CAMDEN Council leader Georgia Gould has warned that people have been left choosing between their health and their income in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic – because there is not enough financial support for them to be able to stay at home.

The success of self-isolation and lockdown strategies were being undermined and lives were being put at risk, she warned, after firing off a stinging demand for more help from central government.

In a letter to Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick – seen by the New Journal – Cllr Gould warned that the low-paid, “precariously employed”, and people living in overcrowded homes were more likely to feel they had to go out to work to get by – and were more likely to get sick.

Cllr Gould said that “people overwhelmingly want to do the right thing” where “economic constraints do not impede compliance”, but she added that the government “must make sure self-isolating and following the restrictions is the best, the easiest and safest choice for everyone”.

The leadership at the council is concerned that requests to self-isolate will be ignored if it means people can no longer pay their bills at the end of the week.

Camden is offering free lateral testing to everyone still at work in essential jobs.

This gives an indication of an infection and can help to track those who have Covid but are showing no symptoms.

Cllr Gould, a supporter of tough lockdown measures which she has said should be extended further to click-and-collect shopping, told Mr Jenrick: “I am concerned about the capacity and resilience of people to follow these rules and the incredibly difficult choices that people are having to make between their health and their income.”

The council is already facing an increase in demand for services and support.

Camden received £270,000 to fund people who are self-isolating but this ran out before the end of last year. Applications for this money ballooned by 480 per cent during December.

Cllr Gould asked the government for financial support for these payments to be made as required – and not just as a fixed funding amount.

She also wanted greater eligibility for statutory sick pay and the £20-a-week Universal Credit uplift to be maintained.

A £500 discretionary grant is supposed to be in place for those asked to self-isolate who are on low incomes, but the BBC’s Newsnight programme reported this week that around three-quarters of applications across the UK had been refused. The government is putting £70million into funding the scheme.

It said: “Local authorities are responsible for decisions when it comes to making additional discretionary payments to people who fall outside the scope of the main scheme and are facing financial hardship as a result of having to self-isolate.

“We continue to work closely with the 314 local authorities in England to assess how the scheme is supporting people experiencing financial difficulties.”