Thetownend.com

With the government looking to slash the furlough payments to 60% in July many companies will have big decisions to make by the end of June. Call employees back, make them redundant or cause more uncertainty laying them off knowing that thousands won't be able to manage on the governments reduced income

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8291781/Rishi-Sunak-set-plans-week-wind-furlough.html

Forget all the pearl clutching because Dave down the road goes on two walks a day - this is going to be what causes a second spike

That's probably why they will try to fast track things. Next step when things get real tough, is social unrest will become a problem.

I cannot see pubs or restaurants opening for the rest of the year. Social distance to remain for a while yet. Going out will be relaxed.

Shops will reopen, but for less time and distancing in place.

I agree that the next step could be socisl unrest / looting etc if they don't fast track things

Cummings' opportunity crisis writ large.

Play it loud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za01QWLXisQ

There're no examples in recent UK history of groups of disaffected people turning to burning and looting shops during the shadow of austerity measures.

Oh, wait ...

Not a valid thread. You cannot quote the Daily Mail here. Shame on you.

Hence why the government is keen to get the PL going. Opium for the masses!

Some may be more vulnerable or closer than others, but I reckon most of us are not exactly in a secure job right now.

I'm working on a project linked to the MOD (not super secret), I really don't think the government are going to be splashing the cash in this area any time soon. They'll be broke.

I think it will get even harder when the lockdown finishes. They will be less public spending from councils, rates will go up, petrol will rise as will shopping.

It is extreme circumstances.

Going to be interesting to see how employers deal with this and their duty of care responsibilities to employees.

Likewise after 100+ staff deaths I wonder when the HSE investigation into the NHS/govt will begin?

It'll only end up in the same drawer as the Russian report and the Accuri investigation anyway.

I work in M&A and my company's active portfolio has shrunk by 40% with minimal new clients coming in and can't see that changing until next year. The chances of selling many businesses in the active portfolio are very slim.
We've furloughed 70% of the workforce, whilst those remaining are getting paid for 3 or 4 days a week instead of 5. The business is relying on a successful CBILS application to see us through to next year, it's pretty dire right now.

A lot of uncertainty at the moment, naturally. Hindsight is 20:20 and all, but moving into a job in business travel in Feb is looking like a pretty bad call now - we've been furloughed since the scheme opened and will be for as long as possible, and the company are being good about transparency and paying us in full, but it's not comfortable - worst case scenario, I'm still within the probation period and best case scenario, our business is going to return about as slowly as anyone's.

Should probably look around but not exactly full of motivation to do that.

Take your pick as we're find out come Thursday/Sunday but I would imagine there's some truth coming out of either rag newspaper but I would take note of the telegraph
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11557327/furlough-help-only-poorest-workers/
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/05/05/coronavirus-furlough-scheme-could-cut-back-costs-soar/

I've just been furloughed from a company that serves aerospace & the mod on 80% so really don't want it going into July if the Sun, Mail & telegraph have got it right. It's the uncertainty that's the hardest do deal with as you don't really know what to do

In this context you're probably right to look at those 3, if what you're looking for is a hint at where the govt are likely to go, as all 3, Telegraph especially, get regularly used by this govt as outlets for stories/ideas they want to push. If you're looking for objective facts, it's a different matter, but if you want the Johnson line, Telegraph is probably first port of call.

Good point you make regarding the government using the Telegraph etc so it will be interesting to hear what they say either Thursday or Sunday as they clearly need a new strategy  to stop the country going bankrupt

There isn't anything around. I keep an eye on jobsgopublic for IT stuff, usually there are 120+ on there. When I checked last week there were 4 positions up. And judging by the date left to apply I reckon those would have been cancelled.

The best thing for the economy would be to borrow our tits off whilst it's cheap and keep spending on furloughed wages, benefits, services to keep the economy moving to stop the whole thing grinding to an unrestartable stop.

Or shrink the whole thing until all that's left is owned by the top 100 Tory Donors and we all live in even more of a tennant/mortgage surfdom than we already do.

I reckon the second one.

Counter-argument is that government may have to open the Keynesian spending taps to weather the downturn, and borrow like they never have before to fund it.  When the private sector is tanking, government has a duty to keep the public sector going to prop things up.

They do seem genuinely shocked that they offered this scheme and god forbid people actually took them up on it. Its almost like it was a PR stunt with no real plan behind it.

The suggestion that the country is in some way 'addicted' to the scheme is just shitty language sounding the dog whistle.

why do you think this? the furlough scheme and system was fantastic, slow on self employed but that is a mine field. 6 days from submission to payment and has helped millions continue to have an income. this was never going to last and reigning it back with reduced lockdown will help businesses start to adapt and find some income again

it's a fair comment, tanking the whole thing simultaneously in private and public sectors , and while fucking around with brexit ..... it could be even worse.

I agree its worked very well, however suddenly coming up with what appears to be an arbitrary date for its reduction, before there is any indication of what the start up process is going to entail or its timetable has just put the fear of god into many people?

The two should have been announced together as part of a cohesive plan.

Try telling my local that. They've not been officially open....but they seemingly haven't "closed". Fucking prick.