A million employers have furloughed 8.6 million employees: UK government publishes data on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Over one million employers have furloughed 8.6 million 'employments' under the Coronavirus Job Retention (furlough) Scheme, according to data published today by the UK government.

To the end of May 2020

• 1,067,000 employers have furloughed 8,696,000 employments (essentially, employees).
• Claims under the CJRS totalled £17.5 billion.
• 6,300 large employers – those with 250 or more employees – furloughed 2.5 million employments.
• 1.01 million SMEs – business with fewer than 250 employees – have furloughed nearly 5.2 million employees.

Sectors

• Over 1.6 million employments have been furloughed in the wholesale and retail sector.
• The accommodation and food services sector has furloughed over 1.4 million employments.
• 830,000 employments have been furloughed in manufacturing and 680,000 in construction.
• The business administration and support services sector has furloughed over 640,000 employments.
• And nearly half a million have been furloughed in the professional, scientific and technical sector.

Geography and constituencies

The government release also breaks down furloughed employment by UK geographical region and by Parliamentary constituency.

The West Ham and Tottenham Parliamentary constituencies have the highest number of furloughed employments, with 29,300 and 25,400 respectively. (The release notes that 'London constituencies tend to be larger than most'.)

Our latest Osborne Clarke Insights on employment, people and the CJRS are here.