Furlough scheme extended to the end of June

The UK government’s furlough scheme is to be extended for a further month, the chancellor of the exchequer confirmed today.

Following on from yesterday’s announcement to keep the social distancing measures in place, chancellor Rishi Sunak said the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) would now be open until the end of June to help provide businesses with some certainty.

The scheme, which allows firms to furlough employees with the government paying cash grants of 80 per cent of their wages up to a maximum of £2,500, was originally open for three months and backdated from the March 1 to the end of May.

However, the chancellor said he would keep the scheme under review and extend it if necessary.

Mr 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.”

The government has said future decisions on the scheme will take into account further developments on the wider measures to reduce the spread of coronavirus, as well as the responsible management of the public finances.