Furlough figures drop by thousands across Shropshire
Thousands fewer workers in the county were on furlough in March, as the UK started to recover from the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.
The latest statistics – which reveal the situation before pubs and non-essential shops opened for the first time in months – show that millions of people nationally were still on the income support scheme as of March 31.
HM Revenue and Customs data shows around 26,900 workers living in the county were furloughed then – 17,800 in Shropshire and 9,100 in Telford & Wrekin.
There were also 6,500 furloughed employees in Powys.
That was 3,700 fewer than the 30,600 in the county at the end of February – 2,500 in Shropshire and 1,200 in Telford & Wrekin. In Powys it was 800 fewer.
The figures also show that women in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Powys were more likely to be furloughed than men.
By the end of March, roughly 80,600, jobs had been supported by the scheme at any point since its inception, the figures show – 50,400 in Shropshire and 31,200 in Telford & Wrekin. For Powys it has been 18,900.
Jobs at firms which are unable to operate or have no work for their employees during the pandemic are eligible for furlough pay from the Government – with workers currently getting 80 per cent of their wages, up to £2,500 per month.
The scheme has been extended until the end of September – beyond the planned reopening of all areas of the economy on June 21 – and employers will have to pay a higher contribution from July.
Across the UK, 4.2 million jobs were furloughed as of March 31, down from 4.7 million a month before.
The latest figures do not cover the further easing of lockdown in April, which saw customers flood back to salons, gyms, pub gardens and non-essential shops across the UK.
But the Resolution Foundation, which focuses on living standards, said they indicate that the lifting of restrictions has "taken some of the heat off furlough".
"At the end of March, 4.2 million employees were furloughed. Initial estimates from Office for National Statistics business survey data suggest that as restrictions were eased, the number furloughed fell to just over 3 million", the think tank said.
"Still, firms in social consumption sectors like hospitality and leisure had over half of their employees furloughed in March.
"These are some of the lowest paid sectors containing a high share of young workers."
Around 4,530 hospitality jobs held by workers in Shropshire were furloughed as of March 31 – 25 per cent of all jobs. In Telford 1,940 hospitality jobs were furloughed, and 1,850 in Powys
That was the largest proportion of all sectors, followed by wholesale and retail, and motor vehicle repair services.
Across the UK, 1.1 million jobs in the accommodation and food services sector were furloughed in March.
