Expansion of Job Support Scheme
The Chancellor has announced an expansion of the Job Support Scheme (originally announced as part of the Winter Economy Plan) to provide additional support to businesses that are required to close as a result of lockdown restrictions.
The scheme will pay two-thirds of employees salaries up to a maximum of £2,100 a month. This will be available for businesses that are legally required to close where staff are off work for a minimum of seven consecutive days. It will begin 1 November 2020 and run for 6 months. In addition, the government will be offering more generous cash grants to businesses forced to shut in local lockdowns, these are intended to help cover fixed costs.
This will be in addition to the original Job Support Scheme that is intended to help businesses with staff on reduced hours, where the government and the employer would each pay a third of the wages of the staff member for the hours not worked.
It is intended that this will be UK wide.
