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Government’s coronavirus job retention scheme up and running

Business, News | Rhys Williams | Published: 15:32, Monday April 20th, 2020.
Last updated: 15:32, Monday April 20th, 2020

The UK Government’s coronavirus job retention scheme is now open, meaning businesses will be able to claim up to £2,500 a month towards staff wages.

Employers in Wales will be able to go online and claim grants covering up to 80% of furloughed staff wages, capped at £2,500 a month per worker.

The furlough scheme will be operated by staff at HMRC.

The scheme opened for applications at 8am on Monday (April 20), with 67,000 claims being made within the first 30 minutes.

Secretary of state for Wales, Simon Hart MP, said: “We will do whatever it takes to provide businesses in Wales with the support they need to get through this exceptionally difficult time.

“I encourage businesses in Wales to make use of the job retention scheme, allowing us to protect jobs and secure the future of our economy.”

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It was announced by Chancellor Rishi Sunak that the scheme will be extended by a further month until the end of June, with the country currently in lockdown and many businesses forced to close temporarily due to the coronavirus pandemic.

More information about government support for businesses and individuals in Wales can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-individuals-and-businesses-in-wales

Meanwhile, Welsh Government has released online training resources to help staff who have been furloughed.

The free resources are available on the Working Wales website.

Welsh Government’s economy minister, Ken Skates AM, said: “This is a hugely challenging and difficult time for all of us.

Find out if your business is eligible for support from the new Welsh “Economic Resilience Fund”

“We want to support those workers who have been furloughed and provide them with easy to access opportunities to improve their skills, maintain their mental health, and potentially think about future careers options.

“Workers taking this time to acquire new skills and knowledge will also be hugely helpful as we all work to ensure the Welsh economy is in the best possible position to bounce back from this pandemic.”

Mr Skates added: “Through this initiative we are providing a  wide range of free online learning resources, many of which are bilingual, from trusted providers like The Open University, and I strongly encourage our furloughed workforce to take a look at what is on offer.”


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