Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+

CoronavirusManufacturingLatest NewsBusiness performanceJob creation and losses

CBI: ‘Hundreds of thousands’ of jobs will be lost

by Jo Faragher 17 Mar 2020
by Jo Faragher 17 Mar 2020 A deserted Waterloo station in London yesterday
Isabel Infantes/PA Wire/PA Images
A deserted Waterloo station in London yesterday
Isabel Infantes/PA Wire/PA Images

Business group the CBI has told MPs that “hundreds of thousands” of jobs could be at risk due to the disruption caused by coronavirus.

In a meeting of the Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee this morning, Labour MP Pat McFadden asked CBI chief economist Rain Newton-Smith if the group had an estimate of the number of jobs at risk. 

Newton-Smith responded that the number of job losses would depend on the government’s response. She said this was a “critical moment” for business. 

Special extended webinar

Register now for Coronavirus: What employers need to know (webinar) 

Thursday 19 March 2020, 11:30-13:00

Martin McTague, policy and advocacy chair for the Federation of Small Businesses, said the government would have to take the role of “benign employer” in terms of providing support for employees who have been laid off. 

Newton-Smith urged the chancellor to provide loans in order for some companies to stay in business and continue to employ staff. 

Today the British Beer and Pub Association wrote to prime minister Boris Johnson demanding urgent steps to prevent job losses in the sector after government advice emerged to stay away from bars and restaurants. 

Chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “The UK pub and brewing industry is tonight facing an existential crisis as a direct result of the guidance issued by the government today.

“Thousands of pubs and hundreds of thousands of jobs will be lost in the very short term unless a proactive package creating cash and liquidity is provided immediately to the industry.

“Forced pub closures without a meaningful support package will have a catastrophic financial and social impact.”

She asked the government to cancel tax payments including PAYE, VAT and corporation tax for six months, and postpone the planned minimum and living wage increases due in April. 

Karen Dee, chief executive of the Airport Operators Association, said that without decisive action from the UK government, airports would shut down in weeks, with a catastrophic effect on jobs.

She said: “Governments across the world are supporting their national aviation industries, as many parts of the global travel industry have come to a halt.

Coronavirus

Coronavirus resource round-up 

“As some airlines call on the UK government to act similarly, we are clear that airports will shut down in weeks unless urgent action is taken to support the industry.”

Yesterday Vauxhall owner Groupe PSA said it would temporarily close plants across Europe due to the acceleration of the virus and its impact on automobile markets, and Virgin Atlantic was the latest airline to ask staff to take unpaid leave. 

The government is expected to announce further financial measures today in response to the worsening pandemic. Yesterday (16 March) the government announced new guidance that people should work from home where possible and stop all unnecessary travel. 

Jo Faragher
Jo Faragher

Jo Faragher has been an employment and business journalist for 20 years. She regularly contributes to Personnel Today and writes features for a number of national business and membership magazines. She won the Willis Towers Watson HR journalist of the year award in 2015 and has been highly commended twice.

previous post
First occupational health nurse apprenticeship set to be launched this summer
next post
Research suggests two Type 1 diabetes ‘subtypes’, and may aid future treatment

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Wages fall 1.2% behind inflation as cost of...

17 May 2022

Police Scotland pays out £948,000 to female officer...

16 May 2022

Gender equality facing growing backlash from male managers

16 May 2022

Lack of flexibility pushes half of women to...

16 May 2022

How firms need to comply with sponsor licence...

16 May 2022

easyJet joins battle for cabin crew with £1,000...

16 May 2022

Ethnicity pay gaps: Not making reporting mandatory is...

16 May 2022

MP demands timeline on carer’s leave legislation

13 May 2022

Employment tribunal: use of word ‘bald’ can amount...

13 May 2022

Rees-Mogg under fire from civil service leader over...

13 May 2022
  • What it really means to be mentally fit PROMOTED | What is mental fitness...Read more
  • How music can help to ease anxiety at work PROMOTED | A lot has happened since March 2020, hasn’t it?...Read more
  • Why now is the time to plug the unhealthy gap PROMOTED | We’ve all heard the term ‘health is wealth’...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
    • Advertise
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Equality, diversity and inclusion
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • Maternity & Paternity
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
    • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • XpertHR
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Pricing
    • Free trial
    • Subscribe
    • XpertHR USA
  • Webinars
  • OHW+