Thursday 7th May 2020
As part of the Citizens Advice Exeter and The Express and Echo weekly advice column, this week we focus on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
I work in retail and my employer has told me that I have been furloughed under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. What does this mean and will I still get paid?
If your place of work has shut down or there’s no work for you because of coronavirus, you can carry on getting paid.
Your employer should use the government Coronavirus Job Retention scheme to pay you while there’s no work to do. This includes if you’re a casual worker, on a zero-hours contract or an agency worker. You are eligible if your employer is liable to pay employer’s National Insurance contributions for you (or would be if your wages were above the threshold).
When your employer applies to the scheme, you’ll be paid 80% of your normal pay up to a maximum of £2,500 a month. This will continue until the government ends the scheme or you return to work.
When your employer applies to the scheme, they have to pay you for any time you were sent home from 1 March 2020. This is called ‘backdating’ your pay.
The Coronavirus Job Retention scheme only covers you if you’re not working. If you’re working from home you should get your normal pay from your employer.
The Government has published more details about the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme
The government has also proposed a separate self-employment Income Support Scheme. Please see: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme
For further help and support visit: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/health/coronavirus-what-it-means-for-you/
Look out for our column next week when we focus on tips from our staff and volunteers whilst self-isolating
The information contained in these articles does not constitute advice. Citizens Advice Exeter and The Express and Echo accept no liability for the information published. Citizens Advice Exeter is unable to respond to individual requests for advice through these columns. Copyright Citizens Advice. For the most up-to-date information, please visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk