Sigh Of Relief For Millions As Rishi Extends Furlough

Job losses break my heart...I will stand by workers

- Macer Hall

Rishi Sunak gave a lifeline to more than seven million workers last night by extending the Treasury’s job protection plan until October.

The Chancellor announced that the furlough system to shield workers from the threat of redundancy will stay in place for a further three months. Vowing to “stand by Britain’s workers” he said he refused to give up on the furloughed millions – nearly a quarter of the UK workforce – despite warning the scheme could cost taxpayers up to £100billion.

The former banker admitted the loss of many firms and jobs as a result of the coronavirus epidemic was “heartbreaking”.

Under the scheme, the Treasury pays 80 per cent of the salary of a worker unable to do their job because of coronavirus lockdown measures, up to a maximum of £2,500 a month.

Mr Sunak announced the payments will remain unchanged until the end of October. But after July firms will have to contribute towards the cost of the scheme.

Relief

It will also become more flexible from August 1 with furloughed employees permitted to return to work on a part-time basis, even for only one day a week.

Full details of the changes are to be announced by the Treasury later this month.

Business leaders and unions welcomed the extension last night.

The Trades Union Congress called the move “a big relief to millions of working families” while the British Chambers of Commerce hailed it as a “huge help” to employers.