Furlough Scheme To Continue Until 30 September 2021

The Government announced on 3 March 2021 that the job retention scheme (also known as the furlough scheme) will continue to 30 September 2021. You can find more information here: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme 

you can also find a more easy-read version of furlough information on Martin Lewis's website here

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/04/employed-help-coronavirus-furlough/#kids 

 

Camden Information on Financial Support for Workers

Here is a link to Camden's website with information about financial support for employed residents, including sick pay entitlements, ability to pay tax,zero-hours contracts and redundancy: 

https://www.camden.gov.uk/financial-support-for-workers1

 

Help for Workers in Businesses Told to Close in COVID Hotspots

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced on 9 October that workers at businesses forced to close if tougher restrictions are imposed in their local area will have two-thirds of their salaries paid by the government. 

Businesses which are legally required to shut for some time over winter because of COVID will receive grants to pay the wages of staff who cannot work.

The government will pay two-thirds of each employee's salary up to a maximum of £2,100 a month. 

You can read more about this here 

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-rishi-sunak-reveals-targeted-furlough-scheme-for-hospitality-industry-in-covid-hotspots-12099760

 

Financial Support for People Who Are Self Isolating 

On 27 August 2020, the Government announced that people on low incomes who need to self-isolate and are unable to work from home in areas with high incidence of COVID-19 will benefit from a new payment scheme. From early October, Camden now has its own scheme for this and you can find details here 

https://ascpractice.camden.gov.uk/early-help-guide/family-early-help-covid-guidebook/covid-nhs-and-government-information/tests-for-covid-test-and-trace/#main

 

London Assembly Employment Rights Hub

A useful guide to employees rights, including advice sheets in a range of languages.

https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/employment-rights-hub#Stub-270070 

 

List of Benefit Rates in 2020/21 

This is a link to the weekly and monthly amounts of each benefit and credit 

Benefits Rates 2020 21

 

 

OLD INFORMATION - HERE FOR REFERENCE ONLY

New Job Support Scheme Replacing Furlough Scheme (paused for second lockdown and had not started at 11 March 2021 - furlough continues to 30 September 2021)

On 31 October, 2020 the Governments furlough scheme ends, and is replaced by a new job support scheme. The scheme is designed to protect "viable jobs", it won't cover all jobs. The scheme is designed to:

• top up salaries in companies which can't take employees back full-time
• to be eligible, employees must work for at least 1/3rd of their normal hours
• for the hours not worked, the government and employer will each pay 1/3rd of the remaining wages. 
• This means the employee would get at least 77% of their pay

The job support scheme will open 1 November 2020 and run for 6 months (NOTE PAUSED DURING SECOND LOCKDOWN).

More information here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/job-support-scheme

and there is a useful summary here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52135342

 

Employee Financial Relief

The government is offering some financial relief to employees to protect their salaries.  info here 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-guidance-for-employees  

 

Martin Lewis from Money Saving Expert has created a number of helpful short videos explaining the relief being offered to employees during COVID. Here is a link to his twitter page and his website: 

https://twitter.com/MartinSLewis/status/1244955435720900609?s=19  

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/03/coronavirus-self-employed-and-employment-help/  

 

 Citizens Advice Employment and Pay Relief Schemes

Citizens Advice website has a variety of helpful advice regarding employment and the 80% pay relief scheme  

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/coronavirus-if-your-employer-has-told-you-not-to-work/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=covid19&utm_content=advice  

 

Parents and the Employee Furlough Scheme  

The Government has amended their guidance on furloughing employees (being put on temporary leave but staying employed); it now includes parents who are unable to work because of caring responsibilities including caring for their children. Below is a screen shot of the relevant paragraph and here is a link to the guidance 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme