Can my employers refuse to furlough ?

[Deleted User]

About 30 seconds before Boris started talking tonight, i received an email from my hr department, a smaller version of eg Addison Lee.  (Drivers pay rent to work with us therefore no work, less drivers paying rent, less income..  i've worked there 6 plus years)
"It is with regret I have to write this letter, but as all of you have seen Coronavirus has taken its toll of work and drivers, leaving us with a workforce we cannot sustain with our current income.I would like to thank you all for the loyalty and effort put in whilst you have worked with us and wish this was not happening. With this in mind and with a very heavy heart I will need to make reductions to the staffing to help us get through these terrible times.During the next week I will be discussing with each of you the best way forward and what this will mean to you individually.The Chancellor has already outlined plans that may help the situation for small businesses like ours and we hope this may help the situation.I feel it's given me mixed messages as it sounds like redundancy, but also then mentions the chancellor so is presumably referring to the 80% thing.My company has a track record of making some baffling decisions - my question is this, can they refuse to offer furloughed status and just push to make me redundant ? There can't be any other roles they could possibly offer as the company would be almost closed down during the period and many other roles within the firm no doubt received the same email as me...Any help appreciated.Tom

p00hsticks

Short answer - yes they can choose to make you redundant rather than furlough you.