Chancellor Rishi Sunak has extended the government’s furlough scheme for a further month, as the coronavirus lockdown rumbles on.
Following the decision to extend the social distancing measures for a minimum of three weeks, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) will run until the end of June.
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 1 March to the end of May.
Mr Sunak, said: ” 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.”
