West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has welcomed news that the Government has extended the deadline to allow more companies to furlough their staff.
The scheme, which means that companies are able to apply for a grant to ensure that staff stay on their payroll, has been extended by three weeks to the new deadline of March 19 – the day before the scheme was announced by the Chancellor.
The system has recently been reviewed to help as many employees as possible, while keeping the risk of fraud under control. This change makes the scheme more generous and is expected to benefit over 200,000 employees.
Harriett quizzed Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs about the scheme and urged a re-think when representatives gave evidence to the Treasury Select Committee earlier this month.
Harriett commented: “The furlough approach has been designed to keep as many people as possible in continued employment, while the nation is in lockdown and many businesses are simply not able to operate.
“We all hope that these measures will not be in place for long, but when business do return to full operation, it is vital that as many people as possible are still in gainful employment and ready to resume their jobs.
“This scheme is part of an unprecedented package of measures announced by the Chancellor to protect individuals and businesses.
“This includes significant support for the self-employed and immediate steps to give businesses access to cash to pay its rent, salaries or suppliers.
“If any employer now thinks they are eligible for support, they can find out by visiting https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme .”