- Huw Hughes
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The UK government has announced plans to extend the country’s furlough
scheme by five months and to increase support for self-employed workers.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said Thursday the Coronavirus Job Retention
Scheme (CJRS) will now run until the end of March with employees receiving
80 percent of their current salary for hours not worked.
Additionally, Sunak announced that the Self-Employment Income Support
Scheme (SEISS) will be increased, with the third grant covering November to
January calculated at 80 percent of average trading profits, up to a
maximum of 7,500 pounds.
It comes as England entered into its second national lockdown on
Thursday.
“I’ve always said I would do whatever it takes to protect jobs and
livelihoods across the UK – and that has meant adapting our support as the
path of the virus has changed,” Sunak told the Commons.
“It’s clear the economic effects are much longer lasting for businesses
than the duration of any restrictions, which is why we have decided to go
further with our support.
“Extending furlough and increasing our support for the self-employed
will protect millions of jobs and give people and businesses the certainty
they need over what will be a difficult winter.”
Photo credit: FashionUnited
