The UK Chancellor has announced an unprecedented 'coronavirus job retention scheme' that will see the government step in to pay workers during the crisis.
Rishi Sunak announced today that government grants will cover 80% of the salary of retained workers up to a total of £2,500 a month.
Mr Sunak said: “Any employer in the country, small or large, charitable or non profit, will be eligible for the scheme."
He said the grant will be provided through HMRC and that there is “no limit” on the amount of money payable through the scheme.
This is the first time in the history of the UK that any such scheme has been provided by the government.
Companies will apply for a grant from HMRC to cover wages of people who are unable to work.
The move comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that all bars, clubs, cafes and restaurants will be forced to close at midnight tonight.
Mr Johnson said gyms, leisure centres and theatres would also have to shut their doors.
He told the nation today: "Following agreement between all the four nations of the UK, we are collectively telling - telling - cafes, bars, pubs restaurants to close tonight as soon as they reasonably can and not to open tomorrow.
“To be clear, they can continue to provide take-out services.
"We’re also telling nightclubs, theatres, cinemas, gyms and leisure centres to close on the timescale.”The PM said: “Following agreement between all the four nations of the UK, we are collectively telling - telling - cafes, bars, pubs restaurants to close tonight as soon as they reasonably can and not to open tomorrow.”
The Chancellor also announced new measures for people on benefits today.
He said that Universal Credit will be raised by £1,000 a year as part of the major coronavirus rescue package.
The “standard allowance” - £323.22 a month for single people and £507.37 a month for couples - will be raised for the next 12 months.
Working Tax Credit will be raised by the same amount.
Mr Sunak said the move would “benefit 4million of our most vulnerable households”.
Asked if his rescue scheme will cover zero hours workers, Mr Sunak said it will cover everybody who is on the PAYE system but says he ‘can’t generalise for every single person’s employment’.
He said the government is aiming to cover “as broad a range of people as possible”.
