Shielding Carer

ConcernedCarer

I have received an NHS letter advising to shield, I am a carer so my job is ongoing and my company has lots of hours. I cannot afford to be on SSP and my employee has advised that they aren't going to furlough me? 
Is it not for this situation that 'furlough' was introduced?
I will have no choice but to return to work and risk picking up the virus? How do I stand?
Please help?

poppy12345

If work is available then you won't be furloughed for shielding.

ConcernedCarer

So I have no choice but to go back to work

Theseconddeebo

From the official guidance updated 9th April

Guidance

Claim for your employees' wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Employers are also entitled to furlough employees who are being shielded or off on long-term sick leave. It is up to employers to decide whether to furlough these employees. 

poppy12345

Universal Credit can be claimed along side SSP providing you don't have savings/capital of more than £16,000. Use a benefits calculator to see if you'll be entitled to anything. Do be aware that if you're claiming tax credits, this will end if you claim UC.

gary83

Theseconddeebo said:

From the official guidance updated 9th April

Guidance

Claim for your employees' wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Employers are also entitled to furlough employees who are being shielded or off on long-term sick leave. It is up to employers to decide whether to furlough these employees. 

Employers are entitled to furlough, employees are not, if the company decide not to furlough her then that’s their choice.

Theseconddeebo

I'm not sure why you've paraphrased exactly what is written above. Top marks for comprehension though son. 
To the OP i'd take the guidance to your employer and ask they reconsider. They can only say no.  

sharpe106

Theseconddeebo said:

I'm not sure why you've paraphrased exactly what is written above. Top marks for comprehension though son. 
To the OP i'd take the guidance to your employer and ask they reconsider. They can only say no.  

You are still missing out the first part of the document, i.e the criteria for a company to be able to use the scheme. You are coping the part of who a company can furlough if they meet the original part. The first part quite cleary says. 

If you cannot maintain your current workforce because your operations have been severely affected by coronavirus (COVID-19), you can furlough employees and apply for a grant that covers 80% of their usual monthly wage costs, up to £2,500 a month, plus the associated Employer National Insurance contributions and pension contributions (up to the level of the minimum automatic enrolment employer pension contribution) on that subsidised furlough pay.

As the OP says they can maintain the workforce. 

ConcernedCarer

So I have no choice but to return to work if my employer choses not to furlough me?
Do I meet the criteria to be furloughed?
Is it just down to the choice of my employer?

sharpe106

You have the choice of going to work or not, the same as your employer has a choice to pay you or not. Are you eligible or not for furlough, under the original scheme no, under the new modified scheme potentially but unlikely. The point is your employer has already stated they are not going to furlough you so it does not matter if you qualify or not. They are not going to apply.

onwards&upwards

ConcernedCarer said:

So I have no choice but to return to work if my employer choses not to furlough me?
Do I meet the criteria to be furloughed?
Is it just down to the choice of my employer?

You can choose to leave your job, can you manage on UC?  There is help out there right now, you won’t starve and if you rent then you can’t be evicted.  

It’s your life that’s on the line here, after all.