So...true end of furlough?

[AlohaMolly]

What do we think? The budget comes out on 3rd March, and I don’t think restrictions will have been lifted by April. Will they extend again?

I think they will have to for certain businesses that aren't allowed to open - pubs etc. There will be outcry if not. Maybe they will stop it for businesses that are currently allowed to trade.

Yes probably have to extend for the closed industries, can;t see everything opening by then. But it will likely only be for those who have been forced to close.

Actually, now you’ve said that, did they do that for a little while last year too?

They can't say that pubs (for example) have to close, but then not pay furlough for people who would work in pubs.

I hope it’s extended for those who are being told they cannot go to work. DS1 works for TKMaxx for example & is therefore on furlough. He’s in the warehouse operations rather than the retail side but obviously there’s still no work while the stores are closed.

I truly hope they don't extend.

Selfish I know but too many people have been too happy to receive their 80% pay, watching netflix and not questioning the government and restrictions.
When unemployment and poverty replace furlough then hopefully peoples ears might start to prick up and start asking questions.

@DuchessofHastings1

I truly hope they don't extend.

Selfish I know but too many people have been too happy to receive their 80% pay, watching netflix and not questioning the government and restrictions.
When unemployment and poverty replace furlough then hopefully peoples ears might start to prick up and start asking questions.

Which way did you vote at the last GE?

My brain is confused. You sound like a Tory.

They can’t keep extending it we can’t afford it in its current form. For closed industries there needs to be support but a lot of businesses are still using it as an excuse to delay making people redundant which is effectively giving a sense of false hope when they know full well their jobs won’t come back.

We need a proper plan for reopening and then we need to not close down again. We can not afford this lockdown let alone countless more. We need economists shouting above the scientists now or we will have nothing left to open up. Scientists do not care about the economy especially when they are getting six figure pay cheques and living in huge houses. I have 2 family members who own businesses and unless you have seen first hand the impact it’s having you really can’t comment on how terrible it is to watch something you have put your heart and soul into fail through no fault of your own.

I hope they don't extend furlough - I may be able to get a day off!

I also know first hand of approx £1 million in fraudulent furlough claims so can only imagine what the actual fraudulent claims figure is.

Furlough should have been targeted to specific industries from the start - making it a free for all was just asking for trouble. Fair enough they had to quickly cobble something together but they've had almost a year to adapt & improve the scheme yet it's still open to all & sundry.

Also I have clients with employees claiming £10-20 furlough a week - if your furlough equates to your average earnings being less than 2.5hrs a week & you've been on furlough since March surely you need to consider other options

Labour but considering they want harsher restrictions, god knows.

I will go to hell I know. Burned at the stake I deserve it.
When people are on furlough and they're getting the majority of their wages for nothing, they would find it difficult to empathise with people who's businesses are collapsing or people who are working from/and home schooling, key workers like my self.

Once that's gone, they might start to wonder why everyone's kicking up a fuss about lockdowns

What’s wrong with sounding like a Tory?

But would that be the Tory government that’s spent billions in the last year?

@DuchessofHastings1 I work in a restaurant so have been furloughed for most of the year. I am very much anti lockdown. I want everything open ASAP and am desperate to get back to work. Based on the people that I personally know, all my colleagues who are furloughed are wanting for this to end now.

@Katie517 I think that's a major part of the problem. People lack perspective. When it's not happening to them, they don't understand the impact lockdown has on peoples lives when it's not happening to them.

Theres a poster who loves to doom and gloom and lockdowns on MN, who replied "we all have it tough but we need to protect ourselves more than I miss childcare and going around TK Maxx" when I posted I had to get my friend out of bed to feed her kids due to the depression through lockdowns.

People just have no idea. I have heard my colleague in her late 50s who was admitted to hospital cos of Covid but I just think it's still not a good enough reason to cut off the lives of the majority to save a small proportion who may or may not die of it anyway.

@Shelovesamystery if your anti lockdown, then your a friend of mine
Obviously not everyone on furlough is lockdown lovers but most will lack perspective on those which are being made redundant and losing businesses.

But the government wont end furlough cos then people will get fidgety and start asking questions, they wont want that so most probably they'll extend furlough.

But if you think furlough should end what then for industry’s that stay shut?
The furlough scheme will continue for hospitality which is huge not just pubs as people like to think. Your worried about your holidays there won’t be any in this country if the furlough scheme ends , all the hotels and holiday camps are furlough .
So it’s 2 choices re open or furlough.

It’ll be merged into universal basic income.

@DuchessofHastings1

I truly hope they don't extend.

Selfish I know but too many people have been too happy to receive their 80% pay, watching netflix and not questioning the government and restrictions.
When unemployment and poverty replace furlough then hopefully peoples ears might start to prick up and start asking questions.

Fucking hell, you want people to lose their homes just so they get angry?

Soulless.

I don’t think many people currently on furlough are just sitting pretty and chilling. I would imagine they are mostly all very worried about their jobs. Dh works for a cinema chain, he is senior management and is actually not furloughed but most of the rest of his company is.

When will they be allowed to reopen? Will any films come out? Will enough people return to the cinema quickly to enable them to actually make some money for the first time in nearly a year? Or after hanging on for all these months will they end up going under anyway?

No one in his company, including those furloughed, is enjoying this time. I can assure you of that.

Oh and just to add, I do definitely believe that for as long as businesses are ordered to remain closed support should remain. You can’t tell companies they are just not allowed to even try to trade and not pay towards that.

@MarcelineMissouri

Oh and just to add, I do definitely believe that for as long as businesses are ordered to remain closed support should remain. You can’t tell companies they are just not allowed to even try to trade and not pay towards that.

I agree

@DuchessofHastings1

I truly hope they don't extend.

Selfish I know but too many people have been too happy to receive their 80% pay, watching netflix and not questioning the government and restrictions.
When unemployment and poverty replace furlough then hopefully peoples ears might start to prick up and start asking questions.

I hope you're a troll. The travel industry is on its knees. I have worked from last March full time until November and was put on flexi furlough. I am currently working 3 days a week. I have team members that have Been furloughed for a year. We would all love to be back doing the jobs we love but WE CAN'T!! We don't want to sit around watching Netflix but what else can we do? Jobs are currently very few and far between.

I imagine furlough will be extended for industries still curbed by restrictions. The government need to disguise the fact that vast numbers of workers currently on furlough are about to become unemployed, and spread out the time when people need to claim welfare.

Surely there will be widespread anger when the true cost of lockdown becomes clear. Presumably more people will ask questions about whether it was worth it.

Agree furlough should be extended for those business that are forced to be closed!

When I was trying to sell my mum's house during the first lockdown our buyers solicitor was furloughed - why was a solicitor furloughed? Surely to god they just take a laptop home!

I have no problem with anyone furloughed but I think lots of employers have taken advantage of the scheme rather than just let their employees work from home!

Jeez DuchessofHastings1 can tell you don’t live in an area where most industry has been forcibly shut down by the government. If the govt has made your business operating illegal then yes they should have to support it... 80% of the tourist businesses in my (Tourist destination) area say they will go under if financial support doesn’t continue past the end of March. Is the govt going to open up hotels, theme parks, pubs etc then so they can make their own way?!