Coronavirus News


Furlough is replaced with new Job Support Scheme


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ishi Sunak, Chancellor of the Exchequer, has unveiled the Job Support Scheme which replaced the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme on Sunday, November 1.


Running for six months, the scheme will top up salaries in firms which can’t take employees back full-time. To be eligible, employees must work for at least one-third of their normal hours. For the hours not worked, the government and employer will each pay one-third of the remaining wages. This means the employee would receive at least 77% of their pay. The payment will be based on an employee’s normal salary, with the government contribution capped at £697.92 per month.


So, for example, if someone earning £2,000 a month was working half their hours, they’d get £1,000 normal pay. They would then get £333 extra from their employer and £333 from the government.


This is almost the same as the 80% offered under furlough scheme – but employees have to work at least a third of their hours, instead of none. After three months, the government may increase the minimum number of hours worked. See below table for how the scheme will work:


Hours Employee Worked Hours Employee Not Working


33% 40% 50% 60% 70% 67% 60% 50% 40% 30%


Employee Earnings (% of normal wages) 77% 80% 83% 87% 90% Government Grant (% of normal wages) 22% 20% 17% 13% 10% Employer Cost (% of normal wages)


55% 60% 67% 73% 80%


Mr Sunak said: “We can’t continue to provide the same degree of support as we did at the beginning of this crisis and sustain it at that level. It’s not affordable and not sustainable for a prolonged period of time.”


The scheme is open to small and medium-sized businesses. Large firms are also eligible if they can prove their revenue has fallen because of coronavirus. It is estimated the scheme will cost the Treasury an estimated £300 million a month for every million workers who take up the scheme.


In addition to this, on October 9, Mr Sunak announced that businesses forced to close due to national or local lockdowns during the winter would be eligible for a grant to cover two-thirds of employees’ wages up to £2,100. This extension to the Job Support Scheme also started on November 1, running for six months with a review in January.


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he Welsh government has praised Alexandra Workwear for its COVID-19 response, after transforming its operations to meet unprecedented demand from frontline healthcare workers. Alexandra has been working closely with the Welsh Government throughout the coronavirus crisis to co-ordinate international supply chain networks but also to source manufacturing capacity for scrubs and PPE.


The company, already a Tier One Supplier to the NHS in Wales for medical gowns and uniforms, has now been awarded Tier One status for PPE.


William Turner adds face coverings to range


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choolwear specialist William Turner has now added face coverings to its product range.


Available plain from stock in a youths size (suitable for ages 8-15) and in all the popular school colours (black, navy, red, royal, bottle and maroon), these are ideal for school use. A larger adults size is also available from stock in black and navy. Made from two layers of breathable cotton and a third inner layer of knitted jersey fabric, the coverings also have a pocket to add an additional paper filter if desired, together with adjustable elasticated straps and a flexible nose bridge for a secure fit. Washable at up to 60°C and supplied retail ready in individual bags. The plain face coverings can also be printed in the UK with a school or company logo. In addition to the plain single colour face coverings, William Turner is also stocking a range of kids and adults fashion designs in packs of three. Each pack is supplied complete with its own carry bag to help keep any used face covering safe William Turner can also supply any school or company with their own bespoke colour/ design to the same specification as the stock range. There are a wide selection of cotton shades to choose from and a free artwork service.


The plain face coverings can be printed with a school or company logo


Alexandra Workwear receives praise for COVID-19 response


Clear face masks designed by Alexandra Workwear Alexandra Workwear has designed and manufactured a clear face mask for the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Nick Reynolds, purchasing and category manager, said: “We are pleased to now be able to supply clear face coverings because we know they will be a lifeline for the deaf community and anyone who relies on lip reading to communicate.


“As the government continues to extend the settings where face coverings are required, we hope that this project will help deaf people and those they travel with feel safer and more confident in public places. “We are very grateful to everyone who has worked with us to complete the design and testing process.”


Alexandra initially stepped in to take on furloughed workers at Laura Ashley’s Texplan production capabilities in Newtown to produce around 5,000 scrub sets a week. It has since helped to co-ordinate a network of SMEs in Wales to ramp up domestic production levels to meet frontline demands across the country.


These include Neath-based outdoor survival wear company


SURVIVA. After responding to an advert from the Welsh Government, SURVIVA has worked with clinicians at the Princess of Wales Hospital, Bridgend, to redesign their protective gowns. That design is now being manufactured for Alexandra and will


www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk


be used in NHS hospitals across Wales. The Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Economy and


Transport, Lee Waters, said “Ensuring our health and social care heroes have the essential equipment they need to do their jobs through the coronavirus pandemic has been an absolute priority. “The work of companies like Alexandra and SURVIVA has been crucial to this, and I am delighted we have been able to proactively support the vision and innovation they have shown to adapt their operations so seamlessly through our Smart Innovation and Smart Cymru programmes.”


November 2020 |19 |


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