Over 31,000 local jobs supported by government

Photo: HM Treasury

The Chancellor Rishi Sunak

The wages of 31,200 jobs in the borough of Rochdale have been supported by the Government since the launch of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS).

The CJRS and SEISS were announced by the Chancellor, and are run by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), as part of a package of support measures for businesses affected by the coronavirus outbreak.

Businesses in the Rochdale borough have furloughed 23,800 jobs, up to 31 May 2020, since the CJRS was launched on 20 April 2020. This CJRS data is based on the location of employers, usually their payroll department or headquarters, which may not be in the same region as the furloughed employee lives.

An announcement was made on 12 May 2020 that the CJRS will run until the end of October to continue the support for jobs and businesses as people return to work.

The SEISS was rolled out ahead of schedule in May and has financially supported 7,400 self-employed individuals in the borough of Rochdale with over £18million being paid out up to 31 May 2020.

The Chancellor announced an extension to the SEISS for the self-employed on 20 May. Those eligible to claim the SEISS grant will be able to claim a second and final grant in August of up to £6,750.

Rishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “The UK Government is doing everything we can to protect jobs and businesses in the North West and across the UK during the crisis. Our unprecedented job retention and self-employment support schemes have supported the livelihoods of millions and will help ensure our recovery is as swift as possible.”