Rishi Sunak will give an update on the furlough scheme later today amid reports he will extend 80% wages beyond December.
The Chancellor has already bowed to pressure to raise wages from 67% to 80% for workers whose venues shut in England's four-week lockdown.
Now he is being forced to go further, after Boris Johnson suggested he'd do the same for any future Scottish lockdown too.
Mr Sunak will reportedly announce 80% wages - not 67% - will continue to be on offer even after lockdown ends on December 2.
The Sun reports the higher wages - equivalent to the original furlough scheme in March - will apply to any lockdown in the UK.
That includes not just future national measures in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, but also Tier 3 areas in England.
This would be a bittersweet victory for Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who repeatedly demanded 80% wages for shut down workers when his city went into Tier 3.
Mr Burnham's calls were refused by the government - only for ministers to raise wages to 80% in the national lockdown.
The double standard prompted claims that Boris Johnson had "contempt" for the north and unions warned 67% wages would drive many low-paid workers to destitution.
Mr Sunak will give an update to the House of Commons some time after 11am on Thursday.
Treasury officials could not immediately be reached for comment., but Boris Johnson hinted at extra help on Wednesday.
He told PMQs : "Furlough is a UK-wide scheme that will, of course, continue to be available to the people of Scotland.
"For any further elucidation of the details of the entire package of support that this Government are putting in place for the people of the entire UK, I direct [MPs] to what the Chancellor will say tomorrow."
England's lockdown begins today with all non-essential shops forced to close, alongside pubs, restaurants and hairdressers.
Boris Johnson has said he wants to return to a three-tier local lockdown system when it ends.
But northern MPs fear that will throw them back into the tightest restrictions with no break.
Dozens of Tory MPs wrote to Boris Johnson on Wednesday warning him not to leave the north in “indefinite lockdown”.
The Conservatives in northern English seats sent the grim warning shot as MPs approve a month-long shutdown from midnight.
