LONDON (Reuters) – The United Kingdom has extended by a month until the end of June the furlough scheme for workers at companies hurt by the coronavirus outbreak, finance minister Rishi Sunak said.
“It is the right decision to extend the furlough scheme for a month to the end of June to provide clarity,” Sunak said.
“It is vital for people’s livelihoods that the UK economy gets up and running again when it is safe to do so, and I will continue to review the scheme so it is supporting our recovery.”
The scheme, which allows firms to furlough employees with the government paying cash grants of 80% of their wages up to a maximum of 2,500 pounds, was originally open for three months and backdated from the 1 March to the end of May.
(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Kate Holton)
