Changes To The Job Support Scheme: What You Need To Know
Here’s what you need to know in a nutshell:
Mr Sunak has ditched the requirement to work a third of your hours. Now you’ll only need to work 20 percent of your normal contracted hours to qualify – or one day a week.
The original plan would have seen your employer pay out for the number of hours you worked. Cash to pay you for the hours you didn’t work would have been split between the government and your employer. Effectively this meant that if you worked a third of your hours, you’d receive 78 percent of your monthly salary. 55 percent of that figure would be paid by your employer and 22 percent would be underwritten by the government.
Mr Sunak’s tweaks mainly affect the amount of money that The Treasury will contribute towards paying your wages. Instead of stumping up cash to pay you for 33 percent of your unworked hours, the government will pay for 61.67 percent of your unworked hours. This change has largely been driven by criticism from unions, public figures and businesses in areas affected by tier 2 and 3 lockdown restrictions.

How will this affect those people on low wages?
To put in another way, an employee who works a third of their hours will still get 78 percent of their pay, as per the original plan – the government’s salary contribution will just make up a larger proportion of their pay packet. But those working a fifth of their hours will see their salary cut down to 73.3 percent.
For people on low incomes who are already struggling for make ends meet, the Chancellor’s plan has just made their lives that much harder.
Will my terms and conditions change?
The Workers Union Says
This is the only way to protect the livelihoods of working people.
Nobody asked for this crisis and nobody should be punished by a situation beyond their control.
If you’re concerned about your job or you simply need some advice; don’t feel you have to struggle alone. The most powerful form of defence is to join The Workers Union. We will be able to advise you on the legal context and provide further assistance with your case.
The Workers Union – for working people everywhere.