Under new regulations, £1,000 fines can be issued if somebody falsely and maliciously names someone as a coronavirus contact.
The legislation makes clear that fines will be handed out for “falsely stating … that someone is a close contact of a person who has tested positive for coronavirus” so that it is now illegal for people to spitefully or jokingly list someone as a contact to force them to self-isolate.
The offence is one of many new coronavirus regulations to be enforced, including a £1,000 fine for giving “false information”, such as not naming a friend or relative you have been in contact with so they don’t have to go into quarantine.
First-time offenders of giving false information on the NHS test and trace app will be issued a £1,000 fine, going up to £10,000 for a fourth repeat.
Other offences include a £50 fine for employees who don’t inform their employers they have been told to self-isolate while restaurants, bars and pubs have been banned from playing loud music and allowing people to sing and dance.