Cherilyn Mackrory, Member of Parliament for Truro and Falmouth has welcomed the announcement from Chancellor Rishi Sunak today that the furlough scheme will be extended by a further four months with workers continuing to receive 80% of their current salary.
The employer payments will substitute the contribution the government is currently making, ensuring that staff continue to receive 80% of their salary, up to £2,500 a month.
Cherilyn said:
“Me and my team have been working with local businesses in Truro and Falmouth on a wide variety of issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government’s furlough scheme has provided income for employees and continuity for businesses during this difficult time and I am pleased to see our Chancellor taking this sensible step to continue to support these businesses at their time of need.”
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said:
“Our Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has protected millions of jobs and businesses across the UK during the outbreak – and I’ve been clear that I want to avoid a cliff edge and get people back to work in a measured way.”
“This extension and the changes we are making to the scheme will give flexibility to businesses while protecting the livelihoods of the British people and our future economic prospects.”
From the start of August, furloughed workers will be able to return to work part-time with employers being asked to pay a percentage towards the salaries of their furloughed staff.
New statistics published today revealed the job retention scheme has protected 7.5 million workers and almost 1 million businesses.
The scheme will continue in its current form until the end of July and the changes to allow more flexibility will come in from the start of August. More specific details and information around its implementation will be made available by the end of this month.
The government will explore ways through which furloughed workers who wish to do additional training or learn new skills are supported during this period. It will also continue to work closely with the Devolved Administrations to ensure the scheme supports people across the Union.
The Chancellor’s decision to extend the scheme, which will continue to apply across all regions and sectors in the UK economy, comes after the government outlined its plan for the next phase of its response to the coronavirus outbreak.