Workers at businesses forced to shut due to stricter lockdown measures will have two-thirds of their salaries paid by the government.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled the expansion of the Job Support Scheme, which is a successor to the furlough scheme, saying: “It will provide a safety net for businesses across the UK who are required to temporarily close their doors, giving them the right support at the right time.”
The shift in government policy comes as ministers prepare to follow Scotland with tougher new local restrictions, starting in the north, where Covid-19 cases have dramatically increased in recent weeks. It also comes as official figures showed that more than one in 10 workers in Britain – almost 3m people – were still furloughed in early September.
Sky News / The Guardian
