Financial comfort blanket is necessary

The furlough scheme which is currently providing a financial comfort blanket to millions of UK workers has been extended to the autumn. It is monumentally expensive, eating up billions of taxpayers’ cash each month, but at this time of national crisis it is a cost burden the UK public finances must accept.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak had little choice but to extend the scheme past the end of June, with coronavirus still spreading its misery across the UK.

But the length of the extension sanctioned by Mr Sunak yesterday, and the scale of the financial support provided, was beyond that expected by many businesses and other organisations and was rightly welcomed.

It gives a level of certainty to struggling workers whose immediate focus might have been on their financial strife rather than protecting themselves against Covid-19.

A new YouGov poll of 1,000 people in Fife has given a glimpse into how precarious finances are for many families.

Eight weeks into lockdown and almost half of those questioned admitted they were concerned about money, a figure that rose to 53% for households with older children.

Citizens Advice and Rights Fife, the council and other agencies are providing support and advice.

However, it is clear the need within communities across Scotland is already large and it is growing.

Covid-19 will continue to claim victims. But society can ensure that toll is not added to by financial pressures.