Furlough pay

Unreal1ty

Hi everyone, can someone help explain how the furlough pay is calculated please.

i was working part time 18 hours a week during the first lockdown, so when we went on lockdown I received about 14.4 hours a week pay which by my calculations is around 80%.

fast forward to when we came back from the first lockdown in July, my hours went up to 27hours per week, although I ended up doing more. But when we went on lockdown I only received the same average of about 14.4 hours per week (80% of 18hours). Although some months were up and down slightly.

so my question is: where do they get the 80% figure from? Is it your contracted hours from a certain date? I only just started back at work on the 17th this month and now I’m doing more hours again. But lockdown furlough pay was so rough and I had to borrow money just to survive.
any help appreciated, thanks.

Jeremy535897

If you remain in continuous employment and were furloughed in the first lockdown, the calculations for CJRS remain the same as they did in the first lockdown, even if you do more hours now. That does not mean your employer does not have to pay more, but it depends on what your contract of employment says. If you are on a zero hours contract, for example, they don't have to pay you anything, so furlough is better than that.

Unreal1ty

I dont even think i signed a contract when I started, but it was agreed upon I would do 18hours on starting, which after the first lockdown change to 27, then after the second lockdown it changed to 30. So I am only entitled to furlough on the 18 hours I worked originally? It is a family run business so they won't be paying out any more than the have to.

so what happens if i change employment between the first lockdown and the second and my hours and wages doubled. i would still get the same furlough payments from the first lockdown?

sheramber

If you changed employers you would not be due any furlough as you had to be on the payroll by a certain date.

Jeremy535897

Unreal1ty said:

I dont even think i signed a contract when I started, but it was agreed upon I would do 18hours on starting, which after the first lockdown change to 27, then after the second lockdown it changed to 30. So I am only entitled to furlough on the 18 hours I worked originally? It is a family run business so they won't be paying out any more than the have to.

so what happens if i change employment between the first lockdown and the second and my hours and wages doubled. i would still get the same furlough payments from the first lockdown?

You are not entitled to furlough at all. Your employer may choose to furlough you, rather than making you redundant (the whole rational behind CJRS). An employer may claim a certain amount towards your pay if they furlough you. That is (broadly speaking) based on figures at March 2020, hence why the claim they may make for you is based on your old hours.

If your contract of employment now entitles you to be paid for 30 hours a week, again they can furlough you or make you redundant. If you agree to be furloughed, and they then amended your contract of employment so that you were only entitled to be paid what they can claim under CJRS for your pay, then 18 hours at furlough rate is what you get.

If you had changed jobs at the right time (and the hours were no different), you could have been furloughed at the 30 hour rate, or possibly be ineligible for furlough at all. It depends on the dates.