Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to help ensure that businesses furlough rather than dismiss staff who (a) are not able to return to work or (b) have to reduce hours due to childcare responsibilities during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Government would encourage all?firms?affected by coronavirus to treat their employees fairly and carefully.?The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme?is already?helping?firms keep millions of people in employment by?covering?most wage costs. While there is no obligation for employers to take up the scheme, the scheme is open to all UK employers provided they have a PAYE scheme registered on HMRC’s real time information system for PAYE on 19 March 2020;?enrolled for PAYE online;?have a UK bank account; and?that?HMRC have received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before 19 March 2020.

The Government has extended the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme until October 2020. After July, the Government will introduce more flexibility to the furlough scheme in a measured way that protects people’s incomes and helps support furloughed employees as they return to work. From August through to the end of October, employers currently using the scheme will have more flexibility to bring their furloughed employees back to work part-time while still receiving support from the scheme. The Government is urgently working out the details to ensure there will be a system in place that is clear for firms and employees, while minimising the risk of fraud.