Following on from yesterday’s announcement to keep the social distancing measures in place, Chancellor Rishi Sunak (pictured) said the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) would now be open until the end of June – providing additional certainty to businesses.

The scheme, which allows firms to furlough employees with the government paying cash grants of 80% of their wages up to a maximum of £2,500, was originally open for three months and backdated from the 1 March to the end of May.

More than nine million workers are expected to be furloughed, or put on paid leave, under the scheme.

Sunak said it could be extended further “if necessary”.

He added: “With the extension of the coronavirus lockdown measures yesterday, it is the right decision to extend the furlough scheme for a month to the end of June to provide clarity.”