Boris Johnson says furlough scheme will be extended until December
The Government will extend furlough payments at 80% for the duration of the new national lockdown measures in England, Boris Johnson has said.
The Prime Minister said, during a Downing Street press conference, that he was sorry about the hardship that businesses have already endured this year.
Following the PM’s announcement on further restrictions across the country we have decided to extended the furlough scheme for a further month covering 80% of employees’ wages. pic.twitter.com/qqlpu6wcI6
— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) October 31, 2020
He said: “That’s why we are going to extend the furlough system through November. The furlough scheme was a success in the spring and supported people in businesses in a critical time.
“We will not end it, we will extend furlough until December.”
It will have some differences to March in that these measures will be “time-limited”, starting on November 5 and ending on December 2.
This is when the Government will seek to “ease restrictions” and go back into the tiered system.
Non-essential retail and hospitality services will be forced to close, while schools stay open during the four-week lockdown.
It means that pubs, cafes, restaurants will shut except for takeaway and delivery services.
