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More than a third of the working population have been supported since the coronavirus pandemic began, according to figures released one year on from the announcement of the government’s Plan for Jobs.
The government has released fresh data a year since the launch of its Plan for Jobs, revealing that more than 14.5 million individuals and jobs have been supported to date.
The statistics come alongside other positive signs of economic recovery, with the latest OBR forecast for the peak in unemployment around a half of what was previously feared, a difference of almost two million people. And the number of employees on payroll also at its highest level since last April.
Noting that this time last year the UK faced a potential tidal wave of job losses, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak praised the effectiveness of the Plan for Jobs.
"We made a Plan for Jobs, we stuck to that plan and it’s working - supporting more than 14.5 million jobs to date and helping people gain the skills they need to get back into work.
"We know the job is not yet done and our economy needs to recover – which is why we are continuing our support to give everyone the best chance of moving on from this crisis," Mr Sunak said.
According to the government's data, throughout the pandemic, 11.6 million jobs have been protected through the furlough scheme and 2.9 million self-employed workers have been provided with £25.2 billion in government grants.
Moreover, to tackle long-term unemployment, the new £2.9 billion Restart scheme in England and Wales is expected to support over a million long-term unemployed people and help them find work.
With a "significant task ahead of us", Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he is determined to make sure that that every corner of the UK benefits from the Plan for Jobs.
"As we reopen carefully, we will make sure we support people into high skilled and better paid jobs as we build back better from the pandemic."