Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has plans to take steps to encourage companies to rehire and furlough employees that ceased work on or after 28 February 2020 to take up a new job which has fallen through as a result of covid-19.

The eligibility cut-off date for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been pushed back from 28 February, allowing employers to claim for furloughed employees that were on their PAYE payroll on or before 19 March 2020 and for whom HMRC received an RTI submission notifying payment in respect of that employee on or before the 19 March 2020. This means that employees who were originally ineligible can now participate in the scheme.

Employers can agree to re-employ individuals who stopped working for them after 28 February 2020 and place them on furlough. This applies even if they are not re-employed until after 19 March 2020, as long as they were on the employer’s payroll on or before 28 February 2020. Use of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is at the discretion of the employer. If a firm chooses not to do this, individuals may be able to access the other support Government is providing, including a package of temporary welfare measures and up to three-month mortgage payment holidays for those struggling with their mortgage payments.