Businesses to start paying towards furlough costs in August

A final self-employment coronavirus grant is to be made available and businesses must start paying towards the worker furlough scheme from August, the British Government has announced.

Freelancers will be able to claim up to £6,570 from that date, giving those workers access to a total coronavirus grant of up to £14,070 each.

Businesses will also have to start paying National Insurance and tax contributions for staff in August, ramping up to 10% of furloughed wages in September and 20% in October.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak had previously announced the plan to get businesses to contribute to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), but he laid out further details on Friday.

He also revealed that workers can return part-time without losing any furlough payments from July - a month earlier than previously planned, following lobbying from businesses.

But businesses must start bearing the costs and from August all companies using the furlough scheme must start paying National Insurance and employer pension contributions.

In September and October contributions will rise to 10% and 20% respectively, the Chancellor added, but workers still furloughed will keep getting 80% of their wages up to £2,500 a month.

The Government will cover 70% of wages up to £2,190 in September, with employers to pay National Insurance and pension contributions and 10% of wages, representing 14% of the gross employment costs.

The following month, the Treasury will pick up 60% of wages up to a cap of £1,875, with employers paying tax contributions and 20% of wages, representing 23% of the gross employment costs, the government said.

It added that only 40% of businesses had claimed the pension contributions since the scheme was launched.

Officials added that companies can be flexible with their definition of "part-time" as long as a full-time employee has not returned to normal hours.

The Treasury said: "Individual firms will decide the hours and shift patterns their employees will work on their return, so that they can decide on the best approach for them - and will be responsible for paying their wages while in work."

Since it was launched, the CJRS has been used by one million businesses to support 8.5 million jobs, at a cost of £15 billion so far.

The scheme is expected to cost a total of around £80 billion, or £10 billion a month, although the Office for Budget Responsibility is set to publish detailed costs next week.

Business groups had asked the government to ensure that those industries suffering hardest were most protected.

But the Treasury said it was not always clear which sector a business was in, insisting it would not rule out future support if required.

Mr Sunak said: "Now, as we begin to reopen our country and kick-start our economy, these schemes will adjust to ensure those who are able to work can do so, while remaining amongst the most generous in the world."

The Chancellor had faced calls, including from a cross-party group of 113 MPs, to extend the scheme for self-employed workers, which has so far seen 2.3 million claims worth £6.8 billion.

The grant will be worth 70% of their average monthly trading profits, paid out in a single instalment covering three months' worth of profits, and capped at £6,570 in total.

To combat fraud, employees will be able to report any concerns to HM Revenue and Customs.

Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts said the move raises challenges for retailers in Northern Ireland who are still waiting on the Executive to set a date to reopen.

“It is clear that the furlough scheme is being gradually phased out with more costs for employers from August. Whilst this is not unexpected, it does significantly raise challenges for retailers in Northern Ireland who still do not have a date to reopen.

“The NI Executive’s recovery plan (published today) does not provide significant sections of our retail sector with reopening dates. Many of these businesses currently have no income and will be concerned that by August they may be liable for ER NIC and pension contributions.

“Retail NI wants to see a reopening timetable in June, based upon medical evidence for the retail sector as a whole to avoid this problem.”