UK employers have returned a total of £1.3 billion in furlough money, according to the Treasury.
This includes £300 million returned to HM Revenue and Customs in the last three months, the government said.
It added that the number of people using the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme dropped by 340,000 in July, to the lowest level since the start of the pandemic. The current number of people receiving the grant is 1.6 million.
The scheme is due to come to a close on 30 September. In July 2021, the government’s contribution fell from 80% of someone’s salary to 70%, and employers had to start paying 10% of wages.
Then for August and September, the government’s contribution was reduced further. It now pays 60% of wages while employers pay 20%, on top of pension and national insurance contributions.
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More than a third of those who came off furlough in July were between the ages of 18 and 34, the government said.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak said it was “heartening” to see the level of grants that had been returned.
“This government stepped in to help when people needed it most, supporting nearly 12 million jobs through furlough. This worked, nearly 2 million fewer people are now expected to be out of work in the UK than previously feared.”
Employers that wish to make claims for September must make their claims by 14 October, the Treasury added.
The government said it would continue to crack down on companies that have fraudulently claimed furlough through a Taxpayer Protection Taskforce of 1,250 people.
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Earlier this month, financial advisory firm Grant Thornton warned that businesses could face a barrage of letters from HMRC as the department stepped up its investigations.
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