Recent figures have revealed that there continues to be more than 5,000 people on furlough in the Moray area.
The latest statistics from HMRC have shown that 5,100 people – or 13% of the eligible population – were being supported through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS).
The average take-up rate across the UK has been 14%.
The latest update of figures covers the period up to April 14 and shows a decline in the number of claims made nationally since February.
The cumulative total of jobs furloughed under the CJRS in Moray is 16,300.
Scottish Conservative MP for Moray Douglas Ross said:
“These figures show once again how important that UK Government furlough scheme has been during this pandemic.
“Here in Moray, thousands of people are still benefiting from the support first introduced by Rishi Sunak in March last year.
“Along with the business loans, grants, and self-employment support, the furlough scheme has protected our economy from the worst of the crisis.
“As we have seen in Moray over recent days, we are still very much dealing with the health impact of Covid – we are not out of the woods yet.
“We haven’t really begun to see the economic crisis yet, and that’s why we will need both our governments 100% focused on recovery in the months and years ahead.”
