LOW PAID ‘CAN’T ISOLATE’

Predictions of a “culture changing” wave of redundancies come as the Government warns its furlough scheme will come to an end in November.

Unions have appealed for the creation of a “national recovery council” to ease the misery facing millions of families whose incomes are set to disappear.

There are fears the unemployment rate could rise to an estimated 20 per cent as more than 250,000 firms begin laying off staff because they cannot pay wage bills.

More than 8.4 million workers are having 80 per cent of their wages paid by the taxpayer under the job retention scheme, likely to cost £100billion.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has confirmed the scheme will wind down over the next five months. Firms will have to meet 20 per cent of furloughed wages by October.

An independent study by the Institute for Social and Economic Research says at least 6.5 million jobs could be lost.

Worst hit will be hotel and food services. Senior Tories and industry experts have called for the Government

UP to two million lower paid workers will have to choose between “putting food on the table or risking their lives to go to work” says Labour.

The party and unions have called on the Government to plug a gap in statutory sick pay which they fear could scupper test and tracing.

People expected to self-isolate after coming into contact with a Covid-19 carrier will receive sick pay of £95. But it will be too little for many families to live on, say critics who fear they will ignore the test and trace rules and continue to work to receive normal pay.

The TUC wants the statutory rate raised to the level of the “real living wage” of £260 a week.

A Downing Street spokesman said people falling into the gap would be able to claim universal credit.