AGENCY WORKER NO WORK DUE TO CV BUT AGENCY PASSING BUCK REGARDING FURLOUGH ADVICE NEEDED

jojosb73

I am posting on behalf of my Dad. He is a HGV Driver and works for an agency and has done for the past 3 years. He normally works 5 days a week regularly for a company via the agency.  For the beginning of "lockdown" work was available and he was able to work very safely. As lockdown continued his work started to stop as he was not working for anyone in the food chain/essential provisions and the agency have not been able to provide work. He took one week off on ssp and then another week as annual leave. When he was ready to return there were no jobs for him and he enquired about being furloughed.  He was messed from pillar to post by agency saying the company he has been working for should do it to then saying the company they use to pay the wages should be. We then go into another week where he was told he had a week of work to have it cancelled last minute,so again asked to be furloughed and suddenly he was given 3 days work with excuses not to furlough him. Now from the gov website we have read he is entitled to furlough but because people are passing the buck to each other he is getting no where. We have looked into UC but because the have savings they are unable to claim. Obviously they don't want to use savings, Mum is retired and Dad retires in Dec. Can anyone give any advice as to how to progress forward with agency? TIA for any advice.

sharpe106

He is not entitled he is eligible. A big difference. It is up to the agency if they want to furlough him or not. Most are not doing as it costs them, the employee still gets holiday entitlement, which costs the agency and they have no customer to pass it onto. 
I am sure nobody wants to use savings but that is what they are for, a rainy day, the rainy day is here.  

jojosb73

Yes, you are right, eligible. Can he claim JSA instead?

poppy12345

New style JSA maybe possible if he's paid enough NI contributions in tax years April 2017 to March 2019. It pays £74.35 per week for 26 weeks. Other than that they need to use their savings. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-jobseekers-allowance

SXX

My agency won't furlough either even though they have finally confirmed I am eligible so I continue to battle it out with them.