On Air Now
Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden 6:30am - 10am
Businesses to be given £1,000 bonus for each employee they bring back from furlough
8 July 2020, 13:36 | Updated: 8 July 2020, 13:43
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said the Government will be rewarding employers for bringing back furloughed staff following the coronavirus pandemic.
Rishi Sunak appeared in the House of Commons today to deliver a highly-anticipated speech about the Government's plans to kick start the UK economy.
During his address, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that a new policy will be coming into place across the entire UK, which will reward employers for bringing back furloughed staff.
The new policy will see businesses given a £1,000 bonus for every member of staff they welcome back from furlough.
Rishi Sunak said: "If you stand by your workers, we will stand by you."
He added that while furlough has been a "lifeline" for millions, it would be "irresponsible" to continue giving endless extensions to the scheme.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer explained: "Leaving the furlough scheme open forever gives people false hope that it will always be possible to return to the jobs they had before."
The new policy has been put in place to "reward and incentivise" employers.
"If you are an employer, and you bring someone back who was furloughed, and you continuously employ them through to January, we will pay you a £1,000 bonus per employee", Rishi Sunak told the House of Commons.
He went on: "It is vital people aren't just returning for the sake of it, they need to be doing decent work."
For businesses to get this bonus, the employee must be paid at least £520, on average, in each month from November to January.
