Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by londons_explore 2008 days ago
"Someone on Instagram told me how to get a weeks worth of free food! Simply order this coronavirus test and then dip it in drain cleaner! It'll come out positive, and the government will send loadsa free stuff!"

The UK pays a £500 incentive to anyone who gets covid-19, and suddenly a lot more people started getting infected... If you're young and poor, it's a pretty sweet deal since the mortality and complications rate is so low for young people.
3 comments
ddeck 2008 days ago
>The UK pays a £500 incentive to anyone who gets covid-19

Not exactly anyone. In addition to being told by the NHS to isolate at home based on a positive diagnosis or close contact with one, you must be:

- Currently employed or self-employed.

- Unable to work from home and will lose income as a result of self-isolating.

- Currently receiving low-income benefits.

You need to provide evidence of all of these items.

There are probably avenues for exploitation, but it's intended to be directly replacing income lost as a result of the isolation.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/test-and-trace-su...

link
multjoy 2008 days ago
It is to stop the spread of the virus. Someone who is asymptomatic is the worst person you want out of the house. So you absolutely need to incentivise everyone who tests positive to remain indoors.

Why do people not grasp this? It’s quarantine 101.

link
londons_explore 2008 days ago
So that more people go and deliberately get infected to claim the incentive?

Look up British control of cobras in India...

link
daveFNbuck 2008 days ago
A bad actor can breed a lot of cobras at relatively low risk to themselves. They can only give themselves one COVID infection, and it comes with a pretty high personal risk.
link
bb123 2008 days ago
They only pay £500 if you're already on low income. Is there any basis to your claim that suddenly a lot more people started getting infected? It's my recollection that cases were already rising fast when this was announced.
link
londons_explore 2008 days ago
I know 4 people who deliberately got infected to claim the £500. Three have been paid (one is stuck in paperwork hell). I know of two others who tried to, but despite their efforts couldn't get the test to come back positive.
link