Rishi Sunak rejects calls by businesses for furlough extension despite extended restrictions
Posted on in Business News , Cycles News , Political News
ishi Sunak has rejected business demands for an extension of the furlough scheme and business rates relief, despite a four-week delay in the easing of Covid-19 restrictions now set for 19 July.
The fourth and final stage of taking England out of lockdown was originally set for June 21, but the rapid spread in cases of the Delta variant has led to a 50 per cent rise in hospitalisations across England week-on-week.
The lockdown extension is set to be reviewed in two weeks and the PM remains "confident" that the delay would not need to be longer than four weeks.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has rejected the call to extend furlough and business rates relief, both of which are set to begin to wind down from the start of next month.
The furlough scheme will wind down from paying 80 per cent of people's wages to 70 per cent from July 1, with support set to be withdrawn altogether by September.
Business rate relief is set to fall from 100 per cent to 66 per cent from July 1, although it will remain in place until March next year.