Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to announce an extension to the furlough scheme under which the Government subsidises the wages of workers temporarily laid off due to the coronavirus.
At least 6.3m people are currently having up to 80% of their salaries paid by the taxpayer under the furlough system at a cost of some £8bn.
Mr Sunak has previously said he was preparing to "wean" workers and businesses off the programme - which currently runs until the end of June - but calls have been made for it to be prolonged.
It has been reported the programme will continue to September, although the rate of support will be cut from a maximum of 80% of salary to 60%.
Meanwhile, ministers are to set out guidance on how people can travel safely on public transport as the coronavirus lockdown begins to ease.
The death toll from coronavirus in the UK stood at more than 32,000 as the Prime Minister said he wants those who cannot work from home to start returning to their workplaces from Wednesday.
Mr Sunak last week warned the furlough scheme was not "sustainable" at its current rate although he promised there would be no "cliff edge" cut-off.
Torsten Bell, chief executive of the Resolution Foundation think tank and an early advocate of the scheme, said it should be phased out gradually.
"Moving too quickly could spark a huge second surge in job losses at a time when unemployment already looks set to be at the highest level for a quarter of a century," he said.
"This policy has made a huge difference in this crisis. It now needs careful and gradual change to ensure the benefits it has provided are secured rather than squandered."
Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) National Chairman Mike Cherry said: “Business owners are in the middle of the worst downturn on record. The Government has stepped-up with a raft of support mechanisms to help them through. It’s critical that these mechanisms are not suddenly removed, and that gaps in support are plugged quickly.
“The vast majority of small employers have furloughed staff and they’re telling us loud and clear that the ability to do so on a part-time basis as we move towards recovery will be key to keeping their operations afloat. For firms that don’t have the green light to open until July at the very earliest in particular, we need to see schemes extended significantly – not least the job retention scheme.
“Equally, when considering how firms can return to work, we may have to look at targeted financial support, perhaps in the form of back to work vouchers, for those trying to make adjustments to their workplaces but without the cash flow needed to do so. Many will struggle with practical considerations, particularly where childcare and transport are concerned."
Other business groups have also called for the furloughing scheme to be extended in some form.
