Agency worker, furloughed

jayyde

I was furloughed by my agency when all this started, I have made several phone calls and all I get is if I meet criteria I will get it. They have clearly missed the date when the portal opened last week as I havent recieved any payment, or any email or letter confirming furlough. Does this mean there probably not going to pay me anything? 

poppy12345

This isn't the first time someone's asked this here. There's probably been 100's of threads from people asking about agencies and furlough and most agencies are refusing to furlough people. I will be very surprised if they do. Have you been sent anything in writing to confirm the furlough? If you haven't then i would say that they most likely won't be furloughing you at all. You need to contact the agency and ask exactly what's happening.

If they don't then providing you don't have savings.capital of more than £16,000 then look at claiming Universal Credit.

A claim for UC will end any tax credits you may already be claiming.

jayyde

Thank you, no nothing is writing about furlough. So UC will have to be my next step. So disappointing

poppy12345

Use a benefits calculator to check entitlement. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/ if you live with a partner you claim as a couple.

sharpe106

Most agency are not furloughing due to the cost to them. If you were working you meet the criteria basically. But as you still acquire holiday pay whilst furloughed the agency will need to pay this and have nobody to pass it onto. That is the main reason they are not doing it. You can not legally opt out of holiday pay either. So until the government announces a way around this very few agency workers will get furloughed. (Yes the government will know about it and they have done nothing about it). If I was you I would plan on not getting it. Just a shame that agencies can not be honest about it. 

jayyde

Thank you for your help, yes no banking on it at all.