// Rishi Sunak considering extending furlough scheme until May
// Boris Johnson said furlough support for workers will continue beyond next month
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to extend the furlough scheme until at least May, when he delivers his budget a week tomorrow.
The scheme is due to run out at the end of the financial year.
Boris Johnson has already signalled that furlough support for workers will continue beyond next month.
READ MORE: Government urged to phase out furlough support
Sunak is looking at reinstating a government scheme to pay one-off bonuses to companies that take back furloughed workers.
The government has also extended the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme, which pays £500 to people who are unable to work because they have been told to self-isolate.
Meanwhile, Johnson pledged that the government would keep economic support in place to ensure that as many jobs as possible could be saved.
Sunak is currently considering extensions to business rates relief that are due to run out in March, as well as other measures to kick-start the economic recovery.
Separately, Sunak was urged last week by IFS and Citi Research to ensure next month’s budget secures the economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis to date rather than try to start fixing the public finances.
IFS and Citi Research have warned of a hit to lower-income households ahead, in particular, if the furlough scheme is not extended beyond April.
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