To think people who worked while claiming furlough should pay back the furlough money?

[Floogal]

A few days ago the 'cannon fodder' actually resonated with me. I've been working in retail for past few years as well as doing temp work in Hospital bank.
Like many others I had to work through the pandemic and did not benefit from furlough. I accept that as it was an emergency fund. What I resent is people getting 2 incomes by working. Also (yes I am bitter about it) my hours got cut to make way for furlough workers at the shop. As for the Hospital bank, furloughed workers were taking up the slots. Though, I believe nepotism is a big part with the Hospital. If someone on JSA was caught working cash in hand they would have to pay back everything. Students have to repay the student loans. So I think double dippers have to pay back some, if not all of the money.
Also fact that lots of people can afford to go on holiday or buy dogs raises eyebrows.

People on furlough were on 80% of their wages - many people can't afford that so they worked to make up the rest.

It's not the same as claiming benefits at all - people claim benefits because they either can't work for whatever reason or are trying to find work but haven't found anything yet (so obviously payments would stop once they find work, that's the point of it) - what a silly comparison.

As for the comment about buying puppies and going on holiday, that's not anything to do with being furloughed and working two jobs. I worked throughout aswell, never being furloughed. I managed to save with nothing being open, I didn't go on nights out, day trips, get my nails/hair etc done.
Many people were working from home so didn't have commuting costs or others didn't have childcare costs. A lot of people that worked right through managed to build up savings they wouldn't normally have

Quite a few were made up to 100% of salary.

Many of those furloughed were in very insecure fields, and couldn't be sure that there'd be a job for them afterwards. So working elsewhere to save up in case they lost their jobs was probably a sensible thing to do.

Those in non-food retail whose shops were closed over lockdown turned out to be correct in their pessimism. Many shops have never re-opened in my local towns, so it turns out that they didn't have jobs to return to.

People didn't choose to get furloughed.

For a lot of people, 80% of salary doesn't pay the bills.

There were shortages of workers in certain fields.

Good on those furloughed people who got off their arse and made themselves useful, I don't begrudge them a penny. I say this as a full time NHS worker (not front line) who worked throughout and often did 14 hours days at the start of the pandemic getting people redeployed. We were bloody grateful that people wanted to come back into HCA work.

YABVU and bitter.

Well think about those of us that couldn't work and got fuck all as they had just started their jobs.

Your ire is directed at totally the wrong people. I honestly think there's something in the British psyche that absolutely just adores suffering and more so the suffering of others because they had to endure hardship of some sort themselves.

All those 2nd home owners who said they were holiday let's should pay the money back, a lot done very well out of it.

At first I thought you meant worked in their company whilst illegally claiming furlough. Now I realise you probably mean second jobs. Yabu. Most people took on low paid roles to top up their reduced income.

Loads of my colleagues did this. Were furloughed. Took deliveroo jobs. 2 incomes. I never thought it was ok. But loads have done it.

@ItsSnowJokes

They haven't done anything wrong. Some people couldn't survive on 80% of their wages. What were they supposed to do? Not pay bills or eat?

This.

My whole industry was shut down - I work in a gym. I only got 80% wages. I can’t afford to live on that - and if the government made it illegal for me to work there, then I’ll have to earn the rest elsewhere. It’s quite simple!
Stupid post that shows no understanding of how other people live. The vast majority of furloughed workers (& I had 11 months of it) were not doing dodgy deals.

Furloughed workers just can't catch a break. Being told they are no longer allowed to work by the government through no choice of their own. Constant threat of redundancy for 18 months and worrying about how they will pay bills or clear the debt they have ran up trying to survive the past year and a half or put food on the table. Being slaughtered for sitting at home enjoying the free ride. Slaughtered by going out to work to top up the 20% or more in salary that they probably couldn't afford to loose in the first place.

You forget that any second job taken on when Furloughed from a main employment would be subject to 40% tax just like any other job so essentially they have helped to boost the economy when only just breaking even, all while putting themselves at risk out working those second jobs on the front line as key workers. How about you take your issues up with your employer and the Government and not the poor people that are being scrutinised for just trying to survive.

No, of course they shouldn’t pay it back.

Getting an unrelated second job was completely within the rules.

