Chancellor of The Exchequer Rishi Sunak has announced that the furlough scheme which was put in place to support businesses and their employees affected by the coronavirus will be extended until the end of October. However, the scheme which is currently paying 7.5 million people 80 per cent of their current salary up to a limit of £2,500 per month, has attracted a number of fraudulent claims as well as reported instances of some employers demanding that their furloughed employees continue to report for work. As it stands, those receiving pay under the scheme are not permitted to undertake anything other than voluntary work for established charities and non-profit community groups, or study.
From the end of July, employers will be expected to have made adjustments to workplaces which will enable employees to return to work in sectors which have permission to re-open. It has also been mooted that there could be some flexibility which would allow for some furloughed staff to return to work on a part-time basis whilst retaining some subsidy from the public purse.
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