Support is being offered to residents and businesses in East Renfrewshire affected by the end of the furlough scheme.

Introduced in March last year after the Covid-19 pandemic forced large parts of the economy to close, the scheme saw the UK Government pay towards the wages of people who could not work or whose employers could no longer afford to pay them.

Officially known as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, it came to an end last week.
However, East Renfrewshire Council has stressed that support is available for those who are worried about what this will mean for them.

Through the council’s employability service, Work EastRen, help is on offer to those facing redundancy.

The team can support people in their efforts to find a new job or training, including help to write a CV or learn interview techniques, as well as guidance on how to gain new skills.

Anyone who has financial concerns as a result of furlough being scrapped can contact the Money Advice and Rights Team (MART) for free, confidential advice about the benefits they may be entitled to.

Support is also on offer to local businesses that are keen to recruit staff.

The council’s economic development team provide a wide range of help to firms, including access to grants and loans, networking events and finding new premises.

Additionally, experts at Business Gateway East Renfrewshire offer advice to new and existing firms, covering market intelligence, marketing and finance.

East Renfrewshire Council leader Tony Buchanan told the Barrhead News: “It is a distressing time for anyone who has lost their job or is facing redundancy but we are reassuring East Renfrewshire residents and businesses that they are not alone and can access help and support.

“Our staff are ready to help anyone facing these issues, so I would encourage anyone who is worried to get in touch and see what support is available.”

To find out more about the support available through Work East Ren, visit www.workeastren.co.uk, email worker@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk or call 0141 577 8438.

The economic development team can be reached by emailing business@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk or calling 0141 577 3325.

To speak to a member of MART, email mart@eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk or call 0141 577 8420.