New analysis estimates around 4,700 people in Llanelli were still fully furloughed by their employer in the middle of August.This means 44% of workers who were moved onto the UK Government’s Coronavirus Jobs Retention Scheme (CJRS) in the early phase of the Covid-19 crisis remain fully furloughed over four months later.
Figures also show that 2,300 people in Llanelli had made claims under the Coronavirus Self-Employed Income Support Scheme (SEISS) by the end of July. Despite this, Chancellor Rishi Sunak is pushing ahead with his one-size-fits-all withdrawal of both schemes across the entire economy by the end of October.
Many other countries’ schemes last longer or have been extended. The UK is an outlier in fully withdrawing help after only six months.
Today, Labour is calling on the Tories to introduce targeted income support to businesses and self-employed people in the sectors of the economy hit hardest by the virus, and in parts of the country that become placed under local restrictions due to rising rates of infection.
This targeted extension is vital.
If the Tories oppose Labour’s motion in Parliament today, people in Llanelli who are in jobs hardest hit by the pandemic, like the 2,600 working people with jobs in manufacturing and pubs & clubs, will be wondering why this government doesn’t seem to care about their livelihood.