You can get paid whilst self-isolating with Sussex University’s new support package

Students living off campus can get up to £40 a week


In an email sent out to students yesterday evening, The University of Sussex announced a new support package to help students who are self isolating either on or off campus.

This follows after they recently offered to charge international students a fee of £25 for a ‘Welcome Box’ that The Sussex Tab calculated to cost £8.46 in total.

Internal communications, who sent the email, made it clear that if you are experiencing symptoms of the virus, tested positive, living with someone who tested positive, living with someone with symptoms or you were told by the NHS to self-isolate then the support package will be available to you.

In the email, the University stated: “The University will be providing all students who need to self-isolate for the above reasons with a £25 allowance per week if living on campus, or a £40 allowance per week if living off campus, to go towards buying food and other essential items.  The payment is higher for those living off campus, as other services, outlined below will be provided to students on campus.”

The University is also offering additional services to those who are on campus. These services include laundry, cleaning and food orders.

The email said that if you test positive for coronavirus then you will also receive additional help. The email states: “f you have tested positive for Covid-19, the University wants to ensure you have a hot meal delivered to you each day, to make sure you are eating a nourishing meal to help with a fast recovery.  So in addition, we will be arranging for students living on campus: a meal will be delivered to you on campus each day. You will be able to re-heat the meal when you are ready to eat. As well as students living off campus will receive an additional payment of £5 per day towards take-away hot meals if you are positive.”

You must report your symptoms or the fact you are self-isolating to the University in order to be eligible for the package. You can report that to the University here and then find the link to the support package.