Furlough to be wound down in July

[Alex50]

We all need to be getting back to work or our jobs and livelihoods are going to disappear.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/05/rishi-sunak-preparing-to-wind-down-furlough-scheme-from-july

@kirinm

Totally agreed - you should all be at work right now. If you cannot all do your jobs from home and sensible measures can be put in place you should be at work to be honest.

@juicy0 - I have a 20mo toddler. Her childminder looks after her during school holiday periods too. What are we meant to do - and by "we" I mean the millions of people who have children who are not school age yet.

Ps - I think most employers like your could open under current guidance but are worried about being sued. The unions have opposed the current sensible measures about people going back to work provided employers take all reasonable steps so employers will keep people at home.

@thetoddleratemyhomework our office is in London (City) but I personally wouldn't mind traveling in a few days a week. I am one of the people who can work from home although having a toddler and no childcare makes that very hard.

Some businesses have lost so much revenue that without furlough it will just lead to mass redundancies.

What is stopping people working is the lack of revenue to pay staff. Companies can just start working if there isn't work for their staff.

@kirinm if you can work from home you should but if others can't they should be able to go in.

I wish people would remember that furlough isn’t this payout of £2500 for everyone. Most people I work alongside are on minimum wage (hospitality, service charge is a massive wage top up). So they are facing 60% of minimum wage?

@AhGoGo Yes, exactly this. It's deeply unfair, and as usual it is those with the largest incomes who are getting the most help.
Similarly, in self-employment, there are huge numbers of us who are working around looking after children, whose incomes are quite low, doing gig work, who will get a percentage of the last few years' income.

It would have been far easier and fairer to give every adult an identical, set amount each month, or in a one-off payment to tide everyone over. Plus, it would have helped the economy because people with the lowest incomes would spend all of that money, paying VAT on some things, and also keeping businesses alive.

(Plus that way, that also would reward key workers, who could have that amount on top of their salaries/wages).

I think there is a big issue where people who could and should be working were furloughed by their companies instead.

It was never intended for everyone but essential workers to stay home, is was intended that you continued to go to work, from home if you could, but if not possible , then at your place of work. The furlough scheme was originially intended for those companies who needed to shut - e.g. hospitality, non essential retail, entertainment etc. Things like office based work, manufacturing etc should have all continued, but many chose to shut and furlough staff.

The plus side to this is that this will have helped control the spread of the virus. The downside is that its just not financially sustainable.

I think there need to be clearer guidelines around who can/can't be furloughed, and it really needs to move to a basis whereby its for employees of businesses that the government have actively asked to close only. Childcare is an issue, but I don't think its one that should be covered by furlough. I'd perhaps like to see some additional legislation around (unpaid) parental leave - perhaps a law passed that allows one parent of a family with children under 10 to take unpaid parental leave from when furlough is lifted until the end of the year with the right to go back to the same job etc (like additional mat leave). Perhaps something about the right to ask for flexible hours too, so that parents could work around each other where that is possible. Nannies/childminders should still be able to work, and even nurseries could operate with limits on the number of children per room/setting. This would be a way to gradually ease of lockdown.

Obviously socially we still need to remain in lockdown, the things that should be relaxed are those which allow the country to function economically and get things back up and running.

Yes exactly Mrsm43s. The unions sadly have already started opposing just this sort of sensible plan. They honestly want people to be able to sue their employers for not protecting employees at all costs. Reasonable measures are sensible but honestly people need to take a level of responsibility too.

@juicy0 I am a single parent and I use paid childcare over the summer holidays. If that's not allowed to open, then I can't work, simple as that.

Furlough was legitimately for business who saw their trade disappear overnight too. I agree you many have taken unnecessary advantage but the lockdown also affected those whi were technically allowed to work but whose business disappeared. E.g a portrait photographer was technically allowed to work but people weren't allowed or didn't want to go to her/have her in their home/be outdoors other than for exercise.

@mrsm43s but some of us can't afford to take unpaid leave. Not every household is a 2 parent household, I'm the only working adult in the house, we live month to month and if I'm not getting paid then I can't pay rent or buy food. In situations like this there's no "one size fits all" solution.

