Richard has welcomed the Chancellor's latest package of support to protect jobs in Tier 1 and Tier 2 areas but urged the Chancellor to work with the Health Secretary to do everything possible to get self-employed people and everyone else into work and back to work without restrictions as quickly as possible.
The government had already set out its economic package of support for businesses who are legally required to close, which included the expanded Jobs Support Scheme, more generous and frequent cash grants and more help for the self-employed. But the economic situation is damaging to some businesses which are not forced to close, but face reduced demand due to additional social distancing restrictions.
Today's package covers:
- open businesses which are experiencing considerable difficulty will be given extra help to keep staff on as government significantly increases contribution to wage costs under the Job Support Scheme, and business contributions drop to 5%
- business grants are expanded to cover businesses in particularly affected sectors in high-alert level areas, helping them stay afloat and protecting jobs
- grants for the self-employed doubled to 40% of previous earnings
Full details can be found here.
Following the statement, Richard welcomed this package, Richard urged the Chancellor if he would also work with the Health Secretary to ensure that they are doing whatever they can to get self-employed people and everyone else into work and back to work without restrictions as quickly as possible.
Richard said: "The government's economic priority is to protect jobs. The way it does that needs to evolve as the pandemic evolves. This support is absolutely vital, but we must also make sure that our self-employed workers can return to work as quickly as possible, without restrictions which is why I pushed the Chancellor to do all he get to get people back into work."
