When Rishi Sunak unveiled his winter economy plan last month, the idea was that the new financial support packages would be enough to help struggling businesses through a turbulent period. So the fact that the Chancellor appeared before the Commons today just a few weeks later to announce new measures shows that events are overtaking government plans. With a backlash growing from industries in tier two over the limited financial support available, Sunak has announced new support for workers hit by coronavirus restrictions.
The biggest change is to the job support scheme, which will replace the furlough scheme when it winds down at the end of the month. The scheme is to be expanded so that the government will now pay a larger share of workers’ wages for those companies struggling to operate with the restrictions they’re under.
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