11th August 2020
Commenting on Labour Market Statistics for August 2020 published today (11th August) by the ONS, Dr Liz Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce said:
“These figures continue to show how the furlough scheme has prevented severe job losses during the pandemic. But the rise in unemployment points to the direction of travel as the restrictions imposed to prevent the spread of the virus start to cause real economic damage. It also points to the risks to livelihoods when the jobs support falls off a cliff edge in October.
“To help businesses recruit and retain staff, more needs to be done to reduce the overall cost of employment and prevent substantial redundancies. This could include significant expansion of the Employment Allowance and a cut in employer National Insurance Contributions.”
