Rishi Sunak expected to announce Tier two job support

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, is set to update the current Job Support Scheme (JSS), aiding those in Tier two areas.

The scheme will see those who are working a third of their normal hours gain an extra 22% of their wage from their employer and the government each.

The decision comes as the government acknowledged there are only two tiers of support in a three-tier Covid alert system.

According to the BBC, the chancellor’s spokesperson said: “What we have always said is that our package of support is always flexible, and always up for review, to make sure that it is dealing with the situation as it evolves.”

Under the JSS workers will receive 67% of their usual wages, as with Tier three measures. 

However, the BBC says that employers might not be able to match the investment that the government is proposing and businesses may be forced to shut.