Jobs protection scheme could see £12.4million pumped into Melton and Rutland businesses

Employers will be encouraged to retain staff who have been on the furlough scheme, with a one-off bonus of £1,000 for every employee who was furloughed and who is kept on until January.

This would see £12,400,000 injected into Melton and Rutland businesses if all of the currently furloughed employees in the area remain in work until then.

Rutland and Melton MP Alicia Kearns welcomed the financial assistance revealed by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, which she said provided much-needed support across her constituency.

Also announced in the support package was a temporary cut in VAT to five per cent to benefit the tourism and hospitality sector, alongside a new Eat Out to Help Out Scheme, giving people up to 50 per cent off meals out at restaurants, pubs and cafes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in August.

Ms Kearns has also welcomed the temporary removal of stamp duty on all main homes under £500,000 until the end of March 2021 and the new Kickstart Scheme, which will create hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs for young people.

She said: “The government has stood squarely behind Rutland and Melton residents and businesses throughout the pandemic and it is right that this support continues as we turn our attention to carefully reopening our economy.

“I welcome that the Chancellor is doing everything in his power to support, protect and create jobs and to support out vital hospitality industry with the enormous cuts to VAT.

“This remarkable and unprecedented package of measures will be a lifeline to for countless residents and businesses across Rutland and Melton.”