diary in the app, go to ‘About this app’ - > ‘Manage my data’
• When you check into a venue, this is stored on your phone and is only viewable by you.
• The venue history data stays on your phone for 21 days, then is automatically deleted.

• You can delete your diary at any time.

Local area risk level update

V3.12 of the app was released on 30 November, including a change to local area risk levels.  If your postcode district covers more than one Local Authority area, the app will now ask you which Local Authority you live in. This is so the app can give you the most accurate information for your area’s risk level.

We encourage all app users to update to the latest version of app to ensure that you benefit from the latest updates and features.

The NHS Covid-19 App satisfies all WCAG 2.1A  and AA success criteria for those with additional access needs and users of in-phone accessibility features (screen readers, magnifiers, colour changes)​​. We also offer resources in alternative formats such as Easy Read, Large Print, Braille and British Sign  Language.​ For more information, visit our accessibility page.

The app and our website are available in 11 languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (simplified), Gujarati, Punjabi, Romanian, Turkish, Urdu, Welsh, Polish and Somali​. Visit our language pages here.

Further information

Please visit https://covid19.nhs.uk/ if you require any further information or have any questions relating to the app. Alternatively, contact us at NHSCovid19AppStakeholders@dhsc.gov.uk.