Govt furlough extended til October

[Joan0fSarc]

Thank goodness.

[DreamChaser23]

From August employers have to contribute. They will mention more in detail by the end of May. Some employers could contribute but others that haven't opened can't. Hoping there is more clarity and support especially for businesses that will take longer to open.

[IrmaFayLear]

I feel sorry for those in the Treasury who must be working round the clock to come up with plans... and then have to think of ways to thwart all the CFs who might take advantage of a scheme designed to help those who can't work because of the current situation.

I think some of the ideas are very good. Obviously a ceiling was necessary as otherwise some firms would furlough all the expensive senior staff. And I think in time there will be some auditing of the furloughing to weed out those who don't need to furlough staff.

But in the main if there are some unscrupulous operators, then as long as they are not too numerous it seems the scheme is to be applauded.

[wrongsideofhistorymyarse]

Middle manager on furloh here. Praying that I have a job to go back to in a few months and I don't lose my tiny flat.

[Ineverdidmind]

I am extremely grateful to still be working - from home.
My husband is also working from home, we have two young children and it is a NIGHTMARE.
However, I am pretty confident I have good job security and that knowledge is worth its weight in gold. I feel very very lucky. Those of you on furlough have my sympathy, I know my anxiety would be through the roof if that were me.

[ssd]

.

[TheWordWomanIsTaken]

the scheme was far too generous, it should have been roof and food
Why stop there? Just chuck them in a fucking poorhouse and be done with it.
I totally agree with you Amber there are some fucking characters on this thread. It may be the one that finally stops me being on here.
And as for the comments re council maintenance men all requesting furlough so that they can work on the black market. Evidence please.

This has to rank as one of the nastiest threads I have ever had the misfortune to read on this site.
And I'm not furloughed, nor have any fear of losing my job.

[rabbitcarrot]

@Helmlover1 It's supposed to start from August to October the employer need contribute to share with government together to make it 80%.

[Whatthefoxgoingon]

I’m grateful for the furlough scheme which has meant I will have to make fewer people redundant than I would have done without the scheme. Unfortunately I will still have to make some people redundant (it won’t be the essential staff who are still working now) as the economy is now seriously retracting.

[BackInNam]

I would rather be working my tits off in a job than being furloughed, at home or otherwise. Not being in control in these unprecedented times would do me in.
I feel really sorry for anyone who is losing their job because of this pandemic, but for anyone who is currently not working due to furlough or otherwise, we live in a free country and it is up to you how you spend your time.
With regards to the extending of furlough payments, injecting any money into the economy, however restricted it currently may be, is always a good thing, even with massive programmes like HS2 or Defence. These provide jobs for everyone throughout the supply chain, and it is only with money flowing through the economy that we limit the scale of a recession.

[LostJobtoday]

Well I woke up this morning and started work in my busy, secure, professional job. By 3pm I was told I was being furloughed and then made redundant. So this can happen to anyone.

[CloudsCanLookLikeSheep]

Sorry to hear that @Lostjob, do you mind saying what your job/industry
is/was?
Unfortunately the furlough scheme doesn't prevent companies going bust. I think we're on the verge of the mother of all depressions and this is just the tip...
Will you get some redundancy payment at least?

[HeIenaDove]

Now it's the turn of the childless to be on the receiving end of the resentment and anger

Probably the same childless who end up doing the shit shifts at Christmas.

[LostJobtoday]

Lawyer. So not a lazy feckless type...lol.

I’ll be Ok financially for a while. But just a salutary warning at the disdain extended to the furloughed. If this could happen to me it can happen to anyone. No ones job is safe really

[Puzzledandpissedoff]

as for the comments re council maintenance men all requesting furlough so that they can work on the black market. Evidence please

It was me who posted that, but there's not much point in me linking the site their "hints and tips" are being shared on as it's a closed one

Incidentally I didn't say "all" were requesting furlough, but FWIW there are 827 posters on that site

[ChocolateCard]

Yes, I have seen council maintenance people discussing similar tactics.

I also know of self-employed people who have contracts to provide a service to the council. They are not employed by the council. The council is their customer.

The council has, in effect, ‘furloughed’ them by continuing to pay 80% of the bill for no service.

All this, whilst they are still also claiming the business rates grants, the 80% of annual earnings, and their own staff costs at 80%.

Several people commenting on social media that they are financially better off and very glad of the nice long holiday at home.

[userxx]

@LostJobtoday Bloody hell!!! Why though if the business is there or it it forward planning? You are absolutely right though, no job is safe. I think once the furlough scheme ends we will see mass redundancies, it's putting if the inevitable for many.

[Kazzyhoward]

These provide jobs for everyone throughout the supply chain, and it is only with money flowing through the economy that we limit the scale of a recession.

Not quite so good if huge number of workers are brought in from abroad to do it, using materials/equipment manufactured abroad. If that happens, the benefit to the UK in the short term is minimal.

[Kazzyhoward]

All this, whilst they are still also claiming the business rates grants, the 80% of annual earnings, and their own staff costs at 80%.

Except that council maintenance contractors probably don't have business premises - they're more likely to work from home, so won't get the business rates grant.

Except that many won't employ staff - they'll be sole traders or they'll in turn use self employed contractors, so the furlough is irrelevant.

Except that the self employed don't get 80% of their income - they get 80% of profit after expenses - many of those expenses continue (equipment/vehicle leasing, subscriptions, insurance, professional fees, websites, mobile phone contracts, etc etc) so the ongoing costs have to come out of their "profit" meaning they have a lot less than 80% of their usual "take home".

But don't let a few facts get in the way of lazy stereotyping.

[BackInNam]

Not quite so good if huge number of workers are brought in from abroad to do it, using materials/equipment manufactured abroad

100% agree but that can be the case for any work carried by the government or private sector in the UK. Let's hope we add some bias going forward.
For government work, we at least have a chance to water-down some of the OJEU legislation as we exit the EU.
www.ojeu.eu/