Flexibility call over furlough extension
Perthshire Chamber of Commerce has called for more flexibility in the UK Government furlough scheme to help businesses across different sectors.
With Perth and Kinross heavily reliant on tourism and leisure, many businesses will be struggling to‘share the burden’from August when the scheme changes.
Earlier this week, chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the entire scheme is being extended until the end of October and that the current 80 per cent level is to last until the end of July.
But from August, this will be cut back to 60 per cent, with businesses being asked to top up payments to at least 80 per cent.
Reacting to the news, Vicki Unite, chief executive of Perthshire Chamber of Commerce, said:“We look forward to hearing more of the detail which we understand will come by the end of May on the furlough extension, and it’s great news for businesses and their employees that there is a plan in place beyond June.
“Employers’ability to contribute will depend on what business they are able to do at that point and when lockdown ends.
“We urge that consideration is given to businesses of different sectors, sizes and geographies and that flexibility will exist within the scheme to help save as many jobs as possible. It will be difficult to retain jobs for those companies who are instructed to contribute but told to remain closed, if that is the case for some.
“For Perthshire, which is so reliant on the tourism, hospitality and leisure market, and the trend we are seeing for larger scale events not taking place this year, we will all be looking at what alternative, new and adapted opportunities can be capitalised on.
“Very much in our favour is that we have a very pro-active and innovative local business community and we certainly have the capacity to enable social distancing to be adhered to. With many of our companies – of all sectors – being rurally based, it is critical that they all have adequate digital connectivity and that public transport is set up to meet demand safely.”