Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the effect on supply teaching staff of the requirement for employers to meet the cost of (a) national insurance and (b) pension contributions for furloughed staff.

Agency workers, including supply teachers, are eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) in the same way as other employees, and can continue to be claimed for during periods of school closure provided that the usual eligibility criteria are met.

Employers will only be asked to cover National Insurance and employer pension contributions for hours not worked. For an average claim, this accounts for just five per cent of total employment costs or £70 per employee per month. This is a fair way to ask employers to contribute because it protects lower paid workers, by limiting the cost of them to employers.

Since March, the Government has provided support for people, businesses and public services totalling an estimated £280 billion. In particular, businesses have received billions in loans, tax deferrals, Business Rate reliefs, and general and sector-specific grants. This support can be used by businesses to cover the costs of NICs and pension contributions, ensuring that they can continue to furlough their employees.