Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

(asked on 28th April 2020) - View Source

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to take steps to tackle employers that refuse to furlough employees who were on payroll on 19 March 2020 and have subsequently left that employment, in circumstances where those former employees have contacted their former employers for support through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.


Answered by
Jesse Norman Portrait
Jesse Norman
This question was answered on 4th May 2020

The Government guidance makes clear that, as long as eligible for the scheme, employers can re-employ employees they made redundant or who stopped working for them on or after 19 March 2020, put them on furlough, and claim for their wages through the scheme from the date on which they furloughed them.

The Government encourages all those firms affected by coronavirus to do the right thing for their employees. The scheme will help firms keep millions of people in employment by covering most employers’ wage costs. Firms should receive their grant within 6 working days of submitting claims.

The Government is also supporting those on low incomes who need to rely on the welfare system, through a significant package of temporary measures which benefit new and existing claimants. The measures include a £20 per week increase to the Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance and Working Tax Credit basic element, and nearly £1 billion of additional support for renters through increases to the Local Housing Allowance rates for UC and Housing Benefit claimants.

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