Iain Stewart MP has hailed the Conservative Government's Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme as a huge success after it was revealed 52,500 jobs across Milton Keynes were protected by Furlough during the pandemic.
The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, announced the scheme in March last year to protect people's livelihoods as COVID-19 forced the UK into lockdown as part of his commitment to 'do whatever it takes' to support individuals, businesses and the most vulnerable throughout the crisis.
With the country now re-opening with more than 45,000,000 people across the country double vaccinated against the virus, the Furlough Scheme came to an end this month and millions of workers had already moved off the scheme. In fact, as 260,000 left the CJRS in August, statistics show that notifications for redundancies in the same month were 12,687, the lowest level in seven years.
The Government is now focusing on its Plan For Jobs to ensure the UK builds back better from coronavirus. The Prime Minister’s plan will give people the skills that they need for a successful career, showing that work is the best way out of poverty with a high skill, high wage economy.
Iain Stewart, MP for Milton Keynes South, said:
“By implementing the Furlough Scheme, this Government has helped protect over 52,000 jobs across Milton Keynes. Undoubtedly, this has given individuals, families and businesses the security of a regular wage as we have battled the coronavirus pandemic.
“Now, with Milton Keynes’ economy starting to Bounce Back, I welcome the Prime Minister’s plan to build back better. This will ensure that MK’s future is prosperous and that constituents will benefit as this Government continues in its levelling up agenda.”
The Government's Plan For Jobs is already helping thousands of people into work and apprenticeships:
63,000 young people have started their Kickstart job;
Restart will help over a million long-term unemployed people on Universal Credit;
More than 80,000 apprentices have been newly hired under our new incentive payments;
More than 138,000 people have benefitted from the Job Entry Targeted Support, and; *An average of 1,200 job seekers per week enrolling on a Sector-based Work Academy Programmes.