Hospitality Closures And Wages

[foxyferret]

My daughter works 30 hours per week in a coffee shop now closed due to the virus. It’s only a small enterprise so not sure if the owner will apply to get the staff paid. She was getting working tax credit but that no longer applies as she is now at home. She has applied for universal credit but that will take a few weeks. Obviously she has bills, rent to the council, council tax, gas, food etc. She also has a 21 year old son who is on a zero hours contract at McDonald’s. He has also been sent home so there are the two of them now with zero income. I have helped her financially for a long time, I have spent hundreds of pounds but on my pension, I cannot cover all her bills for the next 4-5 weeks. Are the government going to help with people of which there are many, in the same boat? I am really worried that the bills will be mounting up and she will get a giant bill at the end of it which I will be unable to cover. Any info would be appreciated.

[fiction-factory]

There have been several provisions made which will help (80% of wages paid by government as you mention - need to prompt the employer, plus mortgage holidays, plus effectively allowing rent deferment), and universal credit is still available too

[Mamyalynne]

Your daughter should urge her employer to apply to the Job Retention Scheme.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/covid-19-support-for-businesses#support-for-businesses-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme