Our vision
Expanding furlough
This paper shows how the government could expand the furlough scheme to support more workers during the pandemic.
Expanding furlough: Including more people in the CJRS and SEISS
This paper is a collection of our practical policy solutions to including those who have been excluded from the government income support schemes. This is an urgent matter, as the risk of a second COVID-19 wave increases each day. If a second wave hits the UK, it is paramount that we ensure the self-employed are not forgotten and get the support they need.
Quick summary
- Allow employees to access the furlough scheme if their employer refuses to furlough them. This would also include a backdated payment for those employees that were originally refused access to furlough.
- Increase the £50,000 cap on income to £100,000 and then taper off support payments up to £200,000. Also backdate payments for those who were earning above £50,000 and then missed out on the last rounds of SEISS payments.
- Lower the rule that means the self-employed need at least 50% of their income to come from self-employment to 20%.
- Those people who spent time on maternity leave causing them to receive smaller SEISS payments should not have these periods of leave included in future calculations. They should also receive backdated calculations if pay during past rounds of the SEISS was reduced as a result of time spent on maternity leave.
Authors
Torrin Wilkins
Director and Founder
Torrin founded Centre in 2020. In the role has written numerous papers including one backed by the Gaps in Support APPG which contained 260 MPs. He has also written policies for political parties and appeared on a wide range of media including TV and radio. He has a Political Studies degree from Aberystwyth University.
Coverage
The Yorkshire Post: Paper provides options to ease anguish of those excluded from Government support - Greg Wright
"This enlightened route has been chosen by the Centre Think Tank which has compiled a draft white paper which makes the case for expanding the furlough scheme...".
'Government must act to help up to 800,000 people who have been refused furlough'
"The Government must take a new approach to help up to 800,000 people who have been refused furlough, according to a think tank".