Council bosses say they are “closely monitoring” the furlough numbers in Renfrewshire as the scheme continues to wind down.
The Express revealed earlier this week how 5,500 people in the local authority area continue to have their wages propped up by the UK Treasury.
Launched last April, the UK Job Retention Scheme sees people unable to work their usual hours paid 80 per cent of their wages up to a maximum of £2,500.
Initially funded entirely by the UK Government, the scheme is being gradually wound down and, as of August 1, now demands businesses pay 20 per cent of hours not worked by employees.
And the initiative will end entirely this September despite calls for it to be retained for those in industries hammered by the pandemic.
A spokesman for Renfrewshire Council said it was working with local businesses to ensure their survival after UK Government officials admitted those working in industries based at, and surrounding, Glasgow Airport are amongst the worst affected.
He said: “Since June 2020, the number of people in Renfrewshire on furlough has reduced from almost 27,000 to 5,500 in June 2021 which is positive.
“But our teams and our partners will continue to provide all available employability advice to those affected by the close of the furlough scheme and we will monitor the situation closely.”
Figures released by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) last week show a devastating 58 per cent of those in the air passenger travel industry are still on furlough, as are 49 per cent of those in the travel agency and tour operator market.
The council spokesman added: “Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have been working tirelessly to provide lifeline support to our communities, including facilitating more than £52million in Scottish Government funding for local businesses, while our employability service has continued to offer its specialist support for people facing redundancy and looking for jobs.
“Working together with enterprise and skills agencies and local employers, we have set out Renfrewshire’s two-year recovery action plan, detailing the targeted actions to help people find work, gain new skills and support local businesses to recover and grow.”
