• Chancellor launches Plan for Jobs – supporting, creating and protecting jobs across the country as we emerge from the coronavirus outbreak.
• More than 10,200 jobs have been supported in Castle Point, which will now benefit from further measures as part of the Government’s plan to support businesses, create jobs and give young people the opportunity of a better start.
• VAT to be cut for six months for all businesses in the hospitality, accommodation and attractions industries, including up to 315 in Castle Point
• Public urged to ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ with new voucher scheme to encourage people to support local restaurants throughout August

Rebecca Harris MP has welcomed the Chancellor’s £30 billion Plan for Jobs on Wednesday 8th July, including a much-needed boost for tourism and hospitality businesses in Castle Point, as part of his Summer Economic Update to kickstart the economy post-coronavirus.

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, the Government has been working to protect people and businesses from the immediate economic crisis. As part of this, more than 10,200 jobs have been supported in Castle Point through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, allowing employers to put workers on furlough while the Government supports their wages.

The Chancellor has now set out the second phase of the Government’s response, focusing on jobs: supporting people to find the jobs that are out there, creating new jobs through investing in infrastructure, and protecting jobs by revitalising the hard-hit sectors upon which many jobs depend.

As part of this, employers will be encouraged to retain staff who have been on the furlough scheme, with the Government paying a one-off bonus of £1,000 for every employee who was furloughed and who is kept on until January.

Many young people will be hardest hit by this crisis, and the Government is determined to provide support to give them the best possible chance, by creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs for young people through a new £2 billion Kickstart Scheme. This will pay businesses to create new, decent and high-quality jobs and encouraging new apprenticeships, which will help more people into the workplace while developing key skills.

Rebecca Harris has hailed the measures for the hospitality industry, which will see VAT for hospitality, accommodation and attraction businesses cut from 20% to 5% for six months. The move is designed to support the sectors which have been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus crisis, helping businesses to recover and boosting the number of jobs across the country. Up to 315 businesses could stand to benefit from the measures in Castle Point.

Rebecca has also urged local people to eat out to help out, following the announcement that the Government will pay for up to 50% of people’s meals out at restaurants, pubs and cafes on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout August. The Eat Out to Help Out scheme will entitle everyone to a discount of up to 50% on their meal, up to a maximum of £10 per person. Businesses can claim the money back from the Government, which will be paid in five working days. Up to 150 businesses in Castle Point could benefit from the move.

Commenting, Rebecca said: “We should not underestimate how difficult recent months have been for many businesses in Castle Point. Now that the virus is coming under control, we must turn our attention to creating and protecting jobs.

It is right that the Chancellor is doing everything in his power to support, protect and create jobs. I hope that everyone who can will answer the call to Eat Out to Help Out. This fantastic new voucher scheme, along with the cut in VAT, is the much-needed lifeline many businesses have been calling for.

By levelling up the whole country, we will give businesses the confidence to retain and hire, create jobs in every region and ensure young people have the opportunity of a better start.”