| answer text |
<p>To help protect people’s job security, the Government announced the unprecedented
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to help firms keep millions of people in employment.
Up to 30<sup>th</sup> June 4.5 million female employees have been supported through
the Government’s furlough scheme. With the announcement of the Winter Economy Plan,
the Government is adapting its response to the changing context, as we said we would.
The Job Support Scheme will provide more targeted support, aimed at viable businesses
who are facing lower demand due to Covid-19 to help keep their employees in work.</p><p>
</p><p>Alongside this, the government has announced additional support for working
parents. Any working parent usually eligible for Tax Free Childcare or 30 hours free
childcare will temporarily remain eligible if they fall below the minimum income requirement
due to COVID-19. This supports individuals with childcare commitments who are temporarily
working less as result of Covid-19. An IFS report (<a href="https://www.ifs.org.uk/uploads/publications/bns/BN223.pdf"
target="_blank">https://www.ifs.org.uk/uploads/publications/bns/BN223.pdf</a>) found
that gender differences in rates of part-time and fulltime paid work account for approximately
half of the widening of the gender wage gap over the 20 years after the first child
in a family is born, highlighting the importance of childcare for reducing pay inequalities
between men and women.</p><p> </p><p>Since 1 June, early years settings have already
been able to welcome back children of all ages. The Government is continuing to work
to understand how it can ensure that sufficient safe, appropriate and affordable childcare
is available. Providers who run community activities, holiday clubs, breakfast and
after-school clubs, tuition and other out-of-school provision for children can now
operate with protective measures in place</p><p> </p><p>In its Plan for Jobs, the
Government has announced unprecedented support to help unemployed people in Great
Britain find a job. We are providing £1.2bn to significantly expand and enhance work
search support, including doubling the number of work coaches, additional investment
into the Flexible Support Fund to provide direct support at a local level, and using
externally contracted provision to expand support even further.</p><p> </p><p>Recognising
that young people are particularly at risk, the government has also launched a new
£2bn Kickstart Scheme, creating hundreds of thousands of new, fully subsidised jobs
for young people across Great Britain, as well as a guaranteed foundation of support
to all 18-24 year olds on Universal Credit in the Intensive Worksearch group, through
its new youth offer.</p><p> </p><p>These measures will help provide job opportunities
to women.</p>
|
|
