THE furlough scheme is set to come to an end next week and there are concerns that many people will be made redundant.

Thousands more workers in Oxfordshire came off furlough in July – the first month employers had to make a contribution to salaries under the scheme, figures reveal.

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But with 1.6 million UK workers still on furlough at the end of July, think tank the Resolution Foundation expects 'a significant number' to lose their jobs when the Government programme ends this month.

Figures from HM Revenue and Customs show 15,800 jobs held by workers living in Oxfordshire were furloughed as of July 31 – five per cent of all that were eligible.

That was 2,700 fewer than the 18,500 furloughed at the end of June.

Oxford Mail:

It was also down by more than two-thirds compared to the 50,500 on the scheme during the 2021 peak in January.

In Oxfordshire, people aged between 35 and 39 made up the highest proportion of those on furlough with 1,910 (12 per cent) on the scheme.

Meanwhile, people aged 65 and over accounted for the smallest proportion – 940 (six per cent).

ALSO READ: Unemployment in Oxfordshire to rise when furlough scheme ends

July was the first month that employers had to pay 10 per cent of the salaries of their furloughed workers, giving them an incentive to bring staff back, or end their employment.

Employer contributions rose to 20 per cent in August and September.

HMRC said the furlough scheme had protected nearly 12 million jobs since it began 18 months ago.

But the Resolution Foundation said a slowing down in the number of employees coming off the scheme in July meant there was a risk of a fresh rise in unemployment in the autumn.

The number of people moved off furlough in July was lower than the 550,000 fall seen the month before.

Charlie McCurdy, economist at the think tank, said: "The number of people coming off furlough over the summer has slowed to a trickle, as some firms and sectors struggle to return to pre-pandemic levels of activity.

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“As a result, up to a million employees could still be on furlough when the scheme closes at the end of this month.

“While we expect most of these staff to return to their previous roles, a significant number will not."

Following the reopening of indoor hospitality in May, the accommodation and food services sector continued to see the highest numbers of UK workers coming off furlough in July.

This was also the case in Oxfordshire, with the number of furloughed hospitality employees falling by 550.

It was followed by the wholesale and retail sector which saw 420 people come off the scheme.

Are you still on furlough? Are you worried about losing your job?

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