To SCREAM from the rooftops that furlough needs to be extended at least 6 more months

[Marg33t]

Furlough saves jobs and saves people's health. Why is the extension not announced today?

People are losing their jobs at a rapid rate as it's near to the 30-45 days for consultations for redundancies. It needs to be extended or more people will lose their jobs. Other counties are running it until next year and it makes me feel sick that we aren't protecting and saving jobs!

Because we are a nation of individualistic small-minded ignorant cunts who keep electing Tory governments who only care about themselves and their millionaire chums

What sort of a nation are you. poster?
We are a different nation...

No sadly you are mistaken, it's not suddenly not good enough, it has never been good enough.

You're right, but a lot of people are only complaining now because they're the ones who are being faced with the reality of surviving on it.

And I, I, I , did NOT vote Tory, I would rather die than do that.

You women on here, mothers who shot yourselves in the foot have a lot to answer for for voting Tory. Where were your brains when you needed them?

So shout THAT from the rooftops OP. If your voice is loud enough.

My guess is you will need to practice.

Bet the OP is furloughed - getting 80% pay for doing diddly squat, yes please lets have another 6 months of that ....

I do get that it’s not sustainable but I didn’t actually think so many on MN would feel this way, it’s very smug. I really feel for those facing loosing their jobs so let’s see you all complain when the biggest property market crash hits

It was (in the last recession) and is currently quite effective in Germany.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/03/germany-extend-furlough-scheme-britain-kurzarbeit

It does have limitations but for a highly skilled economy it is important in maintaining skills and productivity levels. The UK policy approach though is to encourage a low wage, low skilled economy.

Furlough was only ever a short term measure, and was essentially necessary because of the order to stay at home and schools closed. A continuation of the blanket scheme is not only completely inappropriate to the situation, it's pretty clear the scheme has been totally abused by many profitable businesses.

An economic shock like this leads to a lot of job losses. Fortunately we know the cause and there's every chance it will be 100% solved in the next 6-12 months, so the medium term future is not too bleak. The economy will grow again but likely in many different directions to the path it was originally on.

@MintyMabel

If the jobs are no longer going to exist then people need to know ASAP so they can start looking for something else

Oh so much stupid in one post.

Where are these magic positions you speak of?

Healthcare, 'essential shops', supermarkets, tutoring, civil service, local government, delivery companies, to name a few off the top of my head, get yourself over to Indeed and have a look.

I lost my job the day lockdown hit. I started a new one 2 months ago, it's not impossible.

@rockinrobyntrees

I do get that it’s not sustainable but I didn’t actually think so many on MN would feel this way, it’s very smug. I really feel for those facing loosing their jobs so let’s see you all complain when the biggest property market crash hits

It's nothing to do with being smug

It's just being realistic - furlough isn't sustainable, and for a huge number of people, it's simply prolonging the inevitable, which is redundancy. It seems to me that a lot of people are panicking about the reality of this - which is that they'll end up on Universal Credit, but none of those people cared in March when thousands of self-employed workers had to start claiming. They didn't care when UC was first set up, or when tax credits ended.

Too many people are only getting vocal now because it's their lives being affected by it. Most of them never cared before they were faced with the realities of unemployment.

£2,000,000,000,000

UK's latest national debt. And it's getting worse. Who's going to pay it back?

The younger generation unfortunately.

So not only are the young not impacted from Covid from a health perspective, but we expect them to saddle them to pay it off through future taxes. A double whammy...

But you want the Taxpayer to fund an extra 6 months holiday for furloughed staff?

Beggars belief.

@weepingwillow22

It was (in the last recession) and is currently quite effective in Germany. www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/03/germany-extend-furlough-scheme-britain-kurzarbeit

It does have limitations but for a highly skilled economy it is important in maintaining skills and productivity levels. The UK policy approach though is to encourage a low wage, low skilled economy.

That is very interesting to read, thanks. If the government were to extend the furlough scheme, I do think it's important not to restrict it to those industries currently benefitting from loud lobby groups in Westminster and party donors. Many other industries are being affected by the pandemic not just hospitality, aviation and entertainment. Plus it should not just be for employees, it should cover the self-employed also. In the interests of fairness, any schemes that the government continues/launches should be available to anyone affected not just those noisy sectors that keep on getting mentioned (albeit they are very large).

I wonder how much it will cost to have so many more people claiming benefits including housing support when previously it wasn't needed.

We need to adapt and create more non face to face work so that more of society can work in conditions that wouldn't be affected by having to remote work. It's one way to bring some stability in the face of potential future illnesses.

I'm really sorry for people who have lost their jobs due to this awful pandemic. Especially as a pp said because of the way out country treats housing. I have a HA property in the SE and it is fucking gold dust. Without it I'm I'd not have had a hope in hell of having a stable home and my heart aches for those in such a position

Furlough costs WAY less than bailing the banks out 12 years ago. Of course it should be extended. Like austerity, it is a political decision. Not based on necessity.

Good grief we really need to teach more economics in schools. People on here seem to think national debt is like household debt. You boost an economy by making sure people have money to spend, not by letting everyone go on benefits.

@sarahc336

Also for someone who struggled all through lock down as I'm a key worker whilst still doing my job at home so in a new way of working and trying to get my head round that whilst trying to complete child care and then listening to my neighbours having a "holiday" in their garden whilst doing up their house and having endless bbqs and drinking most nights and on almost full pay for doing nothing, then that's annoying to us key workers that have struggled on and then receive no thanks for it. We can't sustain it sorry op you may not agree with my opinion but just wanted to highlight the other type of worker during the covid pandemic not just the furloughed x

I agree with you!! Honestly the people that thought it was great having time off posting of fbook really peed me off! No concerns for anyone else!

Sell a couple of nuclear warheads and that is that debt sorted...

Good grief some of us are well educated in Economics so don't need to be lectured about household vs national debt.

Paying people to sit at home idle is a waste of taxpayer money.

I don't think furlough should be extended, as the same jobs are unlikely to exist in 6 months. Training opportunities (sectors which might survive), universal credit that you can actually survive on or a universal wage.

But we can't afford to pay £3-5000 expenses per month to over 800 people to sit in the House of Lords on a random basis. Old mates of Boris, and previous PMs enjoying the most extravagant form of benefits.

I really hope those worried about furlough ending people extend the same compassion to those already on UC or living on carers alloeance. £67.60 a week for proving 35 hours a week care.

That’s a bloody joke @MillieEpple, so unfair

@MillieEpple absolutely no excuse for UC and carers to be so low in a wealthy country

I think the issue is that if you just keep furlough going, you will be (in many cases) simply prolonging the inevitable loss of those jobs as the business is not viable- or it is viable but the furloughed workers’ jobs are not. The taxpayer should be funding targeted furlough and specific sector support, not blanket support for anyone. That is what some other countries are doing. There is also a suspicion that the system has been open to abuse/manipulation.

Obviously, if it’s your job on the line or your business facing collapse you will view it differently. But the treasury have to be dispassionate.

Where are these magic positions you speak of?

This is mumsnet. Everyone can get a job as a delivery driver.

Because too many places used it to manage cashflow rather than protecting jobs

Yes this. I am working for a law firm who put me on furlough despite me having an active case load. They are simply distributing my work between my colleagues whose workloads are unmanageable and they are doing ridiculous hours. This is simply to save a few salaries.

Redundancies have been made but I haven't been made redundant thankfully. I am back in November.

The whole thing has left a bitter taste in my mouth as I feel they have abused the system. I'm sure they aren't the only company.

The money would have been better spent being targeted at specific industries over a longer period of time.