A LEGAL advice charity is bracing itself for a rising number of people seeking help when the government’s furlough scheme ends.

Though widely praised for helping to save the jobs of millions of UK workers, the Government’s Coronvirus Job Retention Scheme is due to wind up at the end of next month. Cumbria Law Centre staff expect that to trigger a surge in demand for advice.

Pete Moran, from the Centre, said the charity’s advisors had seen evidence of significantly more people needing help.

“There are an awful lot of people facing the possibility of redundancy or consultation about reduced hours,” said Pete. “Many employers are feeling very anxious or downright pessimistic about the months ahead.

“In Cumbria, there is a real mix of employers.

“There is a lot in the retail sector and in hospitality services and those are sectors which have been supported by the furlough scheme. There are people asking for advice because they know that the companies they’re working for are going to downsize, or in some way cut their costs.

“The big moment will be the end of the furlough scheme.”

Mr Moran said employers would face one of three tough choices: bring back workers on their full working hours; reduce their contracted working hours; or terminate their employment.

He said that Cumbria’s employers were mostly good but retailers were vulnerable because they do not generally have the option of letting staff work from home.

Some workers were already facing difficulties around pay and flexi-furlough but this was understandable as the advice to employers is not easy to interpret, he said.

Pete added: “We have seen a number of people presented with a choice of taking reduced hours, pay, or conditions or not having a job to go to.

“Of course, this may well represent the real and significant problems faced by the employer and might be the best they can do.

“But it also sails very close to constructive dismissal and it is unclear what view tribunals would take of some of the borderline cases. In all cases, this presents a real need for proper advice from a lawyer for the employee. Currently we cannot keep up with that demand but we are planning to recruit in the very near future.”