Chancellor Rishi Sunak announces coronavirus furlough scheme will end in October

The Chancellor has outlined plans to taper off the support being given through the furlough scheme.

At today's Downing Street briefing Mr Sunak said that, from August, employers will have to pay National Insurance and pension contributions for furloughed workers.

From the following month they will then have to pay 10 per cent of furloughed wages, a figure that will rise to 20 per cent in October.

Furloughed workers can return to work part-time from July, but for those that do companies will have to pay 100 per cent of their wages.

The government currently pays 80 per cent of the salaries of furloughed workers, up to a maximum of £2500 a month.

Currently almost 8.5 million workers benefit from the scheme.

Under Mr Sunak's plans furloughed workers will remain on 80 per cent of their wages until the end of October if their employer chooses to continue to take advantage of the scheme. It is only the employer's contributions that will change monthly.

Mr Sunak said: "Our top priority has always been to support people, protect jobs and businesses through this crisis.

"The furlough and self-employment schemes have been a lifeline for millions of people and businesses."

A scheme to assist the self-employed has also been continued, with beneficiaries able to receive another three-month grant in August, based on 70 per cent of their previous earnings.

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