The House of Commons library has published the statistical report for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, referred to as ‘Furlough’.
The Scheme applied from 1st March 2020, to prevent mass redundancies due to the COVID-19 pandemics impact on the U.K. economy and specifically employment. The scheme ended on 30th September 2021.
The scheme provided grants to employers so they could retain and continue to pay staff during coronavirus related lockdowns, by furloughing employees at up to 80% of their historically verifiable regular wages. At some points the costs were fully met by provision of government grants, and at other points, and towards the end of the scheme, by employers meeting a share of the costs.
UK PLC was introduced to unfamiliar terminology such as furlough, or flexi-furlough, regular salary and usual hours. There were numerous phases of qualifying and almost weekly changes and revisions to rules, guidance and claim processes.
Some saw the opportunity for advantage! Furlough fraud will have taken place with ongoing investigations.
Statistics and facts
11.7 million employee jobs were furloughed through the scheme, at a cost of £70 billion.
At the end of the scheme, at 30th September 2021, 1.16 million jobs were on furlough, which was 4% of eligible jobs.
21% of employers had at least one member of staff on furlough.
The number of furloughed jobs fell by 193,600 from the end of August to the end of September.
To see the full report, click on the following image:
PAYadvice.UK 4/12/2022
