The government’s furlough scheme will be extended for a further month, the Chancellor confirmed today.
Following on from yesterday’s announcement to keep the social distancing measures in place, Rishi Sunak said the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) would now be open until the end of June.
The scheme, which allows firms to furlough employees with the government paying cash grants of 80% of their wages up to a maximum of £2,500, was originally open for three months and backdated from the 1 March to the end of May.
If you’re placed on furlough, your employer will have to confirm this in writing. While you’re on it, any deductions for income tax, employee National Insurance contributions and student loan repayments will continue to be paid.
The furlough initiative, which was due to end on May 31, will now run until June 30 2020.
Review
However, the Chancellor said he would keep the scheme under review and extend it if necessary.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, said: “We’ve taken unprecedented action to support jobs and businesses through this period of uncertainty, including the UK-wide Job Retention Scheme. With the extension of the coronavirus lockdown measures yesterday, it is the right decision to extend the furlough scheme for a month to the end of June to provide clarity.
“It is vital for people’s livelihoods that the UK economy gets up and running again when it is safe to do so, and I will continue to review the scheme so it is supporting our recovery.”