Rishi Sunak has torn up the scheme that was due to replace furlough from November 1 – and made it more generous. But you won’t actually get more of your salary, and you could in fact get less. Here’s what you need to know
Chancellor Rishi Sunak today unveiled major changes to wage support for millions of workers across the UK.
The top Tory was forced to tear up his Job Support Scheme less than a month after announcing it after unions, northern leaders and experts warned it wouldn’t be enough.
Facing fears of 500,000 redundancies by Christmas, Mr Sunak raised the proportion of state support for workers who go part-time from November 1.
But workers themselves will get no more of their salary than they would have under the previous plans.
And because staff can now work just one day a week to qualify, the worst-hit will actually get less of their salary.
The worst-off under the scheme will get 73.3% of their normal wage – even if they were on minimum wage before.
