Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP Drew Hendry urges businesses to register employees as furlough deadline looms during ongoing coronavirus crisis
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SNP MP Drew Hendry has reminded businesses that the deadline to register employees for furlough is looming, with the scheme due to close for employee registration on Wednesday.
Under the current furlough scheme, employers will permanently lose the chance to take advantage of the scheme if their employee is not registered for furlough by the deadline, and Mr Hendry is urging businesses to act quickly.
The furlough scheme was set up in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis to protect 80 per cent of staff wages via UK government funding.
Earlier this month the Chancellor announced an extension to the furlough scheme to October 31, but as things stand employers must have employees registered by June 10 if they are to receive furlough pay.
Mr Hendry has written to the Chancellor to ask for the deadline to be extended, highlighting that businesses will need flexible support over the coming months.
He said: “While the introduction of the flexible furlough from July 1 will help some businesses starting recovery, the fact that new employees would need to be registered by June 10 make this unworkable.
“The deadline for registering new employees also needs to be extended; if not we will see yet another group of people shut out of support because of arbitrary red tape.
“The Chancellor needs to ensure the furlough scheme works for businesses, and I’ve urged him to review this deadline and his plans for a blanket approach to employer contributions.”