If holiday clubs and childminders are allowed to reopen over the holidays that would be the best thing.

@DateandTime

Totally agree with this. It shouldn't be for those who could work and don't though

@waxonwaxoff0

*@mrsm43s but some of us can't afford to take unpaid leave. Not every household is a 2 parent household, I'm the only working adult in the house, we live month to month and if I'm not getting paid then I can't pay rent or buy food. In situations like this there's no "one size fits all" solution.

If holiday clubs and childminders are allowed to reopen over the holidays that would be the best thing.*

But surely you can't expect to not work for reasons of childcare, and still get paid? I don't think furlough is the correct vehicle for dealing with this situation anyway. The right to return to your job, plus a fast-tracked UC application would seem a more appropriate way to deal with people not working due to childcare issues.

I agree with you, however, that holiday clubs and childminders being able to open would be best. TBH, I think it would have been more sensible for them to have been open all along, but with some strict guidelines in place (number limits, same staff dealing with same small group of children, additional hygiene measures etc). This way far more people would have been able to continue to work throughout.

I work for a large company, we'd already identified the first wave of UK redundancies before this talk of ending the furlough scheme. We're now looking at the next phase. Unfortunately those that are currently furloughed are more likely to be made redundant.
Given the timelines we'll be starting the consultation period very soon.
It's a shit situation. I know full well I could be one of those in the list at some point too. We're battling to try and save as many jobs as possible but right now our business is decimated and the numbers just don't add up.
I'll be involved in making people redundant knowing full well I am at risk too.

The company my friend works for are going to ask all the employees to take a substantial pay cut for the next year in order to avoid redundancies. Such a stressful time for most people :-(

I’ve taken this as a sign that they will try to lift all liftable restrictions by July.

I think the economic situation is going to be far worse than the virus, I said this all along but mumsnet seems to think there is a money tree somewhere. Europe are falling out over how they are going to fund this but Germany does not want to be part of any corona bonds or QE. USA stock market is in free fall, it’s going to be as bad as the depression in the 1920’s. We need to all pray we keep our jobs. The younger children need to go back to school so parents can work, I don’t know how they’re going to do it but they need to get a move on.

And then there are all young people leaving Uni and college this year with no job prospects, surely the government should this about bringing back state pension age to 60?

www.theguardian.com/business/2020/may/06/risk-dole-queue-future-young-people-after-covid-19-crisis

I personally feel let down by the government. The government has let employers choose who they furlough. The government are saying that it's an employers choice on weather they furlough staff that were in their notice period. I was in my notice period when the country went into lockdown and the company let me go with immediate affect! I'm classed as vulnerable as I'm pregnant, my employer knew this, although they are claiming they don't as theres nothing in writing, they refused to furlough me, universal credit will only allow me to claim £400 which would barely cover bills! I felt like I had no choice but to go and work in a supermarket, putting myself at risk! If it wasn't for the government allowing companies to choose who to furlough I wouldn't be in this situation! Personally I think the government should let people apply for furlough themselves with proof of previous payslips! My partner is self employed and is getting 1 job every 2 weeks so a huge pay cut and is having to wait for this self employed furlough! I'm sick of hearing people complaining that they have took a 20% pay cut to sit at home! Come back and complain when you have had a 100% pay cut!

I can't be the only one in this situation! The government either need to put more in place for people who have lost their jobs or begin to lift lockdown so that people can start going back to work again!

Normally when the state supports people it's at subsistence level not 80% of a well paid job, I can't see justification for paying so much of people's wages at a time when when no one can go anywhere or spend much money anyway 🤷🏼‍♀️
is it right that people are being kept 'in the manner to which they have become accustomed'?

Because mine is 11 in primary school and like hell is he ready to be left alone

Mine is 11 in primary school too, I’d leave him at home to go to work if I had to, but then he’s got a 14 year old brother.

I have benefitted from furlough and feel extremely grateful for it. I got 80% wages paid for a minimum wage job I only started in February, after a few months out of work.
However, it is unsustainable. I think the government should have temporarily have introduced a basic income and maybe cancelled council tax for a few months instead. Just my view.