People on furlough, for the most part, didn’t get full pay. Are you saying people should have been prevented from topping up their pay?

I had to sign a furlough agreement stating I wouldn't work elsewhere, not even on a voluntary basis.

We were expected to be ready to go back with very minimal notice eg we could potentially be called in the morning and asked to get there ASAP.

I have read about people who took on seconds jobs and have managed to save loads of money, not only did they have their wages they also had their 80% furlough from their original job and they weren't spending much as obviously couldn't really go anywhere to spend it!

Many of those furloughed only got 80% of their wages, took on key worker jobs (e.g. Delivery drivers), are in industries that have not yet recovered fully, have since been made redundant, or faced months of worrying about whether they'd have jobs to go back to.

I don't begrudge those furloughed one bit for getting themselves sorted with some work whilst they went through so much uncertainty, nor should they pay back the money. Nor would I call furlough a 'benefit'.

I didn’t chose to be furloughed. It was some of the hardest months of my life; worrying if we’d be able pay the mortgage, decimating our savings, cancelling my wedding and importantly worrying if I’d even have a job to go back to. Income wasn’t topped up, husband made redundant so I would have HAPPILY continued working. I had no choice in being furloughed.

I made a decision to go to university eyes open understanding the debt I’d get into. Furlough was not my decision. Would I pay it back? Absolutely not. Never. Do I feel bad for taking it? Absolutely not. It kept a roof over our head. The government had a duty to protect people in every sense, the same way we all have a duty to protect those in need for benefits and subsidies social care.

We’re damned if we got another job to top up our income and stay afloat - and damned if we sat at home doing nothing “having a holiday.” I hate this argument. So short sighted and selfish.

You forget that any second job taken on when Furloughed from a main employment would be subject to 40% tax just like any other job so essentially they have helped to boost the economy when only just breaking even, all while putting themselves at risk out working those second jobs on the front line as key workers. How about you take your issues up with your employer and the Government and not the poor people that are being scrutinised for just trying to survive.

A second job is only 40% tax if it takes you over the 40% threshold, it's not all 40%, it's at your normal rate of tax

@User7458

All the people I knew that were furloughed had their pay made up to 100%, I don't know any that took 2nd jobs but maybe they didn't need to if they got full pay for staying home

Mine wasn't. And it was only 80% of my basic salary which is topped up by shift pay. So I ended up with somewhere bewteen 60 and 65% depending on the length of the month.

I was furloughed from non essential retail. Took a temporary job in a supermarket picking for home delivery. I wanted to do something to help out as much as anything. I paid loads in tax from my second job.

@User7458

A second job is only 40% tax if it takes you over the 40% threshold, it's not all 40%, it's at your normal rate of tax.

My friend had told me they were paying double tax for working 2 jobs. I have never had a second job so literally no idea how they work tax with it.

Furlough was a total skive 80% pay for being on holiday So actually the difference was 20% so me and loads of others working their asses off for 20% above the furlough people Id gave happily swapped with you

Twentypast

Were you paid correctly. The pay should have been based on what you earned that month the previous year or a average of the year, whichever was highest.

Not everyone got 80% of their earnings though as it was only up to £2,500 a month.

They shouldn't pay it back.

[quote NewFlav]@User7458

A second job is only 40% tax if it takes you over the 40% threshold, it's not all 40%, it's at your normal rate of tax.

My friend had told me they were paying double tax for working 2 jobs. I have never had a second job so literally no idea how they work tax with it.[/quote]
With a second job you don't get the allowance where you pay no tax which is about £12700 as you already have used that allowance on your first job so the whole lot is taxed at 20% up to the 40% threshold so it does seem like you pay loads of tax on a second job as it is all taxed but it's no more than if you earned that extra money in the first job

At my work people were furloughed and their pay topped up to the full 100%. They were lucky our workplace was generous. My department wasn't furloughed and worked from home fine but it was the people in lower paid jobs like the cafe workers, cleaners and security guards who couldn't work from home. Some of them might live hand to mouth and if their pay had been cut by 20% I'm sure they'd be looking for any job to stay afloat.

Yep, you shouldn't get taxpayer funded furlow money & second job money.
I would think that because I worked throughout & didnt get a chance to do it.
Thee isnt a magic money tree all this money will be have to be paid back.