Dorset Community Action offer free help to unemployed after Furlough
Over 1,000 more workers in Dorset came off Furlough in August
Over 1,000 more workers came off furlough in Dorset in August, figures show – before the scheme ended last month.
The figures come as a new report warns that over-50s made redundant following the end of furlough could see themselves locked out of work by ageism.
The latest data from HM Revenue and Customs shows 5,600 jobs held by workers living in Dorset were furloughed as of August 31 – 4% of all that were eligible.
That was 1,100 fewer than the 6,700 at the end of July, when 5% of jobs were furloughed.
It was also 37,500 fewer than in May 2020, when the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme was at its peak across the UK.
Between mid-May last year and August this year, the number of jobs furloughed nationally has fallen from 8.9 million to just 1.3 million – with 260,000 coming off the scheme in the last month.
From August 1, employers had to contribute 20% of employees’ wages up to £625, with the Government contributing 60%, up to £1,875.
The Resolution Foundation said it is highly likely that around 1 million workers were still furloughed when the scheme closed at the end of September.
Dan Tomlinson, senior economist at the think tank, said: "Low earners, older workers and people working in sectors like overseas travel are the most likely to have been furloughed, and therefore face the greatest risk of unemployment right now.
"The Government has rightly announced further funding to assist their job searching, but is wrong to have cut unemployment support by £20 a week.”
The Centre for Ageing Better said the latest UK labour market figures showed that 355,000 over-50s are unemployed, with 31,000 having been made redundant between May and July.
It added more than a third of 50 to 70-year-olds surveyed across the UK last summer felt at a disadvantage in applying for jobs due to their age.
In Dorset, 2,680 people aged 50 and over were on furlough at the end of August – down from 3,040 a month previously.
By comparison, there were just 860 workers aged under 30 still on the scheme at this time.
UNEMPLOYED AFTER FURLOUGH?
Dorset Community Action can help.
They are offering free 1-2-1 coaching to support people in their work or setting up their own business.
The “Your future” workshops take the skills and knowledge you already have and adapt them.
This will give you the opportunity for other work ventures.
To sign up you must be unemployed and have the right to live and work in the UK.
For more information on the “Your future” workshops, contact Lynn on 07919 167917 or email her on: lyn.jeffrey@dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk