Paddy Lillis, the general secretary of the USDAW shop workers' union, has called for the Job Retention Scheme to be extended until the end of 2021. In a letter to the Chancellor, Mr Lillis said that 689,500 staff in the wholesale and retail sectors were on furlough at the end of December, with more believed to have joined them since. He added: "Any reduction in, or removal of, the support available through the Job Retention Scheme will have a devastating impact on employment. USDAW is calling on the Government to extend the Job Retention Scheme for the rest of 2021." Meanwhile, Kate Nicholls, who heads UK Hospitality, said that business rate relief and the 5% temporary rate of VAT need to be extended until April 2022 for the sector, which has been among the worst-hit parts of the economy.
Read more: The Independent
Visit our website here for more news and product information, or click the button below to submit a short enquiry form for your finance needs.
