Supply Teachers: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

(asked on 13th May 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has to support supply teachers when the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is withdrawn.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 18th May 2020

As both my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer have made clear, the government will do whatever it takes to support people affected by Covid-19.

There is comprehensive support available for supply teachers during the Covid-19 outbreak, and the Department has provided detailed guidance to help schools, agencies and staff identify the right support available for each individual, available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-school-closures/guidance-for-schools-about-temporarily-closing#what-should-schools-do-if-they-have-already-ended-contracts-with-contingent-workers-that-they-directly-employ. This will depend on supply teachers’ individual circumstances and, for some, may include access to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme#agency-workers-including-those-employed-by-umbrella-companies.

On 12 May, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme would continue until the end of October. This means that any supply teachers who have been furloughed by their employment agency will continue to receive 80% of their salary.

Schools will continue to receive their budgets, which ensures that they are able to continue to pay for staff that they employ directly and meet their other regular financial commitments, including paying their suppliers, such as employment agencies, as per Cabinet Office guidance, available at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/procurement-policy-note-0220-supplier-relief-due-to-covid-19.

These are rapidly developing circumstances. We will continue to keep the situation under review and to keep Parliament updated accordingly.

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