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Please note that this scheme ended on 30 September 2021 and can no longer be accessed. 

Please note all content listed here is free to view. 

This toolkit provides guidance for managing furlough and the Job Retention Scheme. It provides links to key information and templates on the website. This information is being continually checked and updated.

Click here for information on using the furlough scheme from November onwards. 

Applications for the scheme opened on Monday 20 April and the online portal can be found at this link.

Furlough and the Job Retention Scheme (JRS)

On 20 March 2020, the Government announced its plans for financial assistance to help employers retain employees for an extended period of time, although offering no work, and avoid lay-offs due to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government’s scheme is called the Job Retention Scheme and aims to avoid lay-offs or redundancies where employers are unable to offer work to their employees.

The Government’s JRS means that employers are able to place their employees on “furlough”. This is a term which is typically used in the US and essentially means putting employees on a temporary leave of absence where they are not required to work but are retained on the books to be brought back in when needed.

The JRS was originally set to end on 31 October, to be replaced by the Job Support Scheme. However, it has now been extended until the end of September 2021, with the Job Support Scheme postponed indefinitely. 

 

Furlough content

 

Furlough from November onwards content 

 

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